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A heartwarming new Irish movie is airing on TV tonight

Published 11:39 11 Jul 2026 BST

Updated 11:39 11 Jul 2026 BST

Stephen Porzio
A heartwarming new Irish movie is airing on TV tonight

Homemovies & tv

'Boasts heartfelt storytelling and a great cast full of familiar Irish actors.'

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Saturday, 11 July) is Abode, the heartwarming 2025 Irish independent film.

Written and directed by Liam O Mochain, who is also a part of its ensemble cast, Abode is an 80-minute anthology featuring five different stories. The tales fluctuate between genres, yet all are united by the theme of home.

The plot synopsis outlines: "Whether the characters are living in mansions or on the street, in a big city, suburbia or in the countryside, home has an importance and a different meaning for each...

"The stories are a mix of drama and comedy, inspired by true stories and very relevant today. In a way, the theme of home is always relevant."

Watch the trailer for Abode right here:

Released in Irish cinemas last November, JOE enjoyed Abode, which overcomes budgetary limitations and resource issues thanks to its heartfelt storytelling and its great cast full of familiar Irish thespians.

This is because the actors imbue their characters with authenticity and humanity, and because O Mochain, at his best, makes their circumstances feel tactile and believable, with their adventures often playing out on the real streets of Dublin.

The writer-director also confidently treads the line between giving audiences just enough information in each tale to stay engaged and invested, while also holding back some big reveals to the end of nearly every story for added surprise or an emotional gut punch.

Like all anthologies, some parts are stronger than others. The most overtly comic and surreal tale, about a couple (Gail Brady and Matthew O'Brien) who get a smart oven that ruins their life, sits awkwardly between two social realist segments. Also, Abode's upbeat jazz and polka-inspired soundtrack can sometimes feel intrusive.

The best segment of the anthology, however, is the one starring Rosemary Henderson (Sister Assumpta in Father Ted) as an older woman about to meet a "long-lost love" with whom she was torn apart.

Gorgeously acted and addressing Ireland's dark past with great empathy, it's sure to bring a tear to your eye.

Abode airs on TV tonight on RTÉ One at 11.20pm. It's also available to rent on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Here are the other movies on TV tonight:

Predator - Film4 - 9pm

"Get to the choppa!"

Now You See Me 2 - Sky One - 9pm

The sequel in the franchise about famous magicians who also pull off bank heists and robberies.

Memory - Channel 4 - 9pm

Liam Neeson stars in this 2022 action thriller as a hitman with early dementia who becomes a target for a dangerous criminal organisation.

3:10 to Yuma (2007) / The Man Called Noon - Legend - 9pm / 11.30pm

A Western double bill.

The International - Legend Xtra - 9pm

Clive Owen and Naomi Watts star in this globetrotting action thriller as an Interpol agent and an American district attorney who jointly investigate a powerful bank's funding of terrorism.

No Hard Feelings - RTÉ One - 9.25pm

Jennifer Lawrence headlines this raunchy 2023 comedy.

When a Man Loves a Woman - TG4 - 10.20pm

In this '90s romantic drama, an airline pilot (Andy García) and his wife (Meg Ryan) are forced to face the consequences of her alcoholism when her addictions threaten her life and their daughter’s safety.

Pretty Woman - BBC One - 10.30pm

Julia Roberts and Richard Gere star in this smash-hit rom-com about a Hollywood escort and a wealthy corporate raider.

8 Heads in a Duffel Bag - Virgin Media Three - 11pm

Oscar-winner Joe Pesci leads this '90s black comedy that did not fare well at the box office or with critics.

Crawl - Film4 - 11.10pm

When her Florida home town is devastated by a hurricane, a young woman (Kaya Scodelario) heads back into danger to search for her missing father (Barry Pepper), fending off displaced alligators in the process.

Legion - Channel 4 - 11.15pm

Paul Bettany is a machine-gun-wielding Archangel Michael, who turns his back on Heaven to save Earth from an impending apocalypse.

They Live - Legend Xtra - 11.30pm

A drifter (Roddy Piper) arrives in LA looking for work but winds up uncovering a shocking conspiracy in director John Carpenter's brilliant, cult '80s sci-fi.

Swede Caroline - Film4 - 11.45pm

Irish comedian Aisling Bea is among the cast of this British mockumentary following competitive vegetable growers who investigate the theft of prize marrow plants and uncover a tangled conspiracy.