| Genre: | Talk show / music / comedy |
| Starring: | Aidan Power (2004–Finale) Laura Woods (2004–2007) Liam McCormack (2007 - 2008) |
| Country: | Ireland |
| Language: | English |
| Runtime: | 30 minutes |
| Network: | RTÉ Two |
The Cafe is a talk show aimed at young people in Ireland. The show debuted in 2004. It was broadcast on RTÉ Two each Friday evening at 19:00, having switched from its previous location in the Thursday scheduling from 7 November 2008.
It was presented by Aidan Power, although Laura Woods and Liam McCormack were his previous co-presenters. The waitress was Avril Kelly, who served drinks to the audience and guests and acts as the announcer of what would occur following the commercial break.opening .[1]
Chats were conducted with two or three guests, there were comic inserts and a musical performance rounded off the show (although sometimes a musical performance may have started the show a well). Past guests included Jason Byrne and Donna and Joseph McCaul,[2] PJ Gallagher and Tom McGurk,[3] Glen Wallace and Jennifer Metcalfe, Caroline Morahan,[4] Amanda Byram, Michelle Heaton,[5] Nicola McLean, Daithí Ó Sé, The Kinetiks,[6] The Coronas, Rosanna Davision, Jacob Byrne,[7] Oliver Callan (aka Gay Byrne) and Pat Kenny,[8] wrestlers Scotty 2 Hotty and Joe Legend,[9] The Saw Doctors,[10] panellist John Bishop[11] and Skins actors Mike Bailey, Daniel Kaluuya and Larissa Wilson.[12]
The Cafe completed transmission of its fifth season on 27 March 2009. A sixth season was revealed on 14 August 2009 by Aidan Power to be on the way.[13] The last episode was broadcast on 2 April 2010 due to its axing by RTÉ to make way for new programming.[14]
Guests in season two included Keith Duffy, Adam Woodyatt, Tony Fenton, Nicholas Hoult, Marty Whelan, Ronnie Drew, Larry Gogan and Liz Bonnin. Music was provided by Turn, Ham Sandwich, Gemma Hayes, Luan Parle, The Answer, Katie Melua and Damien Dempsey.
| Date of transmission | Guests | Artist | Song | Details |
| 26 January 2006 | "It's All About Nothing" | Details | ||
| 2 February 2006 | "Make Her Cry" | Details | ||
| 9 February 2006 | "This Screaming Silence" | Details | ||
| 16 February 2006 | Gemma Hayes | "Undercover" | Details | |
| 23 February 2006 | David Mitchell and Tony Fenton, You're a Star | "Hard to Grasp" | Details | |
| 2 March 2006 | "Something Outta Nothing" | Details | ||
| 9 March 2006 | "Acunamanacana" | Details | ||
| 16 March 2006 | "Failed Romances" | Details | ||
| 23 March 2006 | "Never Too Late" | Details | ||
| 30 March 2006 | Details | |||
| 6 April 2006 | Katie Melua | "Spiders Web" | Details | |
| 20 April 2006 | Damien Dempsey | "Party On" | Details | |
| Date of transmission | Guests | Artist | Song | Details |
| 7 June 2006 | Aslan | "Lucy Jones Part 2" and "Different Man" | Details | |
| 8 June 2006 | "Rose on Water" and "Leave It On" | Details | ||
| 9 June 2006 | O'Sullivan Brothers | "High" | Details | |
| 12 June 2006 | "Your Guitar" | Details | ||
| 13 June 2006 | "Translation" | Details | ||
Season three included twenty-seven editions of The Cafe, thirteen of which were in 2006 and fourteen of which were in 2007. Among those to provide music were Director, Messiah J & The Expert, The Frank and Walters, Fionn Regan, The Blizzards, Boss Volenti, The Coronas, Vyvienne Long, Luan Parle, Delorentos, Iain Archer and Royseven
| Date of transmission | Guests | Artist | Song | Details |
| 28 September 2006 | Spiral | "So Sexy" | Details | |
| 5 October 2006 | Oliver Callan, Mickey Harte, Bubble Hits (James Hyland and Lee Walsh) | Mickey Harte | "Can't Let Go" | Details |
| 12 October 2006 | "Surround" | Details | ||
| 19 October 2006 | "Come with a Friend" | Details | ||
| 26 October 2006 | "Closer" | Details | ||
| 2 November 2006 | "Helicopters" | Details | ||
| 9 November 2006 | "Something Outta Nothing" | Details | ||
| 16 November 2006 | "Miles and Miles" | Details | ||
| 23 November 2006 | TJ and TJ, Fair Citys Barry, Jo and Heather (Patrick David Nolan, Rachel Sarah Murphy and Una Kavanagh), Kieran Donaghy and Aidan O'Mahony | "The Idiots" | Details | |
| 30 November 2006 | "Now That I Found It" | Details | ||
| 7 December 2006 | "Put a Penny in the Slot" | Details | ||
| 14 (17?) December 2006 | "Blackened Blue Eyes" and "Merry Christmas Jakey Boy" | Details | ||
| 21 December 2006 | "Fantasy" | Details | ||
| 1 January 2007 | Oliver Callan as Joe Duffy in an end of year Top 10 review | Details | ||
| 18 January 2007 | "One Clear Way" | Details | ||
| 25 January 2007 | "Stronger Than Before" and "The Gun" | Details | ||
| 1 February 2007 | "Decision Time" | Details | ||
| 8 February 2007 | "She Wants to Move" | Details | ||
| 15 February 2007 | "Make It on My Own" | Details | ||
| 22 February 2007 | "1994" | Details | ||
| 1 March 2007 | "Basis of Everything" | Details | ||
| 8 March 2007 | Colm & Jim-Jim, Oliver Callan, Baz/Michael/Mark (How Low Can You Go?) | "Minus Ten" | Details | |
| 15 March 2007 | James Alexandrou, TJ and TJ, Oliver Callan, You're a Star | "Crash" | Details | |
| 22 March 2007 | "Waiting Game" | Details | ||
| 29 March 2007 | J-90 | "Freak" | Details | |
| 12 April 2007 | "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Monsters & I" | Details | ||
| 19 April 2007 | "Like Only a Woman Can" and "Jones" | Details | ||
| Date of transmission | Guests | Artist | Song | Details |
| 3 June 2007 | The Best of the Cafe 1 (Ryan Tubridy, James Alexandrou, Brian Ormond, Keith Duffy, Bernard Dunne) | Director/Delorentos | "Come With a Friend"/"Basis of Everything" | Details |
| 10 June 2007 | The Best of the Cafe 2 (Louis Walsh, Keith Duffy, Karl Spain, Jimmy Magee, the boys from How Low Can You Go?) | Discovery Gospel Choir/The Charlatans | "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"/"Blackened Blue Eyes" | Details |
| 17 June 2007 | The Best of the Cafe 3 (Lucy Kennedy, Tadhg Kennelly, Fran Cosgrave, Manchán Magan) | Iain Archer/The Frank and Walters | "Minus Ten"/"Miles and Miles" | Details |
| 24 June 2007 | The Best of the Cafe 4 (Jason Byrne, Brent Pope, Oliver Callan, Dáithí Ó Sé, Derval O'Rourke, TJ and TJ) | Messiah J & The Expert/Brian McFadden | "Something Outta Nothing"/? | Details |
| 4 July 2007 | The Best of the Cafe 5 (Ken Doherty, Maeve Higgins, PJ Gallagher, Don Wycherley, Keith Barry) | Fionn Regan/The Blizzards | "Put a Penny in the Slot"/"Fantasy" | Details |
| 8 July 2007 | The Best of the Cafe 6 (Caroline Morahan, Bill O'Herlihy, Bryan Dobson, Brian McFadden) | David Kitt/Royseven | "One Clear Way"/"Crash" | Details |
For season four, Aidan Power's co-presenter Laura Woods left for pastures new and was replaced by Liam McCormack. On 25 October Ziggy Lichman guest presented instead of Aidan Power, alongside Liam McCormack. The opening sequence also changed to feature past guests such as The Blizzards, Lucy Kennedy and Ken Doherty in black and white. Among those to provide music were Duke Special, Messiah J and the Expert, The Flaws, Declan O'Rourke, Republic of Loose, East 17, Juno Falls, David Geraghty and Seasick Steve.
| Date of transmission | Guests | Artist | Song | Details |
| 27 September 2007 | "Manmade" | Details | ||
| 4 October 2007 | Ziggy Lichman and Carole Vincent (Big Brother 8) | "Stairway to Heaven" and "Our Love Goes Deeper Than This" | Details | |
| 11 October 2007 | Joe O'Shea, Mary Fitzgerald | "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" | Details | |
| 18 October 2007 | "Super Famous Super Tune" | Details | ||
| 25 October 2007 | "You & I" | Details | ||
| 1 November 2007 | "Michael Jackson" | Details | ||
| 8 November 2007 | "Whatever Else Happens" | Details | ||
| 22 November 2007 | "Break" | Details | ||
| 29 November 2007 | Mario Rosenstock, Dave Duffy and Jenny Kavanagh (Fair City) | "Another Idea" | Details | |
| 6 December 2007 | Andrew Maxwell, Damian Clark and Andrew Stanley (I Dare Ya) | "You Can't Have It All" | Details | |
| 13 December 2007 | "Stay Another Day" | Details | ||
| 20 December 2007 | GAA All Stars | "Over the Rooftops" | Details | |
| 10 January 2008 | Rachel Allen, Rhino and Jet (Gladiators) | [15] | ||
| 17 January 2008 | "Favourite Things" | Details | ||
| 24 January 2008 | "Umbrella"/"This Song is Your Own" | Details | ||
| 31 January 2008 | "Feel Free" | Details | ||
| 7 February 2008 | Susan McFadden, Matt Littler and Darren Jon-Jeffries (Hollyoaks) | "Timewarp" | Details | |
| 14 February 2008 | "Kaleidoscope" | Details | ||
| 21 February 2008 | "Cut My Wings" | Details | ||
| 28 February 2008 | "Not Out to Get You" | Details | ||
| 6 March 2008 | "We Like Music" | Details | ||
| 13 March 2008 | Kathryn Thomas, Krump Dancers, Chris Doran, You're a Star finalists | Details | ||
| 27 March 2008 | "What You All About?" | Details | ||
| 4 April 2008 | Mike Bailey/Larissa Wilson/Daniel Kaluuya (Skins), Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin (Celebrity Bainisteoir) | "Start Beginning" | Details | |
| 11 April 2008 | "You Got Me So" | Details | ||
| Date of transmission | Guests | Artist | Song | Details |
| 29 June 2008 | The Café Select 1 with Louis Walsh, Holly Brisley, the Hollyoaks Boys, Brian Belo | Details | ||
| 6 July 2008 | The Café Select 2 with Matt Di Angelo, Six, Keith Barry, Duke Special and the Mitchell Brothers | Details | ||
| 13 July 2008 | The Café Select 3 with Dean Gaffney, Francesca Martinez, East 17 and Shayne Ward | Details | ||
| 20 July 2008 | The Café Select 4 with Andrew Maxwell, Declan O'Rourke, the boys from Hollyoaks and Dan le Sac | Details | ||
| 27 July 2008 | The Café Select 5 with Rachel Allen, Brian Dowling, Paul Howard, Gordon D'Arcy and others | Paddy Casey | Details | |
| 3 August 2008 | The Café Select 6 with Kathryn Thomas, Timmy Mallett, Michael Winslow, Mikey Graham | Hope/ Super Extra Bonus Party | Details | |
For season five, Aidan Power's co-presenter Liam McCormack left for pastures new and wasn't replaced as Power became the show's sole presenter. The 7 November episode marked the beginning of Friday broadcasts, this change would remain in effect until the programme's end in 2010. Among those to provide music were Republic of Loose, The Flaws, Fight Like Apes, Ham Sandwich, The Blizzards and The Coronas.
Olympian Kenny Egan produced his silver medal.[16] Economist George Lee was shown predicting doom and gloom sixteen years earlier[17] Pat Kenny featured on the night of The Late Late Toy Show where he encountered the mimicry of Oliver Callan who took on the persona of Kenny and his predecessor Gay Byrne.[18] Ryle Nugent guested on 20 March 2009 to talk about Ireland's attempt to win the 2009 Six Nations Championship Grand Slam.[19] The final episode of the fifth series was broadcast on 27 March 2009, featuring guests Eamon Dunphy and John Bishop, with music from Republic of Loose and a new Louis Walsh girlband.[20]
| Date of transmission | Guests | Artist | Song | Details | |
| 25 September 2008 | "The Ritual" | Details | |||
| 2 October 2008 | Kenny Egan, Cadbury's gorilla, Charlene McKenna and Liam Garrigan (Raw) | "January is Blue" | |||
| 9 October 2008 | "Idolise" | Details | |||
| 16 October 2008 | "Jake Summers" | Details | |||
| 30 October 2008 | "Way Too Pretty" | ||||
| 7 November 2008 | "About You Now" | Details | |||
| 14 November 2008 | "Broken Glass" | Details | |||
| 21 November 2008 | "The Reason" | [21] | |||
| 28 November 2008 | "Rebel Get By" | ||||
| 5 December 2008 | "Damn" | Details | |||
| 12 December 2008 | "San Diego Song"/"Heroes or Ghosts" | Details | |||
| 19 December 2008 | "Merry Xmas Everybody" | [22] | |||
| 9 January 2009 | "Crazy World"/"Jealous Little Thing" | Details | |||
| 16 January 2009 | "Lightbulb" | Details | |||
| 23 January 2009 | "Diplomat" | Details | |||
| 30 January 2009 | "The Lights" | Details | |||
| 6 February 2009 | "Addiction" | Details | |||
| 13 February 2009 | Details | ||||
| 20 February 2009 | "Break Me" | Details | |||
| 27 February 2009 | "Et Cetera"/"If I Were a Boy" | Details | |||
| 6 March 2009 | "Click... Click... Boom! | " (as Gaeilge) | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 March 2009 | "Postcards"/"Rave Up" | Details | |||
| 20 March 2009 | "Tea with Lord Haw Haw" | Details | |||
| 27 March 2009 | Details | ||||
Keith Duffy appeared to promote the stage show My First Time; this was cancelled after the sudden death of fellow Boyzone member Stephen Gately the following day.[23] [24]
Guests on the final episode, aired on 26 March 2010, were Katie Taylor, Daithi O'Se, Kathryn Thomas, Andrew Stanley and Dustin the Turkey, with music from Smash Hits and Beardyman.[25] [26]