Dragons' Den (Irish TV series)
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | February 19, 2009 |
| Defunct | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Ireland |
Area served | Ireland |
Key people | Richard Curran (host) |
| Products | Television show |
Dragons' Den was an Irish TV program hosted by Richard Curran, modeled on the internationally recognized Dragons' Den concept. It was broadcast from February 2009 until 2017, encompassing eight seasons.
History
The series debuted on 19 February 2009.
During the third season on RTÉ One, Norah Casey joined the panel as a new Dragon. Subsequent episodes included segments where the Dragons checked in on their earlier investments.
In the fourth season, Seán O'Sullivan, co-founder of Avego Ltd based in Kinsale, took over from Seán Gallagher. This season also launched the live, interactive Sixth Dragon Game, which enabled viewers to participate in investment choices in real time—representing Ireland’s inaugural live interactive television game.
The eighth season marked the first time three female Dragons appeared simultaneously. Chanelle McCoy, wife of jockey Tony McCoy, joined the lineup, succeeding Seán O'Sullivan.
Dragons
Throughout its run, the show featured a range of investors:
| Seat order | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6 | Season 7 | Season 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niall O'Farrell | Peter Casey | Eamonn Quinn | Chanelle McCoy | ||||
| 2 | Bobby Kerr | Ramona Nicholas | Eleanor McEvoy | |||||
| 3 | Sarah Newman | Norah Casey | Barry O'Sullivan | Gavin Duffy | ||||
| 4 | Gavin Duffy | Alison Cowzer | ||||||
| 5 | Seán Gallagher | Seán O'Sullivan | Eamonn Quinn | Barry O'Sullivan | ||||
A notable fact is that former Dragon Seán Gallagher was the runner-up in the 2011 Irish presidential election. Additionally, in the 2018 Irish presidential election, three Dragons—Peter Casey, Seán Gallagher, and Gavin Duffy—contested for the presidency, placing second, third, and sixth respectively.