Traitors Ireland recap: Siobhán picks her traitors, including a Cork mother

It's only episode one, but there were already plenty of twists 

Siobhán McSweeney is back for another season of The Traitors: Ireland

There’s a nip in the air, the kids are back at school and the evenings are drawing in. It can only mean one thing: The Traitors: Ireland is back.

When the Irish version prepared to make its debut last year, some cynics questioned whether it could live up to the UK original.

Happily, they were wrong. Very wrong.

The Traitors: Ireland ended up breaking into the top ten most-watched programmes in the country last year – a feat usually reserved for The Late Late Toy Show and major sporting events.

Cork’s own Siobhán McSweeney was an instant hit as master of ceremonies, while a delightfully entertaining cast of characters, from prison officer Paudie to Garda Eamon and clairvoyant Oyin, kept viewers hooked.

Can this year live up to the betrayals, bonkers theories and backstabbing?

Meet the players

Well, we headed back to a gloriously dark and spooky Slane Castle for round two this Sunday.

As the snazzy black Mercedes-Benz SUVs full of players start descending on the grounds, people already have their guards up.

“What do you do yourself?” is the first question out of the gate, and the lies start.

“I won’t be telling anybody that I am a qualified psychotherapist,” 39-year-old Denis from Cork says. He’s just a writer (hey!) from now on.

“I am a mummy,” Edelle, 44, from Donegal says. 

“The mammy card came out early,” civil servant Ian, 34, says suspiciously. “I’ll mind ye,” Edelle promises, already forming an alliance with her car of young fellas.

Carla, 27, meanwhile, has extra nerves, admitting: “I’ve never been away from home by myself.” Yes, the housing crisis has already made an appearance less than five minutes in.

Fionula, 61, is an actor and drama Teacher from Cork

“Oh, it’s fabulous,” Fionula, 61, from Cork coos as the Castle comes into view. She’s an actor and drama teacher, but she’s only letting on the latter half of that occupation. 

Fellow Corkonian DJ, 39, is also taking some liberties. He’s a car salesman but says people think they tell a lot of lies, so he’s changed his occupation too. He is now just... a car parts salesperson.

“I would say I am good at keeping secrets,” stay-at-home dad David, 45, says. “Growing up gay in Ireland...” ‘Nuff said.

And Siobhán, generous as she is, has a lovely surprise for our cast of 23 this year. Unlike other years, where there is a banishment before we even enter the castle, everybody gets to enter. Yay! 

She’s now ready to hear everyone’s case for what they want to play in this game – traitor or faithful.

We start with colourful Laura, 39, who has been busy babbling about double cleansing and beauty routines to anyone who will listen.

“I am really leaning into the dumb blonde,” she says, "[but] I am prepared to stab people in the back and the front. Sometimes it’s better when they see it happening.” Oof!

Laura, 39, is a sales manager from Cork

Seán C, meanwhile, says his physical tics from Tourette’s can “make [him] seem shifty”, but he’s prepared to use it to his advantage.

“You’re willing to act up on your Tourette’s to get what you want?” Siobhán says, raising an eyebrow. She is well impressed. 

We’ve also got Páraic K, 33, an Assistant Professor in Information, who wants to “sow seeds of chaos”.

So there are plenty of people vying to be traitors this year – but who will Siobhán pick?

Well, if you don’t want spoilers, stop reading here.

Meet the traitors 

Carla, Fionula and Páraic are chosen at the roundtable to be our OG traitors. But wait, our second twist!

“The Traitors selection process isn’t over,” Siobhán warns.

Suspicions – someone cocked their head at the word ‘traitors’, another drank a full glass of water at the roundtable, someone looks like someone else’s mam – are high and completely unfounded at this early stage. But let’s park it for the first challenge.

They have to run up a big hill, carry stuff, and build something. Standard mission stuff. Players can be ‘sacrificed’ along the way, meaning they won’t get a chance to enter the circle at the end. Those inside will be safe from the first murder. 

This year's OG traitors were revealed

So, who will sacrifice themselves this early on?

Carla and Edelle put their hands up first. Then Gráinne and Fionula.

Nobody wants to put their hands up from there, but they have to keep sacrificing. There are more reluctant volunteers... 

“It's all the women sacrificing themselves,” Kayleigh grumbles.

Finally, after a lot of bickering, they reach the final circle and young Dónal, God bless him, makes a suggestion – let’s all stand outside the circle and sacrifice ourselves so we’re all on a level playing field. A valiant proposal that the group agrees to, no one wanting to seem like the selfish one who won’t play ball. Alas, they are barely back in the SUVs when someone suggests that was Traitorous behaviour. 

A final twist

With the first challenge out of the way and €5,500 added to the prize pot, we go to the first turret meeting and find out what Siobhán meant earlier when she said the selection process wasn’t over.

“You are going to pick the final traitor,” Siobhán tells Carla, Fionula and Páraic.

A lot of names are thrust out – Seán, Laura, Edelle – but who was chosen? Well, we’ll have to wait until Monday evening to find out.

Let the games begin.