As we near the end of the year, we thought it was high time to take a look back at some of the highlights of Irish television over the last 12 months. Those moments that got the nation tweeting up a storm or were the talk of the office over their morning cups of tea.

There were heartfelt goodbyes to some well-known faces, some, eh, interesting dance moves, a fake-tan disaster, and of course, most recently, a very special reunion.

Take a look below:

1. Tangate

Ireland's first ever Dancing with the Stars series kicked off in January but it wasn't the dancing that caught our attention in that opening night. Nope, instead it was the colour of former Big Brother star Hughie Maughan's face, who looked like he may have got a little over-familiar with a bottle of Cocoa Brown. Or maybe it was a tin of varnish...

 

2. A Room to Improve bromance

The nation's favourite architect met his match in the form of farmer Enda who intended to be very hands-on with the project and Dermot, along with the rest of us, rolled our eyes and thought, here we go, another client who fancies themselves to be a bit of a builder. But yep, Dermot wildly underestimated Enda, and we all shook our heads at him and thought, 'I can't believe Dermot could possibly underestimate Enda'.

From the speed at which he put up the house, to his last minute decision for a garage-come-boat house, Enda kept Dermot on his toes throughout, and always seemed to be one step ahead. By the end however, a sense of mutual admiration and respect meant that a friendship was born, with the pair of them even going for a pint together. N'aww.


 

3. The Late Late Show Valentine's Special

As usual, the annual Coppers themed Valentine's Late Late Show was a night of madness as the audience was packed out with singletons all looking for the shift some romance. There was many a memorable moment, but as was the previous year, it was Deano who stole the show once more.

 

4. Dustin and Ray reunite

We all got to relive our childhoods back in October when Dustin the Turkey went on The Ray D'arcy Show where the pair relived some of their most memorable moments together hosting The Den.

 
5. The Dessie Swim

We don't know what it was, we don't know if we'll ever get to see it again, we don't even know if it's dancing - but how and ever 2017 was also the year that brought us - the Dessie Swim.

 

6. Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, John Lithgow, and Mel Gibson give their thoughts on Fair City

Yes, these four were only on Gogglebox Ireland to plug their latest movie, Daddy's Home 2, but it was still pretty gas watching them give their thoughts to the goings-on of Fair City.

As Will himself said, in Fair City, nothing is fair.

 

7. Batdad on The Late Late Show

This was the year when the world was transfixed with a viral video of a Kerry dad trying to get a bat out of his kitchen. "Catch him, Derry!" has to be one of the best phrases to come out of 2017, and catch him he did. Derry even made it onto The Late Late Show afterwards, no doubt he's still the star of the parish.

 

8. This All Ireland sports promo

2017 marked a landmark All-Ireland hurling final as Galway took on Waterford for the first in the final game of the season, with The Tribesmen winning their first Liam McCarthy since 1988. Ahead of the big game, RTÉ released the below sports promo which ended up going viral for all the right reasons.

It's spine-tingling stuff.

 

9. First dates on First Dates

These two little cutie pies went on their first date ever on First Dates Ireland earlier in the year, with Paddy finding himself practically proposing out of nerves within the first five minutes. Delightfully awkward but adorable. And the date went well!

 

10. Domhnall Gleeson reuniting with his secondary school teacher on The Late Late Show

They hugged. She told him she was so proud of him. *Sniff.* It was just a little bit wonderful.

 

11. We finally found Katy

It was the storyline that we thought would never end - there was even a petition about it. Carrigstown's Katy O'Brien was kidnapped some time in the Stone Age in spring 2016 on Fair City and it took well over a year for her to be reunited with her family, but finally in May of this year, she returned.

 

12. Goodbye Vinny B

It was the end of an era late last aummer on TV3, as Vincent Browne hosted his late-night current affairs show for the final time. Just ahead of the credits, Vincent was surprised with a performance from the Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir, and his reaction was very much classic Vincent Browne.

 

13. Lucy Kennedy faces off with Katie Hopkins

The TV3 presenter confronts Katie on some of her most controversial tweets, telling her that all they do is get people thinking that "Katie Hopkins is an absolute bitch".

Ouch.

 

14. A full moon at the Criminal Court of Justice

The joys of TV reporting indeed.

 

15. And this guy, just 'cos

 

16. This list wouldn't be complete without an Aengus blooper

In fairness, this isn't his fault - in fact, most of his bloopers are rarely his fault, bu dammit, we love them. Sadly, Aengus Mac Grianna also announced this year he would be leaving RTE. Sigh, he'll be missed.

 

17. The Sunday Game referenced It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

We're not sure how or why, but no compaints here.

 

18. TG4 did an entire continuity segment with Snapchat filters

This was weird enough to make it onto the list. Every year, TG4 do an on-air prank at Halloween, and while 2016 saw Caitlín Nic Aoidh get struck by lightning, this year they threw in some well-known Snapchat filters, but it's the translation that makes it.

 

 

19. Dobbos's last news broadcast

Ireland's news and current affairs presenters have been dropping like flies this year, but Bryan Dobson's last broadcast on Six One could not go unmarked, resulting in this fantastic tribute to a man whose face has been in our sitting rooms most days for over 20 years.

 

20. The Toy Show reunion

Finally, this may just be the TV moment of the year for us. The Late Late Toy Show are known for their surprise guests, but they really played a blinder recently when they reunited two kids on testing toys with their army dad.

There wasn't a dry eye in the house.