{"id":81939,"date":"2025-09-23T22:27:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T22:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/81939\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T22:27:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T22:27:08","slug":"a-tense-and-thrilling-conclusion-to-a-spectacular-first-season-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/81939\/","title":{"rendered":"A tense and thrilling conclusion to a spectacular first season \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">The winners!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"Traitors Ireland winners\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UZNHN5GJBNHNZLJ3E4BSZS56GE.jpg\"   width=\"800\" height=\"533\"\/>Traitors Ireland winners <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Kevin McGahern asks Siobh\u00e1n on UnCloaked who is your favourite child? She answers Diane because she wishes she got to see more of her. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">And there we have it. The traitors outfoxed and the faithful walk away with the prize money. What a tense conclusion to a spectacular first season of The Traitors Ireland. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Hugs, tears\u2026 fireworks.. It\u2019s like a Coldplay concert without the \u20ac400 tickets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Vanessa has rung the bell &#8211; the game is over. \u201cIn a room full of people that you can\u2019t trust it\u2019s nice to know there\u2019s at least two.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Oyin votes to end the game. \u201cI have full confidence. I know we\u2019re all faithful.\u201d Kelley agrees. What will Vanessa do?<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">\u201cIt\u2019s been an absolute pleasure playing the game &#8211; but more importantly getting to know you\u2026I am a traitor,\u201d he says. Everyone\u2019s crying \u2013 except Ben. Probably because he knows he\u2019ll soon be back with Nick. Now the faithful must decide if there is another traitor. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Three votes for Ben. The faithful win! <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Oooh&#8230;Oyin votes to banish Ben .Might the jig be up?<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Cut to Slane Castle exterior and a big fire-pit straight out of Love Island. Siobh\u00e1n is back \u2013 and the contestants are voting whether to end the game or banish again. White smoke from the fire \u2013 they\u2019ve voted to banish again. Smartly played faithful. And Ben, who is pretending that he suspects there is a traitor out there. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Should there be a steward\u2019s inquiry over Nick\u2019s \u201chalf right\u201d comment to the faithful. Is he trying to influence the outcome of the game and hand the win to Ben after he has been eliminated? The internet has opinions. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">\u201cI\u2019ve dodged every murder. I\u2019ve gotten rich to the finale,\u201d says Ben. The contestants can end the game now if they believe everyone left is a faithful. But if they do, the traitor wins. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">If you\u2019d like to share your thoughts with us, click into the box below<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Ben pretends to be shocked at the departure of Nick. But as last traitor standing \/ skulking he\u2019s in pole position to win. Next comes the end game. Stay under the radar and all that lolly is his. Perfect time for another ad break and a deep breath. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">How are you holding up? I didn\u2019t think The Traitors could top the Joanna\/Faye round tables for sheer tension. But we\u2019re only halfway through the final and already I\u2019ve run out of nails to bite. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">The estate agent has lost the keys to the castle. The Nick-aissance ends tonight!<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Nick has chosen to banish Vanessa. She goes for Nick. Ben writes down Vanessa\u2019s name. Oyin thinks it\u2019s Nick. What will Kelley write? <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">\u201cI\u2019m so confused,\u201d says Kelley. She suspects she\u2019ll have the swing vote at the round table \u2013 might she be the kingmaker and traitor slayer? <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">\u201cThere\u2019s not a scrap of evidence. You\u2019ll make the wrong decision on me,\u201d says Nick. This could be the end of the road for him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Nick and Ben kept schtum when the faithful turned on Faye the previous night \u2013 and Oyin seems to have twigged something is amiss. Nick on the backfoot here. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Oyin has Nick in her sights. Was he recruited by Paudie? She suspects he\u2019s \u201cslipping between the cracks\u201d at the round tables. He is rattled &#8211; but here comes to Ben to defend him. Peak Ben.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Quick recap from Siobh\u00e1n. If only faithful are left at the end, they get the loot. If there\u2019s a traitor among them, the conspirators walk away with the dosh. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Back to the show &#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Side-eye from Kelley as she suggests Paudie recruited Nick and Nick nods along. And now the round table. Can you taste the tension? <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \"><b>Laura Slattery is reporting from the Clayton Hotel<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Irish wolfhounds, hooded people in gold masks and RT\u00c9 director general Kevin Bakhurst are all in attendance at an RT\u00c9 screening of the finale in Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">The cast \u2014 including the final five \u2014 and host Siobh\u00e1n McSweeney are the guests of honour at the event, compered by Uncloaked presenter Kevin McGahern.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">RT\u00c9 and the producers, Kite Entertainment, have been toasting a massive hit for the broadcaster, with commissioning editor Gr\u00e1inne McAleer, describing the series as being \u201clike 12 All-Irelands\u201d in terms of viewer ratings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">They\u2019ve bagged the ten grand &#8211; which is good. Aaaand they\u2019re singing ole, ole, ole \u2013 which is bad. Now Nick is trying to turn Kelley in the car journey back to the castle. It\u2019s like Game of Thrones with added estate agent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">The challenges are always a bit of filler. But at least this one has decent production values. That tower looks spectacular. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">They\u2019re talking to a man on a walkie talkie. Now there\u2019s a helicopter. Carry on like this and there won\u2019t be any money left for another of Siobh\u00e1n\u2019s statement capes. Just to reiterate I have no idea what\u2019s going on: I have unleashed the Wilkin within. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Ooh cinematic drone shots of the players pegging it across the countryside in their huge golf-carts. That\u2019s one fifth of the budget gone right there. And now they\u2019re in a dungeon. They see an orc guarding a chest. Only joking \u2013 Vanessa has found clues leading to the next elements. Is anyone following this? <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">It\u2019s all gone a bit ZX Spectrum text adventure. They\u2019re looking for crystals to unlock a spire \u2013 I\u2019m having flashbacks to that time I was locked in the goblins\u2019 dungeon playing The Hobbit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">We\u2019ve reached the first ad break. What do we think of Nick and Ben\u2019s plan to separate Vanessa and Oyin by turning Kelley against Vanessa? It was all tears and hugs at the last supper the previous evening &#8211; but the traitors are ruthless out of the gate tonight. This could turn nasty. Who am I kidding. This WILL turn nasty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">The last mission. Siobh\u00e1n in another statement ruff \u2013 and ten grand potentially added to the pot. She explains the mission \u2013 something to do with the elements. I\u2019m not sure the players understand. I certainly don\u2019t. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">\u201cI know it has to be one of the boys. I\u2019m just trying to figure out which one,\u2019 says Kelley. Then the penny drops. \u201cIs it there a chance it\u2019s both of them?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Oyin isn\u2019t buying it. \u201cI would jump in the river she says.\u201d Oh Oyin \u2013 can\u2019t you see? <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Vanessa has arrived for brekkie. \u201cThe highs are really highs, the lows are so low,\u201d she says. She sounds traumatised \u2013 as she would having faced down round table truth bombs from Joanna and Faye over the last two round tables. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Enter Nick, the estate agent who has been selling himself as Mr Trustworthy over the past three weeks. He and Ben have a plan \u2013 persuade Kelley to vote Vanessa out at the round table. Devious. But will it work?<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Aah, we begin with an emotional flashback to the start of the series. How innocent and hopeful they look. Except for Wilkin. He was just giving us peak Wilkin from the outset. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">We open with creepy music, Siobh\u00e1n sounding severe\u2026and breakfast. \u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d make it this far,\u201d says Oyin. Too modest! Viewers had her tagged as one of the sharpest faithful from the start.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Daggers at the ready, here we go. May the best faithful or traitor win. Actually could they just bring back Paudie and give him the money. Who would object? Aside from Ben and Nick, who weirdly have yet to receive their own portmanteau (Bicholas? Brick?)<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">As we prepare to visit Traitors Castle for the last time, it as good a moment as any to look back at the highlights and lowpoints of the season. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Where to start? The Nick and Ben bromance becoming a \u201cbow-mance\u201d when they mimed pinging a target with their arrows of truth. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Paudie\u2019s \u201cI\u2019m not a hugger\u201d speech \u2013 the Gettysburg Address of auld fella banter\u2026 We could go on \u2013 but, much like Wilkin at the round table, we\u2019re just going to sit in silence for a while instead. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Welcome to the Irish Times\u2019 coverage of the final of The Traitors Ireland. This is your last warning before the backstabbing begins for the final time (sob). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The winners! Traitors Ireland winners Kevin McGahern asks Siobh\u00e1n on UnCloaked who is your favourite child? She answers&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50723,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[9,10,18,13,14,2215,6,19,17,11,12,15,16,5,1181,36477,48013,7,8],"class_list":{"0":"post-81939","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-breaking-news","9":"tag-breakingnews","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-featured-news","12":"tag-featurednews","13":"tag-for-you","14":"tag-headlines","15":"tag-ie","16":"tag-ireland","17":"tag-latest-news","18":"tag-latestnews","19":"tag-main-news","20":"tag-mainnews","21":"tag-news","22":"tag-rte","23":"tag-siobhan-mcsweeney","24":"tag-slane-castle","25":"tag-top-stories","26":"tag-topstories"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81939\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}