How to watch TG4 outside Ireland: Beginner’s Guide
Chris
Chris, a UK-born media connoisseur, is an expert in watching international TV. Known as "The Global Screen Wanderer", he has travelled extensively across the globe with long stints away from home. With over 10 years of experience he has become the go-to guru for streaming content from home and abroad.
In this guide I’ll be showing you the quickest way to watch TG4 and other associated channels outside Ireland with minimal fuss and maximum ease.
TG4 is one of the most popular free-to-air channels in Ireland. Whilst it’s not as popular as RTE it’s definitely up there and if there are some shows you’re after watching then you’ll be disappointed to see they’re blocked when you’re outside Ireland.
While some live shows and those on catch-up will play outside Ireland, the majority won’t.
To get around this you’ll need a VPN app. It’s a small privacy tool that lets you change your location. If you’re in America, for example, you can make it seem like you’re still in Ireland. Best of all, it works anywhere!
The result? You can watch TG4 and other channels like Cúla4 and Nuacht TG4 outside Ireland.
Where to get a VPN app
VPN apps sound really technical by name but you don’t need to worry because they just take a couple of steps to use and you can be watching TG4 within minutes.
The popularity of unblocking TV abroad has grown massively and so there’s now loads of choice of VPN apps out there.
After numerous tests I found ExpressVPN to be the best for the job. Using their app is really easy and they’ve got some of the best speeds so buffering isn’t an issue.
Summary: You’ll need a VPN app which will allow you to unblock and watch TG4 outside Ireland.
They’re definitely not the cheapest when signing up for a month but you can make a huge saving by taking their annual package which is well worth considering and most cost effective – it’s actually 49% cheaper than paying monthly.
If you want to shop around then it’s worthwhile checking out IPVanish and NordVPN too as they’re also excellent choices for unblocking and watching TG4 outside Ireland.
30 day money back guarantee
How to use the VPN app to watch
Now that you know which VPN apps are good for watching TG4 you’ll now need to sign up and download their app.
VPN apps are available for all kinds of devices so you can watch TG4 on your computer, tablet or phone.
You should follow the simple steps below to sign up and download a VPN app and then watch TG4 wherever you are.
- Visit one of the three recommended VPN services above such as my favourite ExpressVPN.
- Sign up for their service. Remember it’s much cheaper to take a 12-month package than pay monthly.
- Once you’ve signed up, download their app. You can either get it from the ‘Products’ area of their website or download it from your regular app store.
- Open the app and login with the account details you created when you signed up.
- Next press on the ‘Choose Location‘ button.
- Then press ‘All‘, ‘Europe‘ and then ‘Ireland‘.
- You may also need to press ‘Connect’ depending on what type of device you’re using.
- Once the VPN app has connected visit the TG4 website or use their app.
Watch TG4 outside Ireland with ExpressVPN.
You can now watch as much TG4 as you want wherever you are in the world.
Can I just use any VPN app to watch TG4?
It’s important not to just pick any VPN you find on Google because not all work with TG4.
Some are too slow and you’ll end up with buffering which if you’re like me will leave you frustrated when you just want to watch your favourite shows.
Others just don’t work for unblocking TG4. So it’s best to stick to tried and tested VPN apps like ExpressVPN which I’ve used myself and can confirm works.
How about ‘free’ VPN apps?
You might have heard of ‘free’ VPN apps and if you’re like me, why pay if you can get something for free, right?
Sadly though after numerous tests, I found free VPN apps to be a waste of time. They’re just too slow for streaming video which leads to low quality playback and more buffering issues that you can shake a stick at.
They also come with risks. As you’re not paying for those apps they generate revenue in other ways. Often this is by underhand tactics like monitoring what you’re doing or installing things like malware alongside.
Tip: Free VPN apps are not only slow but they’re also dangerous to the health of your device.
In fact, in a recent study, it discovered that most ‘free’ VPN apps found on your app store contained some hidden dangers – it’s just not worth the risk.
Exclusive offer: Save 49% off today
What else can I use the VPN for?
You’ll be pleased to know after paying the few dollars for a VPN you can use it for loads of other purposes.
Unblock more Irish TV Channels
The best is unblocking other Irish TV content. So you can watch RTE outside Ireland and others such as AerTV.
Any free-to-air or subscription services you have access to will now be unblocked with the same VPN service. So not only can you watch TG4 and associated channels but you can now watch any other Irish TV network too.
Get more content on Netflix
If you’ve got a Netflix account then you’re limited to the movies and TV shows of the country you’re in.
By using a VPN you can access other regions of Netflix. For example, it’s popular to watch American Netflix now.
It has more movies and TV shows than most other countries. Don’t forget you can use the same VPN app you’ve already signed up for so you’re getting even more use for your money.
Protect your online privacy
The original purpose of VPN apps is for online privacy protection. They’ll keep you safe when browsing the internet.
So it’s worth keeping connected not just when watching TG4 but at all times because it’ll stop others like hackers from snooping on what you’re doing on the internet.
Are VPN apps illegal?
Not at all. Even though you can unblock TG4 and other Irish TV outside Ireland there’s nothing illegal about VPNs.
They serve a legitimate purpose for protecting your online connection and are used by millions of people each day across the world.
In Summary
To watch TG4 outside Ireland you’ll need to download a VPN app.
I recommend ExpressVPN, they cost a few dollars and you can make greater savings by signing up for a year.
Download their app and connect to Ireland. You’ll then be able to watch TG4 outside Ireland wherever you are in the world.
Don’t forget you can watch on any type of device from your computer to your tablet or phone.
