Mooney Goes Wild
Episodes
Swallows And Wrens
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Listener Madeline Carey, from Co. Clare, says a wren has taken over the swallow nest in her garage after 35 years of welcoming swallows. Worried that ...
April 1st No Fools Day For Salmon Of Knowledge
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Marine Biologist Ken Whelan, Vice President of the Atlantic Salmon Trust, chats to the panel about how Christmas Day and April 1st (which is co-incide...
Blue Tits, Cuckoos and Woodpeckers
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We received an e-mail to [email protected] from listener Helena Golden in Leitrim, aka the Willow Woman! She joins us on the line to tell us about her pas...
Mermaid's Purse Discovered By Schoolboy In Co. Kerry
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Called the “Ghost of the Sea,” the rare White Skate has reappeared in Kerry after vanishing from much of its range. Sixth-class student Rocco Stal...
Dawn Chorus - RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ lyric fm | Sunday, May 3rd 2026 | 00:00 - 07:00
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
RTÉ marks International Dawn Chorus Day this Sunday as nature lovers join one of its most atmospheric broadcasts. From midnight to 7am, RTÉ Radio 1 ...
Nature On One: Talking Birds (Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th 2026 at midday)
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Cobh natives Jim Wilson and Seán Ronayne return to Cuskinny Marsh, the place that sparked their love of nature. In this Nature on One special, they e...
Counting Rooks
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Reporter Terry Flanagan meets Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh in Kildare as he surveys local rookeries for an NPWS nationwide count. Fionn, who is author of Enco...
Wild Dublin Art Exhibition At Rathmines Library
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Wild Dublin, a free week-long exhibition running at Rathmines Library until April 27th, showcases artist Fiona Phelan’s work alongside paintings by ...
Greenland Shark Washes Up On Irish Coast For First Time
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A Greenland Shark stranded in Co Sligo last week - the first such recording on Ireland’s coast - made news headlines around the world. Leaving Cert ...
Farmer Moth Monitoring Scheme
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland’s moths boast wonderful names — from Heart & Dart to Mother Shipton — and much of what we know about the 1,500 species comes from the Fa...
Our Marvel-ous New Sig Tune!
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
RTÉ Radio 1 has unveiled new signature tunes as part of its refreshed on-air sound. In the Irish Times, Ed Power joked that the new Mooney Goes Wild ...
A Chorus Of French Frogs
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Niall Hatch chats to Derek, Eanna, Richard and Ken Whelan about his recent visit to the Camargue region of France, and some of the wildlife that can b...
Happy Birthday, Dr. Collins
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Birthday to Dr Richard Collins — our brilliant fountain of knowledge, charming gentleman, and cherished friend. From Derek, the Mooney Goes Wi...
The Cork Crow Conundrum
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last Tuesday, Derek and Jim Wilson appeared on the RTÉ Today show on RTÉ One, to chat about birdboxes and nesting season. Whilst in the make-up chai...
Trying To Save New Zealand’s Albatrosses From Extinction
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Albatrosses, the world’s largest-winged seabirds, face severe declines, with up to 100,000 killed yearly by longline fisheries. UCC researcher Dr Ja...
Pine Martens
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Niall Hatch recently saw six dead Pine Martens while driving from Wicklow to Tipperary, highlighting how strongly the once-rare species has rebounded....
Make A Date For Dawn Chorus 2026: Sunday 3rd May
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The dawn chorus, nature’s great global sunrise concert, returns for International Dawn Chorus Day on 3 May. Mooney Goes Wild will broadcast live fro...
Terry Has A Tree-mendous Time At The National Botanic Gardens
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin are a free, year-round haven of global plant collections, including remarkable trees often explored on guide...
Old Irish Goat Carries 3,000 Of Irish History
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
New UCD–QUB research reveals the Old Irish Goat has a continuous Irish lineage dating back 3,000 years. Dr Kevin Daly joins the programme to discuss...
On The Trail Of Cuskinny’s Kingfishers
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Wilson, Cork-based author, broadcaster and wildlife photographer, has captured striking Kingfisher images at Cuskinny Marsh, Co. Cork. On the prog...
Bidding Farewell To Our Brent Geese
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Early spring is a busy transition for birdwatchers, with summer migrants arriving as winter visitors depart. Brent Geese, iconic in Dublin, are gather...
A Bed Of Lettuce? We Look At Foods That Can Make You Sleepy
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our food choices can shape how well we sleep. Éanna highlights snacks that disrupt rest, like late-night cheese, and others that make us sleepy. Turk...
Dublin’s Rare Surviving Elms Offer New Hope Against Dutch Elm Disease
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Trees are vital for biodiversity, yet many Irish species have declined, including the Wych Elm, devastated by Dutch elm disease. But four mature elms ...
Backyard Badgers And Flowerbed Foxes
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last August, we visited Martin in South Dublin, whose garden attracts nightly visits from local badgers and foxes—normally shy animals made bolder b...
Meet The Woodcock: The Wader That Doesn’t Wade
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Woodcock is one of Ireland’s most elusive birds, its nocturnal habits and superb camouflage making it hard to study. Post-doctoral researcher Ja...
Keeping Track Of Ireland’s Squirrels And Pine Martens... And You Can Help!
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Grey Squirrels introduced in 1911 have impacted Ireland’s Red Squirrels, but the Reds are now rebounding due to increased Pine Marten numbers. The 2...
E-mails From Listeners
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tonight our experts respond to some of your e-mails and queries about ducks in California, Woodpeckers in Cavan, Buzzards in Waterford and the life sp...
Grey Squirrels In Ireland: How Did They Get Here?
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Grey Squirrels, introduced to Ireland in the early 1900s, are now widespread and have impacted the population of native Red Squirrels. They are long b...
Terry Goes On A Wild Goose Chase In Co. Wicklow
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Derek Mulrooney, greenkeeper at Druids Glen, Wicklow, reports a gaggle of Greylag Geese returning after food was put out for ducks. He wonders if they...
Looking Forward To Nature Nights Live On RTÉ Radio 1
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nature Nights Live returns to RTÉ Radio 1 from March 9th–13th, at 10–11pm, in partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland for National Tree Week...
The Brent Goose: A Natural Symbol Of Dublin
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Brent Goose, which breeds in High Arctic Canada, arrives in Dublin each autumn, gathering in estuaries, parks and green spaces to graze on grass. ...
Woodpeckers And Electricity Don’t Mix
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Residents in parts of Co. Clare have been suffering a spate of power outages. The culprit: recently arrived Great Spotted Woodpeckers that have been e...
Naturescapes: Getting A Helping Hand From The Natural World
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Naturescapes is a European project using nature-based solutions at landscape scale to tackle socio-economic challenges, boost biodiversity and address...
Have You Been Feeling Under The (Extraordinarily Wet) Weather Lately?
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Recent weeks have seen severe, localised flooding across Ireland, especially in counties Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin. Yet, as Éanna notes, Met Éirea...
Dinosaurs: What Happened To Them?
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Matthias Sinnesael, Assistant Professor in Geology at Trinity College Dublin, is one of the participants in a study trying better to understand th...
The Collared Dove: An Avian Success Story
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
While on holiday recently in Valencia, Spain, Derek noticed a species of bird that has become one of the staple performers in the Irish Dawn Chorus ea...
Report - Ireland’s First "Living Seawall" In Cobh
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland’s first Living Seawall at Kennedy Pier, Cobh Harbour, was developed by UCC, Research Ireland and the Port of Cork. Featuring habitat-rich pa...
Peregrine Falcons In Cobh
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Peregrine Falcon, the world’s fastest animal at 389 km/h, nearly went extinct due to the pesticide DDT but has recovered strongly in Ireland and...
Dr. Matthew Jebb is back... it’s about lime!
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Derek, Richard, Eanna and Niall are joined by recently retired Director of the National Botanic Gardens, for a panel discussion about Lime trees: thei...
Biophilia at the Bots
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"Biophilia", or "love of life", is used to describe the innate tendency of humans to connect with nature. At the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin...
Ancient shamrock at the Trinity College Herbarium
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Peter Moonlight is the Curator of the Herbarium at Trinity College Dublin's School of Botany, which holds half a million dried plant specimens, in...
Designated deer: Sika added to the list of EU invasive alien species
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The EU has added Sika deer to the list of invasive alien species of concern in Ireland. But what does this mean in practice for deer management here? ...
The Great Big Garden Birdwatch
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout the day on RTÉ Radio 1, as part of our celebration of RTÉ 100 (marking 100 years of radio in Ireland), we have been discussing the coming...
The Importance Of Biological Recording
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Terry Flanagan visits Éanna ní Lamhna in her garden in Terenure, Dublin, to chat about Éanna’s time working as a wildlife recorder in An Foras Fo...
The Robins Of Richie Ryan
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Wilson introduces us to his neighbour, retired naval officer Richie Ryan, who has become famous on social media for his charming videos of wild Ro...
What On Earth Is "Biophilia"?
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Naturalist, broadcaster, author and wildlife photographer Eric Dempsey explains in a special reflection why immersion in the natural world plays such ...
Happy Retirement To Dr. Matthew Jebb
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As he retires as Director from the National Botanic Garden, we're joined in studio by friend of the programme Dr. Matthew Jebb, to chat about some of ...
The Great Big Garden Birdwatch
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On Bank Holiday Monday, Feb 2nd, RTÉ Radio 1 will celebrate The Great Big Garden Birdwatch, as our experts feature across programmes on the station t...
The Living And The Dead
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The latest book from naturalist and author Conor W. O’Brien, entitled The Living and the Dead, is an account of his travels both to seek the traces ...
What’s On Éanna’s Burns Night Menu?
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last night, Sunday January 25th, was Burns Night, a key celebration in Scotland’s calendar which commemorates the nation’s most famous poet and pr...
Dolphins Thrill Spectators In Cork City
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our colleague Rory Cobbe sent us a video of a pod of 6 Common Dolphins swimming in the River Lee in Cork. We speak to Dr. Simon Berrow, CEO of the Iri...
What’s The Key To Taking Great Photos Of Kingfishers? Patience!
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
MGW listener and 6th Year Belvedere student Yuming Lian sent us some fantastic photos of Kingfishers that he had taken recently, and posed some questi...
Coping With A Confused woodpecker
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Listener Ger Deering from Co. Wexford got in touch with us about a Great Spotted Woodpecker that has taken to pecking loudly, not on wood, but rather ...
A Mob Of Meerkats
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Meerkats are highly social and inquisitive mammals hailing from southernmost Africa that just so happen to have an endearingly human-like appearance t...
Making Your Own Nature Reserve
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ecologist Donna Mullen bought a farm with the intention of converting it into a haven for flora and fauna. She created Golashane Nature Reserve, which...
Dead Zoo
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Natural History Museum in Dublin, known fondly as the 'Dead Zoo', is currently closed for refurbishment works. So where have the animals and exhib...
Great Spotted Woodpeckers
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Listener Fionnuala contacted us about the possibility woodpeckers in Naas, doing damage to a cherry blossom tree in her garden. So why is it that wood...
When Is The Right Time To Have A Baby Bat?
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Megan Power from UCD joins us to tell us about her research on Greater Horseshoe Bats, and whether it's better for bats to breed earlier or later ...
Wetland Birds
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On Jan. 2nd, we broadcast a special edition of Mooney Goes Wild from Harper's Island Wetlands Nature Reserve in County Cork, where Derek, Jim Wilson, ...
Wildlife Stories From Sweden
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Derek, Richard, Niall and Eanna are joined by Sweden-based Irish journalist Philip O'Connor to chat about edible road salt, wild animals in traffic an...
Green bus shelters in Ljubljana, Slovenia
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While filming in Ljubljana recently, Derek discovered a project boosting urban biodiversity: 56 bus shelters have been greened with native, drought-re...
The Great Irish Fossil Hunt
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland holds some of the world’s oldest and rarest animal fossils. Terry Flanagan and Prof. Maria McNamara explored fossils in Clonmel’s courthou...
Ten Thousand Years Deep: The Story of Ireland's Peatlands
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over 20 years ago, German nurse Carsten Krieger moved to Ireland and became captivated by bogs near his home. After decades researching and photograph...
Batman and Robin!
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most European bats eat insects, but one hunts birds. Researchers led by Aarhus University found the Greater Noctule catching small songbirds mid-air. ...
Weir-y seals!
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a recent report of a grey seal in Dublin’s River Liffey, listener Barry McCarthy shared evidence of seals hauling themselves over the Islandbr...
Nature Book Suggestions For Christmas
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A book at Christmas is a moment of calm, so we're encouraging you (and your small ones!) to take a break from the screens, and relax into a book all a...
The Unnatural History of Animals: Tales from a Zoological Museum
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Unnatural History of Animals: Tales from a Zoological Museum by Dr Martyn Linnie, curator of Trinity College Dublin’s Zoological Museum, brings ...
Feeding Hooded Crows
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Listener Mary O'Reilly got in touch to tell us about the ever-increasing number of hooded crows who come to her in St. Anne's Park, Dublin, as she wal...
Wildlife along Dublin’s River Dodder
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
MGW listener Des McLoughlin contacted us about a Cormorant on the River Dodder in Dublin, which was holding out its wings while standing bolt upright,...
Harper’s Island Wetlands Nature Reserve livestream
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
BirdWatch Ireland's Cork Branch are streaming a live video feed from Harper's Island Wetlands Nature Reserve near Glounthaune, Co. Cork. Our man in Co...
Red Squirrel without a tail
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We were sent a video by Senan and Quinn taken near Lough Dan in Co. Wicklow. It shows an unfortunate Red Squirrel that has somehow completely lost its...
BirdWatch Ireland’s Irish Garden Bird Survey starts today
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Irish Garden Bird Survey, carried out by conservation charity BirdWatch Ireland, is Ireland’s largest nature-themed "citizen science" project. T...
A seal in the River Liffey?
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Listeners Michael and Sinéad Judd were walking recently along Dublin’s River Liffey towards Chapelizod and were astonished to see what they believe...
Dragonflies of Britain and Ireland: 5th edition
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 5th edition of the bestselling photographic field guide 'Dragonflies of Britain and Ireland' has just been published; we speak to co-author David ...
Domain of the Dinosaurs exhibition
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Domain of the Dinosaurs is the biggest fossil exhibition ever held in Ireland, and the first to feature Irish dinosaurs. Recently launched at The Gluc...
Roger Casement: patriot, diplomat, poet, human rights campaigner . . . and naturalist?
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The celebrated Irish patriot Roger Casement was also a dedicated and talented naturalist, a side of his life that is perhaps less well known today. Ma...
After 25 years, Puffins return to the Isle of Muck
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Thanks to the stalwart efforts of Ulster Wildlife, the Northern Irish conservation charity, Puffins have returned to nest on the Isle of Muck off the ...
Up close and personal with Ireland’s largest oak tree
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
MGW researcher Michele Browne recently met arborist Bernard Carey in Mountshannon, Co. Clare; they discussed his Treeconomics report about the financi...
Bird 'flu update: is it safe to feed garden birds?
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The advice on bird feeding from BirdWatch Ireland is that it is still perfectly safe to feed birds in your garden, noting that, unlike birds packed to...
Domain of the Dinosaurs exhibition
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recently opened, Domain Of The Dinosaurs is the biggest fossil exhibition ever held in Ireland, and the first to feature Irish dinosaurs. Housed at th...
Autumn leaves feature on new seasonal stamps from An Post
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The beauty of autumn leaves changing colour has been captured by An Post, thanks to its new seasonal stamp issue. Changing Leaves features three nativ...
Why has a new invasive alien seaweed been appearing along our coasts?
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Wilson reports from Cork Harbour on the unexpected appearance of a new species of wire-like seaweed on the local mudflats; he talks to renowned Co...
The Genius of Trees
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In her new book The Genius of Trees, British tree science consultant Harriet Rix informs readers about the many things we owe to these remarkable plan...
Are trees responsible for humans having fingerprints?
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Derek is joined in studio by Eanna, Niall and Richard, who start the show with a fascinating discussion about how plants and other organisms influence...
Nature On One: The Ring Ouzel
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Classified as Red listed and a bird of high conservation value, The Ring Ouzel is thought to be down to a handful of breeding pairs in Ireland. Ornith...
The Basking Shark Conference
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tonight, Terry Flanagan takes listeners beneath the surface of the International Basking Shark Conference, held at the Atlantic Technological Universi...
Driven nuts by a crow
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our good friend Collie Ennis, Biodiversity Officer with Trinity College Dublin, was in touch recently to inform us of something unusual...a walnut str...
Night Kayaking in Cork
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Proud Corkonian Jim Wilson is a man who feels very much at home on the open waves. Back in July, Jim travelled to Castlehaven Harbour to go night kaya...
BirdWatch Ireland’s Irish Garden Bird Survey
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Of all of the ornithological surveys carried out by conservation charity BirdWatch Ireland, its annual Irish Garden Bird Survey is far and away the mo...
Looking back at Eric Dempsey’s documentary about a very special bird: the Ring Ouzel
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier today, a very special documentary was broadcast on RTÉ Radio One as part of our Nature on One series. Presented by Eric Dempsey, its subject ...
The Hare's Corner
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2025 marks the 5th anniversary of The Hare’s Corner, a Burrenbeo Trust initative that helps landowners create space for nature through new habitats....
Slender-billed Curlew declared extinct and previewing 'The Ring Ouzel'
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Very sadly, a migratory species of wading bird called the Slender-billed Curlew has formally been declared globally extinct by the International Union...
Creating roosting islands at Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
BirdWatch Ireland's Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve in Cork has just added dedicated roosting islands for the wetland birds to sleep and shelter. Ornith...
A robin with a crooked beak and crows on the beach at Lissadell
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Listener Robert Brown sent us a photo of a robin with a crooked beak and we finally get through to Elizabeth Carney, who has questions about groups of...
Mary’s Mizen Weather
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michele Browne went to Mizen Head to meet Mary McCarthy (and her father Paddy) to talk about how fishermen of old would look to nature for signs of th...
Ring Ring
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tonight’s programme opens with Derek rifling through the entire back catalogue of Swedish pop sensation ABBA for one of their earliest songs - Ring ...
Mary's Mizen Weather
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michele Browne went to Mizen Head to meet Mary McCarthy (and her father Paddy) to talk about how fishermen of old would look to nature for signs of th...
Birds at the Edward Worth Library
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Edward Worth Library is a rare books collection, bequeathed to Dr Steevens’ Hospital, Dublin, by Dr Edward Worth. It recently launched a web exh...
The Secret Lives of Owls in Ireland
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Though rarely seen, owls play a quiet but vital role in Ireland's ecosystem. The next featured talk in Killarney National Park's 'Autumn Talks Series ...
An Áit a nÉitlíonn na Madaí Crainn
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Éanna is taken with a new Irish version of 'Where the Tree Dogs Fly', an illustrated picturebook by Aileen Crossley. The author talks to Éanna about...