Mooney Goes Wild

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’re from the original flock and how they knew food was back. To investigate, Terry Flanagan visits the course as the panellists consider possible explanations...

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 programme will share event updates, celebrate native trees and nocturnal wildlife, feature expert guests, and invite listeners to ask questions and share sightings.

Residents in parts of Co. Clare have been suffering a spate of power outages. The culprit: recently arrived Great Spotted Woodpeckers that have been excavating holes in wooden electricity poles, causing some of them to weaken and then snap in bad weather, bringing the power lines down with them. Derek and the panel discuss this unusual problem...

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. Ireland is crucial to this far-northern breeder. Ornithologist Kendrew Calhoun explains how public sightings help track populations, migration and breeding success for conservation...

Recent weeks have seen severe, localised flooding across Ireland, especially in counties Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin. Yet, as Éanna notes, Met Éireann says it was only the wettest January since 2018. Our panel discusses climate change, extreme weather and nature-based flood solutions...

Naturescapes is a European project using nature-based solutions at landscape scale to tackle socio-economic challenges, boost biodiversity and address climate change. Along the River Dodder, innovations like pocket forests are underway. Terry Flanagan met Mairéad O’Donnell of Trinity College Dublin to learn more...

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 worldwide. In recent years, a pair nested in the 300-ft belfry of St. Colman's Cathedral, successfully breeding in 2024. On tonight’s programme, Jim Wilson tells us more...

Dr. Matthias Sinnesael, Assistant Professor in Geology at Trinity College Dublin, is one of the participants in a study trying better to understand the dinosaur extinction event and whether it was caused purely by the asteroid, or if extreme volcanic activity may also have played a role. He joins Richard, Eanna and Niall in studio to explain...

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 each year: the Collared Dove. First breeding in Ireland in 1959, they now consistently feature each winter in the Top 20 of BirdWatch Ireland’s Irish Garden Bird Survey...

Ireland’s first Living Seawall at Kennedy Pier, Cobh Harbour, was developed by UCC, Research Ireland and the Port of Cork. Featuring habitat-rich panels with unique patterns of cups, ridges and depressions, it boosts marine life and water quality. Naturalist Jim Wilson speaks with marine ecologist Dr. Louise Firth from UCC BEES about the project...

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, including possibly the world’s oldest shamrock specimen! Who else would we send to chat to Peter about all of this but our resident botanist Éanna Ní Lamhna?

Derek, Richard, Eanna and Niall are joined by recently retired Director of the National Botanic Gardens, for a panel discussion about Lime trees: their characteristics, their ecology and their place in the Irish landscape...

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? Damien Hannigan of the Irish Deer Commission joins us on tonight’s programme to tell us more...

"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, guide Eoin O’Reilly organised a tour entitled Biophilia. We sent Terry Flanagan and Richard Collins along to learn more...

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 comings and goings of the various different birds visiting Jim Wilson’s bird tables and bird feeders...

Naturalist, broadcaster, author and wildlife photographer Eric Dempsey explains in a special reflection why immersion in the natural world plays such an important role in the maintenance and improvement of both mental and physical health...

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 Forbatha and the importance of "citizen science" projects...

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 Robins feeding from his hand...

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 highlights of his three decades of working at "The Bots", and the importance of botanical gardens as powerhouses for conservation and genetic diversity...

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 throughout the day. The highlight will be our Nature On One Garden Bird Special at 12 noon. Jim Wilson joins us to tell us what we might expect to see on his garden bird feeder live stream...

Last night, Sunday January 25th, was Burns Night, a key celebration in Scotland’s calendar which commemorates the nation’s most famous poet and proponent of the Scots language, Robert Burns (1759 – 1796). As mother-in-law of a proud Scotsman, our Eanna hosted a very special dinner party last night in celebration of the great Scottish poet...

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 of Ireland’s extinct wildlife and to discover our country’s greatest conservation success stories. He joins us tonight to explain more...

Meerkats are highly social and inquisitive mammals hailing from southernmost Africa that just so happen to have an endearingly human-like appearance that many of us find extremely cute. You might think you already know a lot about them, but as Derek, Jim, Eric and Niall discuss on tonight’s programme, there is more to Meerkats than meets the eye...

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 is home to hundreds of plants, birds, mammals, insects and amphibians. Reporter Terry Flanagan, recently travelled to the reserve to see for himself what Donna has achieved...

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 Irish Whale & Dolphin Group, about the increase in Common Dolphin numbers in Irish waters over the past decade...

MGW listener and 6th Year Belvedere student Yuming Lian sent us some fantastic photos of Kingfishers that he had taken recently, and posed some questions for our panel about their feeding habits, which prompts plenty of discussion on tonight’s programme...

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 on the PVC facia of his house. Ger has had to spend considerable money and time repairing the damage and would like to know whether there is anything he can do to deter the misguided bird...

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 in life...

Listener Fionnuala contacted us about the possibility of woodpeckers in Naas, doing damage to a cherry blossom tree in her garden. And why is it that woodpeckers don't sustain head damage when drumming? Niall, Eanna and Richard explain...

The Natural History Museum in Dublin, known fondly as the 'Dead Zoo', is currently closed for refurbishment works. So where have the animals and exhibits gone? Reporter Terry Flanagan met with curator Emma Murphy to find out...

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, Niall Hatch and Decland Murphy took a close-up look at the remarkable world of wintering wetland birds. It was filmed by Donal Glackin, and you can watch it here https://tinyurl.com/4uza4h65.

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 and the Great Moose Migration! For more, see rte.ie/mooney.

Ireland holds some of the world’s oldest and rarest animal fossils. Terry Flanagan and Prof. Maria McNamara explored fossils in Clonmel’s courthouse and told us about the Great Irish Fossil Hunt. Listeners responded, including Barbara Doyle, who found urban fossils in St Peter’s Church, Phibsborough, in Dublin...

Over 20 years ago, German nurse Carsten Krieger moved to Ireland and became captivated by bogs near his home. After decades researching and photographing peatlands, he wrote 'Ten Thousand Years Deep: The Story of Ireland’s Peatlands'. Michele Browne met him at Griston Bog, Co. Limerick...

Most European bats eat insects, but one hunts birds. Researchers led by Aarhus University found the Greater Noctule catching small songbirds mid-air. Tagged bats revealed a three-minute chase of a night-flying robin, which was caught, dismembered and eaten, as Niall Hatch explains...

After a recent report of a grey seal in Dublin’s River Liffey, listener Barry McCarthy shared evidence of seals hauling themselves over the Islandbridge weir. He even filmed it with his kids. Éanna returns to discuss Barry’s observations and how well seals move on land...

While filming in Ljubljana recently, Derek discovered a project boosting urban biodiversity: 56 bus shelters have been greened with native, drought-resistant plants. Led by the University of Ljubljana with city partners, the initiative supports insects and wildlife. Derek spoke to project lead Dr Blanka Ravnjak...

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 about the natural world. We have asked our regular contributors to pick a book that they think might be of interest to you, or your nearest and dearest... For all details, see rte.ie/mooney

Listeners Michael and Sinéad Judd were walking recently along Dublin’s River Liffey towards Chapelizod and were astonished to see what they believe to be a seal swimming in the water. Could it be a seal?

The Unnatural History of Animals: Tales from a Zoological Museum by Dr Martyn Linnie, curator of Trinity College Dublin’s Zoological Museum, brings to life the many tales of the museum’s history and that of its permanent residents. Richard Collins spoke to Dr. Linnie to find out more...

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 walks her dog each week. Intrigued, we sent reporter Terry Flanagan along to find out more...

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, flapping them back and forth - but why? Derek and panel discuss...

The Irish Garden Bird Survey, carried out by conservation charity BirdWatch Ireland, is Ireland’s largest nature-themed "citizen science" project. This winter’s survey season – its 37th – begins today, and as Niall Hatch tells us, it's a great way to learn more about the birds that come to your home...

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 tail, usually the most striking feature of a squirrel. What might have happened to it, they ask, and will the poor creature survive?

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 Cork and a person who was instrumental in setting up both the reserve and the livestream, Jim Wilson, tells us more...

Domain of the Dinosaurs is the biggest fossil exhibition ever held in Ireland, and the first to feature Irish dinosaurs. Recently launched at The Glucksman art gallery in UCC, it will feature over 5 tonnes of material, including nine huge skeletal casts and over 250 real fossils of dinosaurs and other long-extinct creatures...

The 5th edition of the bestselling photographic field guide 'Dragonflies of Britain and Ireland' has just been published; we speak to co-author David Smallshire about the fascinating lives of these amazing insects..

MGW researcher Michele Browne recently met arborist Bernard Carey in Mountshannon, Co. Clare; they discussed his Treeconomics report about the financial value of trees. They also visited Ireland’s largest oak tree, the Be Binn, and spoke with Aileen Dunne of local business Oak House Ceramics...

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 together in seabird colonies or wetlands, the species of bird that typically visit gardens are very unlikely to come into contact with the H5N1 virus. Niall Hatch explains why...

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 coast of Co. Antrim for the first time in 25 years. This was made possible in part by the systematic eradication of non-native Brown Rats from the tiny island...