Derek Mooney says it is "a dream come true" to have won the Rose d'Or Award for his European Dawn Chorus programme at the European Broadcasting Union's Entertainment Awards in Berlin.
The Dawn Chorus has become a radio phenomenon in Ireland. Every summer, for more than two decades now, Derek Mooney and his Mooney Goes Wild team on RTÉ Radio 1 have broadcast the sounds of early morning birdsong into homes across the country.
Each morning in May, as the first glimmer of light begins to break the darkness of European skies, millions of birds begin to sing, and this year, for the first time in the 21-year history of Mooney Goes Wild, all of Europe had the chance to awake to the sound of this magnificent natural concert.
Speaking about winning the prestigious award, Mooney, who produced and presented the show, said: "I am delighted that the value of this unique trans-continental natural history broadcast, which was a world first, has been recognised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
"It is also a real feather in the cap for RTÉ Radio and its long-standing commitment to world class wildlife broadcasting.
Derek is over the Moon (ey) with his award that was presented to him by actor John Cleese
"Special thanks must go to our fellow EBU members across Europe for all of their efforts in making this programme both such a success and such a pleasure.
"I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the national contributors from across the BirdLife International Conservation Partnership who shared their expertise and made the programme so memorable."
Niall Hatch, Development Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, RTÉ's conservation partner in its Dawn Chorus programming, said: "It's very exciting to have been involved with such an ambitious and enjoyable project, especially given that birds and nature were the primary focus."
Hatch, who acted both as scientific advisor and roving reporter on the programme, added: "The fact that the whole Europe-wide broadcast was anchored and led from BirdWatch Ireland's own nature reserve at Cuskinny Marsh, near Cobh, Co Cork was really the icing on the cake for me."
The Rose d'Or is Europe's most prestigious radio and television award and is presented each year across 11 different categories.
