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Christmas is well and truly in the air on tonight’s programme, as we bring you our annual yuletide gift guide in advance of the festive season. With that in mind, and to get you well and truly into the Christmas spirit, our suggestion from the Mooney Goes Wild archives this week is a special programme all about the intriguing history of the Christmas tree, first broadcast in December 2020.

To listen to this programme from the Mooney Goes Wild archives, visit https://www.rte.ie/radio/podcasts/21887390-mooney-goes-wild-christmas-tree-special/

Christmas gift special: focus on books about nature

Every year, in the run-up to Christmas, the team here at Mooney Goes Wild likes to bring you some of our recommendations for wildlife-themed gifts for your nearest and dearest. This year, we have chosen to focus on natural history books, with Derek and panel each focusing on their own preferred title and interviewing the authors. There’s bound to be something there that will make the perfect present for the nature-lover in your life, so please listen on!

Ireland’s Generous Nature: The Past and Present Uses of Wild Plants in Ireland

First up this evening is Éanna Ní Lamhna, who has chosen a wonderful book by Irish botanist and environmentalist Peter Wyse Jackson, President of the Missouri Botanical Garden and holder of the George Englemann Chair in Botany at Washington University, St. Louis. Entitled Ireland’s Generous Nature: The Past and Present Uses of Wild Plants in Ireland and published by Missouri Botanical Garden Press, it is the first ever comprehensive account of the historical and present-day uses of wild plant species in Ireland. It records a wealth of traditional knowledge about Irish plant use, knowledge that has been disappearing fast.

More than 1,500 wild plants are detailed in a systematic list, which gives both their Irish and English names. Many historical references have been included from a wide range of Irish literature. This lively and scholarly book shows how plants have been used in virtually every aspect of human life in Ireland: food, clothes, medicine, construction, drinks, veterinary medicine, human health and beauty, and even death. The book is richly illustrated with photographs, as well as botanical paintings by Irish artist Lydia Shackleton (1828–1914). Its blend of scientific and historic facts with myths, superstition and tales offers an unrivalled account of the rich heritage of Irish plants.

For more information about Ireland’s Generous Nature: The Past and Present Uses of Wild Plants in Ireland, visit https://www.mbgpress.org/product-p/ign-cloth.htm

Meetings with Moths: Discovering their Mystery and Extraordinary Lives

Next we have the selection of Eric Dempsey, who, in addition to his passion for birds is also a great fan of moths. It’s very fitting, therefore, that his choice of book this Christmas is Meetings with Moths: Discovering their Mystery and Extraordinary Lives by Katty Baird, published by 4th Estate, a story about green health and the power of a passion to sustain us.

In this fantastic book, Katty roams Scotland seeking out, documenting and observing moths. Green Longhorns, Pimpinel Pugs and Peacock Moths are just some of the species that catch her attention as she climbs into holes, ventures behind waterfalls and wanders forests with her boundless curiosity.

But, as Katty is quick to point out on tonight’s programme, you don’t have to travel far and wide to see these beautiful insects. You can easily enjoy discovering moths and caterpillars without specialist knowledge by creating your own light trap or simply looking more closely at your immediate landscape.

For more information about Meetings with Moths: Discovering their Mystery and Extraordinary Lives, visit https://www.4thestate.co.uk/products/meetings-with-moths-katty-baird-9780008474065/

Lichens of Ireland and Great Britain: a visual guide to their identification

About 15 years ago, Terry Flanagan signed up to attend a course on lichens at The National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford. The only thing he knew about lichens prior to that was that they each represent a symbiotic relationship between two different species, an alga and a fungus. The course was given by lichen expert, Paul Whelan, and Terry was blown away by what he learned: for example, did you know that 8% of the Earth’s surface is covered by lichens, or that Ireland is a hotspot for them, with about 1,300 different species?

Over the last four years, Paul has been working on his latest book, which naturally is Terry’s Christmas recommendation this year. Entitled Lichens of Ireland and Great Britain: a visual guide to their identification, it has recently been published by Holm Oak Press and would make an ideal gift for anyone who has an interest in or wishes to learn more about these intriguing symbiotic organisms.

For tonight’s programme, Terry travelled to Midleton, Co. Cork to meet Paul, to observe some of the local varieties of lichen and, of course, to chat about his book.

For more information about Lichens of Ireland and Great Britain: a visual guide to their identification, visit https://www.pemberleybooks.com/product/lichens-of-ireland-great-britain-a-visual-guide-to-their-identification/60608/

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America

Up next, we have the recommendation of Niall Hatch, which, as you might expect, is a book about birds. It’s not a run-of-the-mill bird book, however, rather a tongue-in-cheek look at the ways in which our feathered friends can frustrate and irritate even the most dedicated of birdwatchers.

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America is written and illustrated (in both cases, rather crudely!) by Matt Kracht and is published by Chronicle Books. This snarky handbook is equal parts profane, funny, and—let's face it—true. Featuring 50 common North American birds, such as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose (or White-Breasted Nuthatch and Canada Goose for the layperson), Matt identifies the avian idiots most likely to be encountered in North America and details exactly why they suck with humorous, yet angry, ink drawings.

On tonight’s programme, Niall chats to Matt about his irreverent book, why birds are simultaneously fascinating and annoying and whether he might consider writing a sequel covering the dumb birds of Ireland.

For more information about The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, visit https://abramsandchronicle.co.uk/products/9781452174037

The Most Perfect: Thing Inside (and Outside) a Bird’s Egg

Staying with the avian theme, the Christmas recommendation of Richard Collins is a book about one of the most impressive and captivating aspects of ornithology. The Most Perfect: Thing Inside (and Outside) a Bird’s Egg by Tim Birkhead, Emeritus Professor of Behaviour and Evolution at the University of Sheffield, and published by Bloomsbury is the perfect one-stop-shop for everything you have ever wanted to know about avian reproduction: an illuminating and engaging exploration of the science behind eggs and the history of mankind's obsession with them.

How are eggs of different shapes made, and why are they the shape they are? When does the shell of an egg harden? Why do some eggs contain two yolks? How are the colours and patterns of an eggshell created, and why do they vary? Which end of an egg is laid first: the blunt end or the pointy end? These are just some of the questions which this fabulous book sets out to answer, as the journey of a bird's egg from creation and fertilisation to its eventual hatching is examined, with current scientific knowledge placed within an historical context.

For more information about The Most Perfect: Thing Inside (and Outside) a Bird’s Egg, visit https://www.dubraybooks.ie/product/the-most-perfect-thing-9781408851272

Drawn to Nature: Encounters with Irish Wildlife

Last, but by no means least, we bring you Derek Mooney’s pick of the Christmas book offerings. A great many Mooney Goes Wild listeners will have grown up inspired about wildlife by legendary artist, author and broadcaster Don Conroy, known to millions from his appearances on television programmes such as Draw with Don and The Den and through his many children’s books.

Derek grew up just down the road from Don and has known him and explored flora and fauna with him since childhood, so he was delighted to see that he has produced a brand new book just in time for Christmas and also to have the opportunity to speak to the great man himself about it on tonight’s programme. Drawn to Nature: Encounters with Irish Wildlife, published by Gill Books, is a timely reminder of the simple wonders of Ireland’s natural environment, something that is all-to-easily forgotten in our modern, fast-paced world.

Through the most exquisite illustrations and thoughtful words, Don guides the reader through the woodlands and waterways with which we are all familiar, pausing and reflecting on a heron here or a fox there and shining a light on a world of wonder that is right under our noses. In many ways Drawn to Nature: Encounters with Irish Wildlife is the ultimate culmination of a life lived in wholehearted commitment to art and conservation. This beautiful book will encourage you to follow that path too.

For more information about Drawn to Nature: Encounters with Irish Wildlife, visit https://www.gillbooks.ie/nature/nature/natural-ireland