Panel: Richard Collins, Éanna Ní Lamhna, Eric Dempsey & Niall Hatch

Reporter: Terry Flanagan

In addition to listening to us on RTÉ Radio One at 22:00 every Monday night, don't forget that you can also listen back to each of our programmes any time you like at www.rte.ie/mooney. There, you will find an extensive archive of past broadcasts, conveniently split into different topics and segments.

Tonight’s programme features an interview with Dr. Alan McCarthy about The Secret Lives of Owls in Ireland. To help you to get to know more about these truly amazing birds, our suggestion from the Mooney Goes Wild archives this week is segment about the Short-eared Owl, the rarest of Ireland’s three regularly occurring owl species. First broadcast in December 2023, on foot of a particularly large influx of these fascinating birds of prey into Ireland, it features Alan in conversation with our good friend, ornithologist Jim Wilson.

To listen to this segment from the Mooney Goes Wild archives, visit https://www.rte.ie/radio/podcasts/22329500-birds-that-never-fail-to-turn-heads-all-about-owl/

An Áit a nEitlíonn na Madaí Crainn

For tonight’s programme, Éanna Ní Lamhna brought a wonderful newly published Irish language children’s book into studio for us to take a look at. An Áit a nEitlíonn na Madaí Crainn (Where the Tree Dogs Fly) is by Aileen Crossley and is sort of a love letter or poem from nature to an anxious child, inspired by the interplay of Irish words when translated to English. Aimed at young children, this large-format picture book is a wonderful testament to the supremely calming power of nature. We’ll return to it later in the programme.

For more information about An Áit a nEitlíonn na Madaí Crainn and to purchase a copy, visit https://eabhloid.com/siopa/madai-crainn/

The Secret Lives of Owls in Ireland

We spoke on last week’s programme about the upcoming series of public events taking place this autumn at Killarney National Park as part of its annual Autumn Talks Series. One of those talks which we are sure will prove particularly popular is entitled The Secret Lives of Owls in Ireland. The speaker is our good friend Dr. Alan McCarthy, formerly of BirdWatch Ireland but recently appointed as Biodiversity Officer with Cork County Council.

Alan joins us on tonight’s programme to tell us more about his talk and the mysterious and captivating world of owls, which have captured Irish imaginations for centuries. From their unique hunting skills and silent flight to their intimate nesting behaviours, these nocturnal birds are even more fascinating than most people realise. Alan tells us how Ireland's owls are faring, some key fact about them and what you can do to help these incredible creatures.

For more information about the Killarney National Park Autumn Talks Series 2025, visit https://www.nationalparks.ie/killarney/autumn-talks-series-2025/

For more information about Barn Owls, visit https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/barn-owl/

For more information about Long-eared Owls, visit https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/long-eared-owl/

For more information about Short-eared Owls, visit https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/short-eared-owl/

Birds at the Edward Worth Library: an online exhibition

Recently, our roving reporter Terry Flanagan visited the Edward Worth Library in the building formerly known as Dr. Steven’s Hospital in Dublin, a place that he had never been to before. Indeed, until recently he never knew it existed. Edward Worth was a doctor at the hospital and during his lifetime he accumulated a huge collection of books, which he bequeathed to the hospital. These books are hundreds of years old and cover a multitude of topics, including medicine, science and, of particular interest to us here at Mooney Goes Wild, natural history.

The reason Terry was at the library was to report for tonight’s programme on the launch of an online exhibition entitled Birds at the Edward Worth Library, exploring Worth’s books specifically about birds. And, wouldn’t you know it, none other than our very own Éanna NÍ Lamhna was there to launch it!

For more information about the Birds at the Edward Worth Library online exhibition, visit https://birds.edwardworthlibrary.ie/

An Áit a nEitlíonn na Madaí Crainn – cuid a dó

Returning now to that gorgeous children’s picture-book An Áit a nEitlíonn na Madaí Crainn (Where the Tree Dogs Fly), we were delighted to welcome the author, Aileen Crossley, onto tonight’s programme, where she spoke with Éanna about her inspiration for the story, the wonderful interplay of Irish names for plants and animals which it features and the process of using fine-art lithographic prints in a book for children.

To purchase your own copy of An Áit a nEitlíonn na Madaí Crainn, published by Éabhlóid, visit https://eabhloid.com/siopa/madai-crainn/

Glossy Ibis influx

Mooney Goes Wild listener Martin Murray got in touch with us via email recently regarding an unusual bird he spotted along the Anne Valley Walk in Annestown, Co. Waterford. He suspected that it might have been a Glossy Ibis, which is a very rare visitor to Ireland, and luckily the photos he was able to capture of the bird proved that he was absolutely correct.

On tonight’s programme, Martin joins us to chat with ornithologist and rare bird expert Eric Dempsey about his unusual sighting. As Eric tells us, although the Glossy Ibis is ordinarily a very scarce visitor to this country, the past few weeks have seen an unprecedented influx of these large, curve-billed wetland birds, with flocks well into double figures seen at some locations. The largest flock contained an astonishing 66 individuals, recorded at The Gearagh in Co. Cork.

Hailing from southern Europe, it is believed that climate change, perhaps coupled with severe drought conditions in southern Iberia, are responsible for the sudden arrival these magnificent and very exotic-looking birds into Ireland, as well as for the species’ gradual spread northwards across Europe. Who knows, perhaps some may even stick around to breed, just as the now-widespread Little Egret did before them?

For an interview with our own Niall Hatch about the recent influx of Glossy Ibises into Ireland, from the 12th September edition of Morning Ireland, visit https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22543749/