Talk to Santa with Derek Mooney
Christmas Eve, Wednesday December 24th 2025 | 14:30 - 16:00 | RTÉ Radio 1
Get into the festive spirit with Derek Mooney and the main man himself – Santa Claus! Join them as they chat with excited children from all across the country on Christmas Day. Expect laughter, surprises, and plenty of Christmas magic as families share their joy and wishes over the airwaves
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Nature on One – Reindeer
Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th 2025 | 15:00 - 16:00 | RTÉ Radio 1
Join Derek Mooney and Niall Hatch as they journey high above the Arctic Circle to meet the Sami reindeer herders. Discover the deep cultural connection between the Sami people and their reindeer and uncover the fascinating story of how these majestic animals became so closely associated with Christmas traditions.
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Mooney Goes Wild – Domain of the Dinosaurs
Sunday, December 28th 2025 | 16:00 – 17:00 | RTÉ Radio 1
Mooney Goes Wild reports from the Domain of the Dinosaurs exhibition at the Glucksman Gallery, University College Cork – Ireland's largest fossil display. Niall Hatch and Terry Flanagan explore skeleton casts of Megalosaurus and Scelidosaurus, the only known dinosaurs from the island of Ireland, alongside nearly 300 real fossil specimens. Learn the story of their discovery on a Co. Antrim beach in the 1980s and see how art and science collide through five newly commissioned works inspired by Irish fossils and cutting-edge palaeontological research.
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Mooney Goes Wild – Reports
Monday, December 29th 2025 | 18:00 – 19:00 | RTÉ Radio 1
In this special edition of Mooney Goes Wild, Derek Mooney and reporter Terry Flanagan revisit fascinating listener inspired stories and celebrate highlights that have captivated audiences across Ireland and beyond - from bats in attics to mysterious feline gifts!
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Rising Time with Derek Mooney
New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1st 2026 | 06:00 – 09:00 | RTÉ Radio 1
Start the New Year with Derek Mooney on Rising Time. Enjoy a bright morning mix of music and conversation, celebrating new arrivals, revisiting classic New Year hits, and offering a peek at the silver screen highlights for the year ahead. Wake up to good company, great tunes, and plenty of reasons to smile as we welcome 2026 together.
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Nature on One – Arctic Saxifrage
New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1st 2026 | 18:00 – 19:00 | RTÉ Radio 1
Naturalist Declan Murphy embarks on a lifelong quest to find one of Ireland’s rarest and most elusive plants, the Arctic Saxifrage. This tiny, delicate flower clings to the high, windswept ledges of Ben Bulben in County Sligo, a landscape shaped by ice and time.
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Mooney Goes Wild – Wetland Birds
Friday, January 2nd 2026 | 15:00 – 16:00 | RTÉ Radio 1
Join Derek Mooney and the team at Harper’s Island Wetlands Nature Reserve in County Cork for a close-up look at the remarkable world of wintering wetland birds. These resilient travellers journey thousands of kilometers to escape the harsh northern cold, finding food and refuge in Ireland’s wetlands. Discover the species that make this seasonal migration, the challenges they face, and why wetlands are vital for their survival. For more information, visit https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/mooney/2025/1126/1545987-harpers-island-wetlands-nature-reserve/.