Panel: Richard Collins and Niall Hatch
Reporter: Terry Flanagan
In addition to listening to us on RTÉ Radio 1 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 a segment about Whale Watch Ireland 2026, a programme of 18 consecutive free public whale- and dolphin-watching events being organised at coastal sites across the country by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.
With that in mind, our recommendation from the Mooney Goes Wild archives this week is a special documentary about the Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to have existed. In particular it focuses on a particularly significant member of the species called Hope, who perished on the Co. Wexford coast in 1891 and whose skeleton now hangs from the ceiling of the British Natural History Museum in London.
To listen to this programme from the extensive Mooney Goes Wild archives, visit https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/21507242/.
Did Derek Smell A Rat?
To kick off tonight’s programme, Derek tells Richard and Niall about an unexpected encounter he had en route to the RTÉ car park. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted what he initially suspected to be a Brown Rat and his immediate instinct, without even consciously thinking about it, was to recoil. However, within seconds he realised that the creature was in fact a completely different species of rodent, a Grey Squirrel, and immediately his sense of revulsion vanished. So, he ponders with our panellists, why was his involuntary response to the two types of rodent so different?
For more information about Brown Rats, visit https://www.conserveireland.com/mammals/brown_rat.php
For more information about Grey Squirrels, visit https://www.conserveireland.com/mammals/grey_squirrel.php
The Conference Of Birds
On the evenings of 15th and 16th May, a most remarkable pair of performances were staged at dlr Mill Theatre Dundrum, in south Dublin, aimed at raising awareness of the plight of Ireland’s most severely threatened wild bird species. Entitled The Conference Of Birds, it consisted of an intergenerational performance of theatre, music and visual art by participatory arts group The Elders in collaboration with a flock of multi-disciplinary artists and the children of the National Concert Hall’s Cór na Nóg.
Helmed by director and producer Andrea Scott of Floating World Productions, it was a gathering of wings, voices and stories rooted in the lives of the 55 bird species on Ireland’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern, with a percentage of the ticket sales going to support the work of BirdWatch Ireland, Ireland’s largest wildlife conservation charity.
Present alongside Derek and Niall on opening night was playwright and author John MacKenna, who will present a special programme about The Conference of Birds for our Nature On One documentary series later in the year. On tonight’s programme, the three gentlemen give their thoughts on the highly impressive and moving performance, and Niall gives us some insight into the workshopping process that he undertook with The Elders on behalf of BirdWatch Ireland.
For more information about The Conference of Birds, visit https://www.milltheatre.ie/events/the-conference-of-birds/.
For more information about The Elders, visit https://www.milltheatre.ie/what-we-do/community/the-elders/.
For more information about Cór na nÓg, visit https://www.nch.ie/nsoi-choirs/cor-na-nog/.
For more information about director Andrea Scott, visit https://floatingworldproductions.com/work/andrea.html.
For more information about BirdWatch Ireland’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland, visit https://birdwatchireland.ie/app/uploads/2021/04/BOCCI4-leaflet-2-1.pdf.
Going Round In Circles: What Could Bee Causing It?
Listener Henrietta Broderick was out on the patio of her home in Co. Galway recently when she spotted something very unusual on the ground: a Honeybee walking around and around in tiny circles, as you can see in the video that she shot for us:
As Henrietta tells us on tonight’s programme, at one point the bee stopped, excreted a drop of a mustard-yellow substance from its abdomen, then resumed its bizarre circling behaviour. What could have caused a bee to behave so strangely?
There are several reasons why a Honeybee might act in this manner, but none of them tend to be good news for the bee. It is most commonly a sign of neurological damage, which can be as a result of exposure to pesticides, infection by a fungus or other parasite, injury or even just old age... which a Honeybee reaches in just a couple of weeks or so.
For more information about what to do if you happen to find a bee acting oddly or showing signs of distress, visit https://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-help-a-bee-in-distress/.
What Are Those Starlings Up To?
Some of you may remember a listener called Nikola Brady from Co. Kildare who was on the programme a few years ago talking about how her cat, Scratch, would bring her some rather interesting presents! Well, Nikola e-mailed us recently regarding another animal conundrum: unusual Starling activity in the garden outside her bedroom window. Not only did she manage to view it, but she also managed to record it on her phone:
Keen to find out more, our roving reporter Terry Flanagan travelled down to Co. Kildare to catch up with Nicola, Scratch and the Starlings.
For more information about Starlings, visit https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/starling/.
Whale Watch Ireland 2026: Saturday 23rd May
Next Saturday, 23rd May, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group is inviting members of the public to take part in one of the many expert-led whale-watching events that will be taking place as part of Whale Watch Ireland 2026, an annual event that is now in its 24th year. Between 17:00 and 19:00, the organisation will be hosting a free simultaneous land-based whale- and dolphin-watching events at 18 coastal sites.
On tonight's programme, we are delighted to be joined by our good friend Pádraig Whooley, Sightings Officer with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, who explains the background to the annual event, the importance of the data gathered through it and how you, our loyal listeners, can take part. No prior knowledge of or experience with marine mammals is required, so why not give it a go?
For more information about Whale Watch Ireland 2026 and the free whale-watching events taking place near you, visit https://iwdg.ie/whale-watch-ireland-2026/.
Back From The Brink
The first episode of the new series of Back From The Brink, presented by our very own Derek Mooney, aired last night on RTÉ One television, with the second episode to follow next Sunday, 24th May, at 18:30. The focus of the programme this time around is on efforts to conserve and restore wildlife in urban environments across Europe, filmed across nine countries and featuring a range of dedicated and inspirational conservationists, scientists and campaigners who are all making enormous strides in the fight to bring endangered plant and animal species back from the brink of extinction.
As we hear on tonight’s programme, in episode two of the programme we will soar to the steeple of Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral in the heart of Cork City, where a pair of Peregrine Falcons named Macheda and Solomon have been helped to nest by the conservation efforts of Sam Bayley of the National Parks & Wildlife Service) and Alan McCarthy of BirdWatch Ireland.
To watch the first episode of the new series of Back from the Brink on the RTÉ Player, click here.