| Other names | Mooney Goes Wild |
|---|---|
| Genre | Chat, nature |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Languages | English, Irish |
| Home station | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Hosts | Derek Mooney Brenda Donohue[1] |
| Starring | Dr Richard Collins Éanna Ní Lamhna Terry Flanagan Dermot O'Neill |
| Recording studio | Donnybrook, Dublin |
| Air dates | since 1995 |
| Website | Official website |
| Podcast | Podcast |
Mooney (previously Mooney Goes Wild) is an Irish radio programme broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1. Presented by Derek Mooney, the programme airs Monday to Friday from 15:00 to 16:30.
Mooney is the 18th most listened to programme in Ireland.[2] It is presented by Brenda Donoghue or Aonghus McAnally[3] when Derek Mooney is absent. Donoghue is currently pregnant.[4] As Mooney Goes Wild, the programme was known for its coverage of nature and now features annual web broadcasts of Blue Tits nesting and hatching. In 2009, Mooney's Blue Tits nested live online in the gardens of Irish President, Mary McAleese.
Contents |
Mooney Goes Wild started in 1995 on Saturdays on RTÉ Radio 1. It mainly focused on wildlife and nature. Jackie and Daw was broadcast on Mooney Goes Wild. Mooney Goes Wild on One won the prestigious Prix d'Europe in Berlin in 2000, with the award given for a programme that observed the lives of two nesting jackdaws.[5]
On 2 October 2006, the programme moved to the weekday slot.[6]
In early 2009, RTÉ weather presenter Nuala Carey launched a nationwide search to find herself a man on Mooney.[4] Reports of her escapades at several dating events accompanied by her friend Ciara were broadcast on the radio programme.[4]
In 2011, it featured a world record attempt at having the most people dressed up as a leprechaun in the one place.[7][8][9] People came from Italy, Poland and Romania to participate in the "Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Leprechauns".[10]
Mooney combined with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the RTÉ radio audience to create Mooney Tunes from the Grand Canal Theatre for RTÉ over Christmas 2011, an obvious pun on the similarity between the presenter's name and the word "Looney" as used in Looney Tunes, the Warner Bros. animated cartoon series.[11] Jedward put in an appearance at the show.[12]
The programme's focus changed more to general chat and interviews. It also has live music and music discussion. Recently Mooney was the first place to preview six contests going up to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest.[13]
Dermot O'Neill is a frequent guest on the programme. As well as talking about gardening he was once offered to learn opera. He took up the challenge and performed at a New Year's Day concert on Mooney.[14] Authors, such as Joan Geraghty, have spoken about their books on the show.[3]
Mooney has also searched for a Little Orphan Annie to star in an Irish tour of the musical Annie.[15] The finalists were reduced to three. The competition was won by Nastasia Vashko from Limerick.[16]
Fridays are dedicated to the original format of the show. Mooney's guests talk about nature and wildlife in Ireland. Annually Nestwatch has cameras in birds' nests. It is similar to the setup of the BBC's Springwatch. One nest box was installed in the gardens of President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin in 2009 at her own invitation.[17] The male Blue Tit is currently missing and the female Blue Tit has only laid six eggs, half of what was initially expected.[17]
Terry Flanagan, a reporter from the show, has visited national school students to observe their freshly hatched chicks.[18]
The weekday programme originally lasted two hours, but was shortened when Drivetime was extended. There are news, sport and nuacht (news in Irish) bulletins during the programme.