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Mooney(radio programme)

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Mooney
Other namesMooney Goes Wild(previous version, weekends)
GenreChat, nature
Running time90 minutes
Country of originIreland
Language(s)English,Irish
Home stationRTÉ Radio 1
Hosted byDerek Mooney
Brenda Donohue[1]
StarringDr Richard Collins
Éanna ni Lamhna
Terry Flanagan
Dermot O'Neill
Recording studioDonnybrook, Dublin
Original release2006 (previous version 1995) –
present
WebsiteOfficial website
PodcastPodcast

Mooney(successor toMooney Goes Wild) is anIrishradio programme broadcast onRTÉ Radio 1.Presented byDerek Mooney,the programme airs Monday to Friday from 15:00 to 16:30.

Mooneywas the 18th most listened-to radio programme in Ireland.[2]It was presented byBrenda DonohueorAonghus McAnally[3]when Derek Mooney was absent. Its predecessor programme,Mooney Goes Wild,was known for its coverage of nature and the later programme featured web broadcasts ofblue titsnesting and hatching. In 2009,Mooney'sblue tits nested live online in the gardens ofPresidentMary McAleese.

History[edit]

Mooney Goes Wildstarted in 1995 on Saturdays on RTÉ Radio 1. It mainly focused on wildlife and nature.Jackie and Dawwas broadcast onMooney Goes Wild.Mooney Goes Wild on Onewon the prestigiousPrix d'Europein Berlin in 2000, with the award given for a programme that observed the lives of two nesting jackdaws.[4]

On 2 October 2006, the programme moved to a weekday slot.[5]

In early 2009, RTÉ weather presenterNuala Careylaunched a nationwide search to find herself a man onMooney.[6]Reports of her escapades at several dating events accompanied by her friend Ciara were broadcast on the radio programme.[6]

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 fromItaly,PolandandRomaniato participate in the "Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Leprechauns".[10]

Mooneycombined with theRTÉ Concert Orchestraand the RTÉ radio audience to createMooney Tunesfrom theGrand Canal Theatrefor RTÉ over Christmas 2011, an obvious pun on the similarity between the presenter's name and the word "Looney" as used inLooney Tunes,theWarner Bros.animated cartoonseries.[11]Jedwardput in an appearance at the show.[12]

Listeners were left stunned on Friday 13 April 2012 when a caller toMooneywas attacked by a swarm of bees live on the national airwaves. The caller screamed down the telephone before going silent amid the sound of the buzzing swarm.Mooneybee expert Philip McCabe had been giving advice to the listener at the time of the incident.[13]

In July 2012, Mooney criticised listeners who complained about the show discussing issues to do with the LGBT community.[14]

Format[edit]

With the change toMooneythe programme's focus changed more to general chat and interviews. It also had live music and music discussion. In 2009,Mooneywas the first place to preview six contestants going up to representIreland in the Eurovision Song Contest.[15]A memorable feature of the show was "Mooney's Money", whereby Mooney would dispense cash to listeners via a competition.[16]

Dermot O'Neillwas 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 aNew Year's Dayconcert onMooney.[17]Authors, such asJoan Geraghty,spoke about their books on the show.[3]

Mooneyalso searched for aLittle Orphan Annieto star in an Irish tour of the musicalAnnie.[18]The finalists were reduced to three. The competition was won by Nastasia Vashko fromLimerick.[19]

Fridays were dedicated to the original format of theMooney Goes Wildshow, with guests, and panelists such asÉanna ni Lamhna,talking about nature and wildlife in Ireland. AnnuallyNestwatchhad cameras in birds' nests. It was similar to the setup of the BBC'sSpringwatch.One nest box was installed in the gardens of President Mary McAleese atÁras an Uachtaráinin 2009 at her own invitation.[20]The male blue tit once went missing and the female blue tit had only laid six eggs, half of what was initially expected.[20]

Show reporterTerry Flanaganvisited national school students to observe their freshly hatched chicks.[21]

The weekday programme originally lasted two hours, but was shortened whenDrivetimewas extended. There are news and sport bulletin interruptions during the programme.

References[edit]

  1. ^Larissa Nolan (8 July 2007)."Katy and Glenda 'fell out over man'".Irish Independent.Retrieved20 December2009.
  2. ^"JNLR Stats"(in English and Irish). JLNR/RTÉ. Archived fromthe originalon 30 April 2009.Retrieved4 June2009.
  3. ^ab"Local author talks fitness on RTÉ Radio".Mayo Advertiser.5 June 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.Retrieved5 June2009.
  4. ^"Mooney Goes Wild wins international award".RTÉ. 22 October 2000. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2015.Retrieved6 November2011.
  5. ^"Mooney: About".RTÉ. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.Retrieved5 June2009.
  6. ^ab"RTE Nuala weathers a storm of bad dates".Evening Herald.5 June 2009.Retrieved5 June2009.
  7. ^"Mooney takes on Leno's leprechauns".RTÉ. 29 September 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2015.Retrieved29 September2011.
  8. ^"More on Mooney's record bid".RTÉ. 30 September 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2015.Retrieved30 September2011.
  9. ^"Mooney counts down to Leprechaun challenge".RTÉ.15 November 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2015.Retrieved15 November2011.
  10. ^"Mooney show breaks Leno's world record".RTÉ. 16 November 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2015.Retrieved16 November2011.
  11. ^"RTÉ announces Christmas highlights".RTÉ. 28 November 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2015.Retrieved28 November2011.
  12. ^"Jedward surprise fan during Mooney Show".RTÉ. 19 December 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2015.Retrieved19 December2011.
  13. ^Butler, Laura."Sting in the tail for Mooney show listeners after caller is attacked by bees on air".Evening Herald.Retrieved14 April2012.
  14. ^Claire, Murphy (18 July 2012)."Mooney says gay backlash made him a drama queen".Evening Herald.Retrieved18 July2012.
  15. ^"Eurovision Mooney 2009".RTÉ. 19 February 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.Retrieved5 June2009.
  16. ^"Mooney's Money".Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.
  17. ^"Mooney New Year Concert 2009".RTÉ. 1 January 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.Retrieved5 June2009.
  18. ^"Mooney Annie Search".RTÉ. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.Retrieved5 June2009.
  19. ^"Evening Herald: Nastasia Vashko".Evening Herald.Retrieved5 June2009.
  20. ^ab"Mystery of the missing blue tit mate".Irish Examiner.1 June 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.Retrieved5 June2009.
  21. ^"Mooney goes wild in St. Tola's".Westmeath Examiner.26 May 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2015.Retrieved5 June2009.

External links[edit]

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