RT Radio 1 and RT Lyric fm celebrate our natural world this May Bank Holiday weekend with its annual live broadcast of the Dawn Chorus.
Live from BirdWatch Ireland's Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve in County Cork, Derek Mooney will present a celebration of birdsong with Niall Hatch, Jim Wilson, anna N Lamhna and Terry Flanagan, plus expert contributors from across the Celtic nations of Europe.
RT Radio 1 and Lyric fm have teamed up with their counterparts in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man and Cornwall for this simulcast in the early hours of Sunday 1st May.
Executive producer/presenter of the Dawn Chorus, Derek Mooney said: The dawn chorus is the highlight of my year, professionally and personally. I absolutely love it and I find the whole experience refreshing. I always eagerly look forward to hearing the first song of the morning. In Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve, where we've done our live broadcast for many years now, that first singer is usually the Blackbird, typically followed closely by the Robin and then Wren. No two dawn choruses are the same, however. It really all depends on where you are in the country and which species happen to be close to you.
He added: People ask me if I'm excited to hear the birds singing during the programme. I always tell them that I'm more relieved than excited! This programme is literally broadcast around the globe, live, and it would be pretty awkward to say the least if our dawn chorus didn't feature any birds. Thankfully that's never happened. Regardless of the weather conditions on the morning, they always come through for us.
Programming starts at midnight in the lead up to the Dawn Chorus live event with a special edition of Mooney Goes Wild entitled What is a bird? , in which Derek and his panel discuss the characteristics, behaviours and unique adaptations that set birds apart from all other animals. As part of the schedule, Terry Flanagan also presents a brand-new special episode dedicated to the Great Spotted Woodpecker, one of Ireland's most recent avian colonists.
Continuing the build-up, RT Lyric fm's Aed n Gormley delves into the music library to reflect on how composers and songwriters have been inspired by birds and bird song through the ages for Lyrical Bird Song. And Dr. Paddy Glackin (TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year 2022) and D nal Lunny celebrate the wonders of nature through music and song in Celtic Fusion, in the company of some of the Celtic nations' most notable traditional and folk performers.
The Celtic Dawn Chorus will be live from 4am to 7am on Sunday 1st May, broadcast simultaneously on RT Radio 1, RT Lyric FM, BBC Radio Foyle, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cornwall and BBC Radio Scotland. And from 4am to 6am on BBC Radio Ulster.
Notes:
Dawn Chorus schedule - Sunday 1st May 2022
0000-0100: What is a bird?
In this special edition of Mooney Goes Wild, Derek Mooney and his panel discuss the characteristics, behaviours and unique adaptations that set birds apart from all other animals.
0100-0200: RT Lyric fm - Lyrical Bird Song Imitating the sounds of nature is a time-honoured practice among classical composers. From the Renaissance to today, many have been inspired by the many different sounds of sounds of chirping and tweeting which they have brought into their compositions capturing the sweet sounds of many birds. Aed n Gormley delves into the RTE Lyric fm music library to reflect on how composers and songwriters have been inspired by birds and bird song through the ages.
0200-0300: Celtic Fusion
Dr. Paddy Glackin, the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year 2022 and D nal Lunny celebrate the wonders of nature through music and song with some of the Celtic nations' most notable traditional and folk performers.
0300-0345: The Great Spotted Woodpecker
Terry Flanagan presents a special Mooney Goes Wild documentary about the Great Spotted Woodpecker, one of the newest and most interesting additions to the list of Irish breeding birds. Formerly absent from Ireland, a handful of these charismatic black-and-white birds flew across the Irish Sea from Britain roughly 15 years ago. Since then, the species has slowly but surely increased in number and expanded its range, to the point where its distinctive drumming' sound is becoming a feature of the Irish dawn chorus.
0345-0400: live from Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve, Derek Mooney, Niall Hatch and Jim Wilson look ahead to the annual broadcast of the dawn chorus.
0400-0700: The Celtic Dawn Chorus
Live from BirdWatch Ireland's Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve in Co. Cork, a celebration of birdsong presented by Derek Mooney, with Niall Hatch, Jim Wilson, anna N Lamhna andTerry Flanagan, plus expert contributors from across the Celtic nations of Europe.
This is a simulcast with RT Radio 1, RT Lyric fm, BBC Radio Ulster + BBC Radio Foyle, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cornwall and BBC Radio Scotland.
More from RTE
11/09/2026
RT has today announced Benetti Menswear as the sponsor of its 2026 Amgen Irish Open coverage for a sixth consecutive year, further strengthening the heritage c...
10/09/2026
RT to Broadcast Amgen Irish Open free-to-air
New multi-year agreement will see RT continue to bring the Amgen Irish Open to Irish audiences
Ryder Cup hig...
10/09/2026
More than 30 women report allegations of sexual harassment, misogyny and bullying within National Ambulance Service
Tonight on RT Prime Time, 9:35pm, RT One ...
10/09/2026
Series 3 of Nero's Class begins Friday 11 September on RT Listen
The third...
09/09/2026
RT brings three packed days of live radio, entertainment, news, weather and fun
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, Oliver Callan, Today with David McCullagh,...
07/09/2026
552,000 streams on RT Player
The historic fight, which saw Katie Taylor become...
04/09/2026
RT ANNOUNCE NEW DRAMA THE MURDER OF MR. MOONLIGHT
BASED ON THE DISAPPEARANCE...
03/09/2026
First Class Takes is a new six-part series for RT KIDS that captures funny, hon...
02/09/2026
RT has today announced a major media partnership with Lidl around Katie Taylor's historic Croke Park clash with Flora Pili on Saturday, September 5th.
The...
01/09/2026
Join Donal Skehan in discovering the best of everyday Italian cooking in brand new series, airing Wednesday 2 September
In this brand-new series, Donal's I...
01/09/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to spotlight a diverse range of arts, cultu...
27/08/2026
Commissioned for RT KIDS as part of the EBU Kids' Drama Exchange The Note will premiere Sunday August 30, 5:10pm
RT One and RT Player
The Note tells a...
26/08/2026
As RT marks 100 years of public service broadcasting in Ireland, today we announce a season of fresh, original content, while preparing to move into a second c...
25/08/2026
The new series begins Tuesday 1 September at 7pm on RT One and RT Player
The search for Ireland's hidden housing gems is back as Cheap Irish Homes return...
24/08/2026
We Only Want the Earth: The Life & Ideas of James Connolly airs
Wednesday 26 August on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
RT is to air the compelling documenta...
21/08/2026
Beat The Lotto dives into the plot behind the 1980s National Lottery scandal
24 August 2026 at 9:35pm on RT One and RT Player
Beat The Lotto is the story o...
21/08/2026
The countdown to the most wonderful night of the year has officially begun!
Host Patrick Kielty is gearing up for another unforgettable Late Late Toy Show nig...
21/08/2026
Meet puppet duo Bellie and Whizz, who are about to explore all the big feelings ...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
THE HEALY RAES: BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS AIRS WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 ON RT ONE AT 9:35PM
A new documentary The Healy-Raes: Blood, Sweat & Tears airs on RT One and ...
18/08/2026
Stunning Irish performances at European Athletics and Swimming Championships rea...
18/08/2026
The two-part series begins Sunday 23 August at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player
...
13/08/2026
RT 's Miriam O'Callaghan welcomed a range of specially invited guests to the National Concert Hall last week for a unique event to mark a new season wit...
11/08/2026
Hosts D ith S and Kathryn Thomas rose to the occasion on Tuesday (August 11)...
11/08/2026
A Day in May airs Wednesday 12 August at 9.35pm RT One and RT Player
A Day in May revisits the people and stories behind Ireland's historic marriage equa...
07/08/2026
The Traitors Ireland Uncloaked is also back with all the behind the scenes drama...
06/08/2026
In Time airs Monday 10 August at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player
In Time is the first film account of the life of D nal Lunny, one of the most influential Iri...
31/07/2026
Athletics, Camogie, the Dublin Horse Show, the FAI Cup, Golf, Hockey, the UEFA C...
31/07/2026
RT Commercial has today announced Mercedes-Benz Ireland will return as the offi...
31/07/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to spotlight a diverse range of arts, culture and heritage events taking place across Ireland this August. From major festi...
30/07/2026
Broadcaster John Creedon explores Ireland's rich musical heritage Sunday 2 A...
29/07/2026
RT launches Unsolved, a true crime podcast, presented by crime journalist Barry Cummins and presenter Katja Mia.
Unsolved is a weekly podcast exploring unsol...
28/07/2026
RT Raidi na Gaeltachta, RT Radio 1, RT One and RT Player to showcase the best of the reels, rhymes and rambles from Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na h ireann 202...
28/07/2026
Through a wide range of perspectives, this documentary looks at how Ireland might navigate one of the defining political questions of the future
Wednesday, Jul...
27/07/2026
Yesterday witnessed truly memorable scenes in Croke Park, bringing the curtain d...
24/07/2026
Kerry and Mayo fans Up For The Match as excitement builds in Croke Park on the e...
23/07/2026
RT Commercial has today announced Centra as the official food partner once again of The Traitors Ireland, coming to RT One and RT Player later this year.
Ce...
23/07/2026
RT Commercial today announced Honda as sponsor of Today with David McCullagh RT Radio 1, weekdays 9am 11am.
Broadcasting directly after Morning Ireland in ...
23/07/2026
RT News is pleased to announce Barry Gallagher has been assigned as the new journalist covering news from Cork, Kerry and the wider Southern region
Working al...
22/07/2026
RT REPORTS NET SURPLUS OF 22.5 MILLION IN 2025...
22/07/2026
In the Opinion of the Censor airs Monday 27 July at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player
In the Opinion of the Censor looks at how films for theatrical release wer...
21/07/2026
160 hours of Irish storytelling for 2026
KIN and The Walsh Sisters return
RT has today unveiled its most ambitious drama slate ever, with a record-breakin...
20/07/2026
FIFA World Cup Final sets new RT Player record as the most-streamed single event in the platform's history
Over 1 million viewers watched live on RT 2 as ...
17/07/2026
New and returning series, live festival broadcasts, powerful documentaries and major sporting moments headline RT Radio 1's summer schedule
RT Radio 1 is...
17/07/2026
Up For The Match - Live From Croke Park this Saturday at 8pm on RT One and RT ...
17/07/2026
RT Commercial has today announced DiscoverIreland.ie, as sponsor of The Traitor...
16/07/2026
Together the semi-finals had a combined reach of 1.98 million unique individuals...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
RT Radio 1 and RT Lyric fm celebrate our natural world this May Bank Holiday weekend with its annual live broadcast of the Dawn Chorus.
