With St. Patrick’s Day now done and dusted for another year, Terry thought it was the perfect opportunity to burst a few bubbles by breaking the shocking news to our listeners that there is no such thing as shamrock!

Dr. Matthew Jebb, Director of the National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, joins us from Lambay and tells us more about the Island of Lambay.

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Niall Hatch, Matthew Jebb, Terry Flanagan and Michele Browne. Topics up for discussion include the Island of Lambay, Duke of Wellingtons tree, Sri Lanka, Cloncrow Bog and Shamrocks.

Our resident biologist and roving reporter Terry Flanagan took a trip recently to Cloncrow Bog, just outside the town of Tyrrellspass in Co. Westmeath.He met up with Eugene Dunbar, secretary of a local ETHOS: what a great name!

Derek and Richard were taking a stroll recently in Dublin’s Malahide Castle. During their walk, Richard pointed out one of the most impressive of these arboreal specimens, a magnificent and stately Giant Redwood, also known as the Giant Sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum.

Derek spoke to Dr. Roy Anderson, Ireland’s leading authority on terrestrial invertebrates and author of the book Slugs of Britain and Ireland: Identification, Understanding and Control at his home in Belfast. As Roy explains, slugs are remarkable and unusual creatures, especially when it comes to reproduction.

Niall Hatch wasn’t with us for last week’s programme, as he was away on a birdwatching trip to the region of Extremadura in the west of Spain. He tells us it is one of the best birdwatching locations in all of Europe.

Listener Damian Coman from Tipperary sent us a photo of a small creature that he discovered under a pile of logs in his garden. We sent thes photo to our good friend Rob Gandola of the Irish Herpetological Society, who revealed that it wasn’t a lizard, but rather was a Smooth Newt,

Derek is joined by Richard Collins & Niall Hatch,T erry Flanagan, Éanna Ní Lamhna, Michele Browne Dr Roy Anderson and Rob Gandola.

Derek and the the panel answer your questions about the Robin, The House Martin and the House Sparrow.

Richard took a stroll with our roving reporter Terry Flanagan at Broadmeadow Estuary in north Co. Dublin to take a look at a pair of these magnificent creatures.

We never cease to be amazed by the imagination and innovation of schools as they strive to bring nature back into the lives of children. Parents are playing a key role in this, as our Researcher Michele Browne found out recently when she met with teachers, parents and students at Gaelscoil na Fuinseoige in Churchtown, Dublin.

Derek caught up with Eric Dempsey in Irishtown Stadium while he was conducting a goose survey, prior to the birds’ departure for Canada in late March or early April.

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Terry Flanagan and Niall Hatch. Topics up discussion include Frogs, Brent Geese and bringing nature into the lives of children.

Derek and the panel answer listeners questions about the Common Wasps and the Harlequin Ladybird.

Derek recently bumped into radio presenter Adrian Kennedy, who told him an extraordinary story about a frog that was trapped in the rear tail light of his new Škoda car. Our Roving Reporter Terry Flanagan says that this is probably the most unusual report he has ever done in over 20 years on the programme.

Our reporter Terry Flanagan recently met the CEO of Global Action Plan, Hans Zomer, who explained what the Climate Heroes Challenge entails and how people can become involved.

Aimée Gray is a former researcher with the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and she tells us more about her research into the impact of birds on human health'.

Jim Wilson spoke to Éadaoin and Ciarán Farrell, Pupils St. Peter’s Secondary School in Passage West, Co. Cork on their reseacrh project which was awarded First Place in the Biological & Ecological Sciences – Intermediate Group category in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2024.

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Terry Flanagan, Niall Hatch, Éanna Ní Lamhna, Terry Flanagan and Jim Wilson. Topic up for discussion include Blue T**s, hedge cutting, Climate Heroes Challange, birds and human health, birds standing on one leg and a new year plant hunt.

Botanist and BSBI’s Ireland Officer Bridget Keehan speaks to Éanna Ní Lamhna about the results of the New Year Plant Hunt of the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland.

Derek and the panel answer listeners questions about Blue T**s banging their heads against a mirror in the garden and when should you not cut your hedges?

We discuss the Great Tit, a colourful, clever and abundant bird, which range across most of Eurasia and which happen to be the most intensively studied birds in the world.

Our Researcher Michele Browne paid a visit to the banks of the River Slaney near Tullow in Co. Carlow, where on the 40-acre Altamont Gardens she met with plantsman Robert Miller, who runs the garden centre there and was keen to show Michele some particularly grumpy-faced snowdrops!

Our expert in all things fishy, Ken Whelan, discusses the pros and cons of a potential sturgeon reintroduction campaign in Irish rivers and the benefits to other species, including Salmon.