Moncrieff

Every year, roughly 4 million snake bites happen to humans, with about 138,000 proving fatal. Now, a major new research paper from the World Health Organisation shows that the risk of snake bites is on the rise. Joining Seán to discuss is James Hennessy, Director of the National Reptile Zoo in Kilkenny…

If you need some bricks laid quickly, Charlie Collison is your man! Charlie is the world’s fastest bricklayer, recently laying 1,065 bricks in an hour, smashing the previous record of 872. He joins Seán to discuss!

A new study of nearly 250 million times table answers shows that 27.1% of primary school children struggle with one time table in particular: it shows that 9 times 6 is the hardest. Why is this? To discuss, Seán is joined by the author of ‘Grasping Grammar’ Oliver Murphy.

Is cigar smoking still much of a thing in Ireland? What is involved in the competition taking place around cigars soon? Joining Seán to discuss is Barry Joyce, Managing Director of the Decent Cigar Emporium.

Did you know that women who have had a mastectomy are able to get a grant to buy bras and swimwear? What is included? Joining Seán to discuss is Sinead Sanderson, owner of Peaches and Cream Underwear.

In 2027, Germany will be introducing ‘partial’ sick days, where employees can do as little as 25% of the day’s work if they are ill. This is in order to curb record levels of sick day absences in the country. Should we introduce something similar here? Joining Seán to discuss is Alison Hodgson, Country Director for CIPD, the Professional Body for the World of Work.

If you get to walk through a forest, do you know what you’re actually looking at? Well, Seán’s guest will be hosting nature walks at the Night and Day Festival to help you understand nature that bit more… Joining to discuss is Pat Neville, Forest Communications Manager with Coillte.

There is clearly an ongoing issue of the use of artificial intelligence in academia, and it’s hard to know how much of the work of a student that is approved is actually generated by AI. So, is this something we should continue to push against? Or do we have to accept it? Joining Seán to discuss is Juliana Adelman, Assistant Professor of History in DCU and co-author of this editorial.

In an interview with the Telegraph this morning, television presenter Richard Madelay of Richard and Judy fame, says that he will no longer celebrate his birthday, as a way to deal with the ageing process of turning 70. But, is this a good idea? Should we all ignore our birthdays to stay young? Joining Seán to discuss is Stephanie Regan, Clinical Psychotherapist & co-host of the ‘Tough Love’ p...

Today is National Bee Day, and there is significant concern about the erosion of our bee population. In ancient Ireland, people took bees quite seriously, and drafted laws and rules about their care. So, why was this, and what did those laws look like? Joining Seán to discuss is Chris Doyle, Lecturer in Ancient and Medieval History, University of Galway.

Should a couple who love each other necessarily live together? If there are issues under one roof, could staying apart save a relationship? Journalist Anna-Louise Dearden joins Seán to discuss…

As you will know, the housing situation in Ireland is pretty dire. So much so, people have been visiting a shrine in Phibsborough dedicated to the ‘housing gods’ to improve their chances of getting a home. Alison Byrne, Artist and Glass Maker, created this shrine, and joins Seán to discuss. Image: Mulranny Arts

Every Wednesday, Seán will be joined by someone to hear unusual stories on heinous crimes… This week, Cassie Delaney joins to discuss interesting crimes involving words!

Seán’s guest has recently returned from one of the most remote places on the planet, where she had travelled for a holiday in paradise, which soon turned into a nightmare… Rachel Gotto, Grief Coach, Hypnotherapist and Corporate Presenter joins to discuss.

A couple in the UK showcased a bronze cast of their extraordinary furniture made out of trees at the Chelsea Flower Show in London yesterday. They have spent the past two decades growing trees in the shape of chairs, but how does the process work? Joining Seán to discuss is chair maker Gavin Munro…

A large poll carried out by the Guardian has resulted in ‘Middlemarch’ being voted the greatest novel ever published in the English language. But, why is it so influential, and how do you go about reading a book that is almost 1,000 pages long? Joining Seán to discuss is novelist Edel Coffey, whose latest novel is entitled ‘In Glass Houses’...

As medical science advances, there’s an ever-increasing number of treatments people can receive, which also pertains to the growing treatments animals can avail of. So, what does the veterinary landscape look like in Ireland at the moment? Joining Seán to discuss is Dr Stephen Martin, Veterinary Surgeon and a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons.

If you fancy getting yourself a cheaper Ryanair flight - now seems to be the right time with concerns about jet fuel availability, despite Michael O’Leary’s assurances. Are these fears founded, or is everything fine? What’s the best advice for travel this summer? Joining Seán to discuss is Caitríona Redmond, Consumer Journalist with the Irish Examiner.

It may be time to forget everything you knew about the world, because new figures have shown that France drank more beer than wine last year, a first for the country… Joining Seán to discuss is Naomi O’Leary, Europe Correspondent of The Irish Times and a Presenter on the ‘Irish Passport’ podcast.

It’s very much the case that most people you see walking out and about will be wearing headphones or earbuds. It may seem like a habit, but for many, it’s a necessity. Are you addicted to wearing your headphones? Research in the UK found that a quarter of people have this dependency... Joining Seán to discuss is Pádraig Wilson McCarthy and Newstalk’s Meghan O’Halloran.

The human rights situation in Afghanistan has drastically deteriorated since August 2021, when the Taliban reclaimed power. Joining Seán to discuss this is Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan…

Many people have come across the phrase ‘parish pump politics’, but what does it mean, and where did it come from? Joining Seán to discuss is Darach Ó Séaghdha, podcaster and author who has a new series, ‘The Journal of 353’.

Did you wake up this morning and think, are you living the life you want to live? Are you doing the job you dreamt about in school and are you in the relationship you want to be in? If not, are you going to do anything about it? Henry McKean has been asking the public, and sent in this report…

The new Changing Ireland Galleries in the National Museum at Collins’ Barracks charts the evolution of 20th and early 21st century Ireland through objects. As part of this, there is a section on the extraordinary story of the Irish Sweepstakes, which ran for over 50 years, from its inception by the Freestate Government in 1930. But, what was the point of it, and was it successful in raising much n...

You do hear a lot about the difficulties pensioners face when it comes to managing their weekly state pension of €299.30. Liam Collins has been writing about his experience attempting to live with this monetary limit in the Irish Independent, and joins Seán to discuss.