Moncrieff

If you’re a World War 2 aficionado you might be aware of the famous Polish victory at the battle of Monte Cassino. What you may not know is that the 2nd Polish Corps counted among its ranks a beer-drinking, cigarette-loving Private who was, in fact, a bear! Alan Pollock is a Playwright and author of ‘The Bear Who Went To War: The true story of Wotjek the bear cub adopted by Polish soldiers in Worl...

Over the past weekend, the leather community gathered in Dublin for their annual weekend of festivities, culminating in the crowning of Mr Dublin Leather 2025. Jamie Ryan, the newly-crowned Mr Leather joins Seán to discuss.

In her new book ‘Dare I Say It’, actor Naomi Watts writes about her fertility struggles, and how at one point she would have eaten her dog's toenails if somebody had told her it would help her to get pregnant. For many couples, trying to conceive can become a desperate mission filled with woo-woo advice... Fertility Coach, Psychotherapist and former Midwife Helena Tubridy joins Seán to discuss.

On a fundamental level most of us would have a similar sense of what’s right and wrong, what’s good and bad. We view murder as wrong, we don’t randomly attack people on the street and we don’t swipe other people’s stuff from them - for the most part. Why then, are we so divided when it comes to political ideologies? Kurt Gray is a Moral Psychologist and author of ‘Outraged: Why We Fight About Mora...

Whatever happened to the phone call? Those of us over 40 probably have a vague memory of it being a thing but for the most part it’s a practice that has become all but extinct among Gen Z. Kate McCusker, an illustrious member of that generation decided to try to bring it back. She joins Seán to discuss.

The Nepalese government has announced that it is going to sharply increase the fee to climb Mount Everest for the first time in a decade. But, will this affect the number of people applying, and how expensive exactly is it overall to climb the world’s tallest peak? Irish adventurer Johnny Ward joins Seán to discuss.

There has been increasing chat recently about an emerging Chinese AI portal called DeepSeek. But, how has it managed to develop in spite of huge chip restrictions imposed on China by the US? Joining Seán to discuss is Elaine Burke, Host of The Connected AI Podcast…

A cancer diagnosis is life changing, but for many families affected by cancer, the financial toll of treatment is something to consider... Just as your income is down, there are more bills coming in than ever. The Irish Cancer Society estimates that households affected by cancer are spending an extra €700 a month at a time when their average loss of income is double that at €1,500 per month. For m...

With the weather as wild and unpredictable as it is between Storm Éowyn and Storm Herminia, there may be no better time to embrace a day pottering... But, why is a day on the sofa actually good for you? And who doesn't do a bit of 'bed rotting'? James Kavanagh, Influencer and TV Presenter, is a self-proclaimed expert on the subject and joins Seán to discuss how to do it properly...

Between 1933 and 1945, Franklin Delano Roosevelt served an unprecedented four terms as US President. The backdrop to this was, of course, the spectre of World War 2. But, with Republicans speaking about an unprecedented crisis in America that only the new president can solve, could we possibly see a third Trump term? Scott Lucas is a Professor & Political Analyst at the Clinton Institute, Univ...

Hundreds of thousands of people are without power and water in the afermath of Storm Éowyn, but one side of this is that strangers are coming together to help each other. Henry McKean was a recipient of that help, and joins Seán to discuss what he saw.

Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of performing in a major theatre in front of a big crowd, but you always felt that your singing voice wasn’t quite up to it… Well, don’t let that stop you! Amhráin na Mara (Songs of the Sea) takes place on January 28th at the Cork Arts Theatre, and this is a gig in which the line between performer and spectator will well and truly be crossed. Eamonn Ó Ceallaigh is a S...

With today’s storm causing havoc across the country, should more of us be prepping? One particular aspect of prepping that Tom Dunne’s guest has been investigating are grab bags. But, what is a grab bag and how does it work? Joining to discuss is Breda Graham, adventurer and Journalist for the Irish Examiner…

It was 30 years ago this week that Mat Utd’s Eric Cantona infamously kung fu kicked a fan at Crystal Palace. But, why did it happen, and what was the fall out? Joining Tom Dunne to discuss is Thom Gibbs, Senior Sports Writer for the Daily Telegraph, who has been investigating…

Breaking news: the Loch Ness Monster is not real! Well, that’s what guest host Tom Dunne’s guest says anyway - and that instead, we should be spending our time looking for aliens! Professor Tim Coulson is Professor of Zoology at Oxford University and the author of ‘The Universal History of Us: A 13.8 billion year tale from the Big Bang to you’. He joins to discuss. Image: Britannica

After being delayed due to the LA wildfires, this year’s Oscar nominations have just been announced live in Hollywood. So, how have the Irish fared, and what movie has received the most nominations? Joining Seán to discuss is Film Critic Esther McCarthy… Image: Oscars

Audiobooks have become big business, and naturally you may have listened to some big name actors narrating your favourite novel. But, they’re certainly not always narrated by Hollywood alumni, and that’s at least partly because it’s quite a specific skill that requires one to carefully walk the line between narrator and character actor. That’s not something every actor can do. So, what does it tak...

In order to better understand how policies could affect human outcomes and how people might react to various catastrophes, the UK Ministry for Defence has now enlisted the help of sci-fi authors… Joining Seán to discuss is Emma Newman, Science fiction author and producer of the ‘Imagining Tomorrow’ podcast.

Could somebody online be pretending to be you? There’s been a national fascination with ‘catfishing’ recently, but can it really happen to anyone? Surely, nobody would want to impersonate your normal, everyday life… Well, this happened to Aoife Howard Ring and she joins Seán to discuss.

A huge and putrid plant called a corpse flower is about to bloom at any moment, and is currently being watched by thousands around the world on a YouTube livestream. Joining Seán to discuss is John Siemon, Director of Horticulture and Living Collections at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney…

When was the last time you got your shoes repaired instead of just buying a new pair? Within your answer to that you may recognise the plight of the cobbler… There are less than thirty left in the country. So, is this a dying trade, or could talk of the circular economy begin a revival of business? Michael Rossiter is a Cobbler in Kilkenny, and joins Seán to discuss.

The days of drinking instant coffee from a flask are over! Enter spreadable coffee from a tube… Joining Seán to discuss is Philippe Greinacher, Co-Founder of No Normal Coffee… Image: No Normal Coffee

Speaking yesterday, the UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen made clear the global organisation’s desire for a pluralist democratic Syria. But considering the unpopularity of the UN on the ground in the country ,and the factionalised nature of the political landscape there, is that a realistic aim? Dr Rahaf Aldoughli is Lecturer in Middle East and North African studies at Lancaster University, and joins...

Dublin City Council has this week rolled out light boxes across all libraries in the capital. But, what are they, and why would you use one? Joining Seán to discuss is Ciara Dardis, Divisional Librarian with Dublin City Libraries in charge of events and partnerships…

Have you thought about taping your mouth shut to get a better night’s sleep? A new viral craze has seen people put tape to stop themselves breathing through their mouth overnight... Professor Annie Curtis, Associate Professor at the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences at RCSI, joins Seán to discuss.