Moncrieff

Designer Paul Costelloe said “I really love Irish people... they are so quick to pay you a compliment”, but is he right? Do we give out enough compliments to people? Are they genuine and how do you take a back handed compliment? Should we compliment people more? Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been asking the public, and joins Seán to discuss.

One month into the ceasefire in Gaza, how have things actually improved on the ground?  Has the fighting halted completely, can people return to their homes (or what’s left of them) and just why is aid still being blocked? John Whyte is the Acting Senior Deputy Director of UNRWA (Operations), the United National Relief and Works Agency for Palestine, for the Gaza Strip and joins Seán to discu...

Scientists have discovered 30 new deep-sea species, including a carnivorous “death ball” sponge unlike anything seen before. The expedition explored volcanic craters and oceanic trenches near the South Sandwich Islands, revealing a hidden world of strange creatures. Among the findings were iridescent scale worms, new species of sea stars, and the first confirmed footage of a juvenile colossal squi...

This week saw two major events to promote the future of household robots; Neo, the 1X Technologies butler and Optimus, the much heralded robot from Tesla. But, will these robots actually be able to do any of the tasks that are promising to make our everyday lives easier? Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss is Tech Journalist Emmet Ryan, who has been investigating… Image: 1X Tech

Xania Monet, the R&B singer-songwriter, has become the first AI-generated artist to debut on a Billboard radio play chart. So, what does the incursion of AI into music mean for the future? Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss this is Journalist Pat Carty…

Much of the scandal surrounding the now former Prince Andrew has been seen as being unprecedented, but this is far from the first public scandal the British Royal family has faced. Just over a century ago, Irish woman Nellie Clifden was a central character in a controversy that almost toppled the Monarchy… Those events inspired Andrew O’Connor’s 2018 novel ‘By Royal Appointment’, and he joins gues...

Feminist statement or search for instant notoriety? Harriet Richardson’s latest artwork has the internet divided. Especially since the work of art is in this case is - her! The London-based artist spent nearly a thousand euro to tattoo the names of all of her former lover’s mothers across her ribs and even hired a private investigator to find some of them… She joins Seán to discuss…

Over the past three years, comedian Ailish McCarthy has been working on getting a legislative gap filled. Although comedians are considered artists by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, they remain ineligible for grants and funds allocated by the Arts Council. Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh launched an amendment to the Arts Bill this Thursday to have their joke-telling recognized...

We’re all familiar with the saying “dressing your age”, but are we really reading between the lines? In the digital age, everyone can become an influencer, and women over the age of forty are making their voices heard more than ever before. Dubbed ‘Silver Influencers’ by the BBC, this new generation of women is completely unapologetic about aging and seeks to redefine what being a mature woman is...

Two-thirds of people would avoid Dublin City Centre for fear of crime, according to a new survey from Dublin Inquirer and Amárach. But is it geography, do you feel safer in some areas and not in others? Henry McKean has been touring the streets of Dublin City Centre and joins Seán to discuss…

How did the globalisation drive begin, and how has it impacted our economy? That’s what David J Lynch’s new book, ‘The World’s Worst Bet’ aims to explore. Lynch is a Global Economics correspondent for the Washington Post, and his latest book examines how the United States’ ambitious plans after the Cold War have led to interdependence and a precarious global economy. He joins Seán to discuss.

Businesses in Bantry in west Cork are again counting the cost after about 20 premises were flooded when the town experienced a heavy downpour earlier in the week… This left many locals worried, as it marked the town’s seventh flood since 2020 and 10th since 2012. So, what needs to be done to prevent more flooding? Andrea is joined by Michael Collins, Leader of Independent Ireland, as well as local...

This year marks the centenary of the last state execution of a woman in Ireland, but what is the story behind the Annie Walsh case? Joining Seán to discuss is Dr Patrick McGarty, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at Munster Technological University…

Democrat Zohran Mamdani has won the New York City mayoral race, with a pledge to “make America affordable again.” This would include plans to make New York City’s buses across the entire network free to ride. But, how feasible would something like this be here in Ireland? Could free buses work in Dublin? Professor at the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at Trinity Coll...

Seán’s guest knows, at the click of a button on her phone, where many of her loved ones are at any given time. But, the normalisation of location sharing is prompting her to reconsider whether or not this is good or not. Saoirse Hanley from the Irish Independent has been writing about all this in today’s paper, and joins to discuss.

Have you ever gotten a haircut you absolutely loathed, but were too shy to say it? Too afraid to speak up and vouch for yourself, you hoped that your hairdresser would not notice that you hadn’t seen them in months. But, there could be another option that doesn’t involve ghosting your hairdresser… Gwen Loughman joins Seán to discuss how to save that oh-so precious relationship…

Food and eating can be exceptionally challenging for autistic people, particularly kids. So, why is this, and what questions does it raise about the Free School Meals Scheme? Joining Seán to discuss is Adam Harris, Founder of As I Am…

The decision to opt out of organ donation should be respected. That’s the view of the President of the Medical Council of Ireland, Dr. Suzanne Crowe. It follows the publication of figures in response to a recent parliamentary question, which revealed over 55,000 people have signed on to a HSE register to opt out of automatic organ donation upon death. Under current revised legislation, everyone is...

Long before the term multi-media artist came into use, and before a 90s soap about six friends trapped in a small New York City apartment changed television forever, there was Allee Willis. No idea who that is? She’d like to keep it that way. Perhaps ‘the most unknown famous woman in Hollywood’, she rubbed shoulders with the likes of Cindi Lauper and hosted some of the most decadent parties in her...

University College Cork has become the first Irish university to introduce paid leave to employees who have experienced pregnancy loss. It follows extensive work carried out by the university’s Pregnancy Loss Research Group. Its 2024 report revealed that many people surveyed reported negative and discriminatory attitudes in the workplace after they had revealed they had had a miscarriage, while ot...

Where does the Irish capital stand on a European level when it comes to our tree canopy cover, and how is it decided where to plant new ones? Joining Seán to discuss is the man responsible for all this, Ludovic Beaumont, Tree Officer for Dublin City Council…

We thankfully live in a time when gender equality seems like an achievable goal, and many steps have been taken to right the wrongs of a patriarchal past. No doubt some inequality remains, and some things are harder to compare than others. Take public bathrooms for instance: are the men’s better than the women's? Sarah Carey is a Columnist with the Irish Independent and has been writing about this...

The European Union is publishing its annual review of candidate countries’ progress toward membership today. It’s part of a long and demanding process that measures how well aspiring members meet the EU’s democratic and economic criteria. From the western Balkans to Ukraine, the road to joining the Union has become more complex and exacting than ever. To help with understanding what’s at stake, Se...

In an episode of ‘The Kardashians’ the other day, Kim Kardashian made it clear that she is in full support of the idea that the Apollo moon landings never actually happened. So, why does this particular conspiracy theory persist while others fade away? Joining Seán to discuss is Howard Berry, Reader in Film Heritage Practice at the University of Hertfordshire…

AI has been discussed a lot, with questions about how the technology is changing things and affecting relationships, but the impact of AI on intimate and romantic relationships is especially profound… Now, research has been done with young boys, between the ages of 11 and 15, in the UK, showing that over a third would consider an AI girlfriend... Lee Chambers, the Founder and Chief Executive of Ma...