Moncrieff

What happened in the Great Liberties Whiskey Fire of 1875 and what mysteries surround it one hundred and fifty years later? Historian Donal Fallon joins Seán to discuss.

Russia’s secretive Cosmos 2553 satellite, which has seemingly been spinning out of control lately, has raised alarming questions about the potential use of weapons in space. Joining Seán to discuss is Leo Enright, Space Commentator and former Chairman of the Irish Government's Science Awareness programme…

Randal Plunkett took on an ambitious project of rewilding his family estate, Dunsany, embarking on a large-scale rewilding project aiming to improve biodiversity on the grounds. With hundreds and hundreds of acres of land to manage, in the last decade the family have made major strides to bring back native wildlife and animals in Co Meath... Randal joins Seán to discuss.

Can you really use digestive biscuits to make a portrait? Mosaic Artist Ed Chapman has successfully created biscuit versions of Judi Dench and David Bowie as part of his new work... He joins Seán to discuss. Image: @edchapmanmosaic on Instagram

Are you a ‘JOMO’ or ‘FOMO’ person? According to the experts, the Joy of missing out can protect your mental health in a fear-of-missing-out world. It can help reclaim peace in a hyperconnected and never ending 24/7 cycle. Henry McKean joins Seán to discuss, and share what he’s heard from the public.

Seán’s guest had decided with her husband to have only one child, but a chance encounter with a newborn brought pangs of yearning. Joining to discuss is Tanya Sweeney, Columnist with the Irish Independent…

This month marks the 20th anniversary of one of the funniest shows on Irish television, ‘Naked Camera’. Seán is joined by its star, PJ Gallagher, Co-Presenter of Morning Glory with PJ and Jim on Radio Nova, to discuss.

Seán is joined in The Sugar Club by drag artist and gay activist Rory O’Neill, AKA Panti Bliss. Rory can currently be seen in cinemas nationwide in The Four Mothers,and Panti is facing a roast in The Abbey Theatre to celebrate ten years of marriage equality.

There are many many people who have made whole careers out of content they put on YouTube; the likes of Mr. Beast can have hundreds of millions of views on just one video. But, this isn’t at all representative of the bulk of content on the platform. The average YouTube video has only been viewed 41 times. So, what happens when you circumvent the algorithm and delve into the depths of YouTube? Ryan...

As the Great Gatsby turns 100 this month, how relevant are its themes to the America of today? Seán speaks to Keith Duggan, Washington Correspondent for The Irish Times

Can you remember where you were when you first heard it? This week marks thirty five years of Sinead O’Connor’s iconic hit ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ reaching number 1 in the US Billboard charts and changing the course of her career (and her life).... So why does the song remain one of the most recognisable love songs ever? And what does it say about the legacy left behind by Sinead O’Connor...

Irish artists Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone were lifelong friends who are credited with bringing modern art to Ireland.  An exhibition which explores their lives and works is currently on show at the National Gallery of Ireland and is the first joint exhibition of their work since 1924. Niamh McNally is co-curator of The Art Of Friendship spoke to Seán.

Does it all really go down hill after 50? Author Kathy Lette decided to bare her soul and wrote about the experience of finding her first grey hair... down there and today she spoke to Seán about it

In the 1960's, an Austrian man came to live in Ireland - tried to become a Butcher and later became a Travelling Salesman. The catch? He was a Soviet Spy the entire time! To discuss, Seán is joined by Shaun Walker, International Correspondent for The Guardian and author of ‘The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West’. Image: Penguin Random Hou...

You only need to look at the controversy surrounding Kneecap’s appearance at the Coachella Music Festival to recognise that free speech has been and continues to be a contentious issue. Nonetheless, in democracies we recognise the principle of free speech as a central tenet of our way of life. So, why are we seeing freedom of speech being curtailed in the likes of Germany and the US? Mary Lawlor i...

As we use our mobile phones and other devices, a phenomenon known as ‘tech neck’ can take place, causing increased wrinkles to form in this area. Seán’s guest decided to get treatment for it. Joining to discuss is Journalist Kate Demolder, who has been writing about her experience in the Irish Examiner…

What do you mean the judges haven’t seen all the Oscar nominated films? This is the revelation that has led to the introduction of a new rule by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who run the Oscars, to ensure that voters must have watched the nominated movies before voting... This comes as amendments are made to the system, and joining Seán to tell more is Film Critic, Esther McCart...

Are we truly in control of our actions, or are we bound by our predetermined genetic make-up, powerless to act against our instinctive reactions to the stimuli around us? Do we have free will, or is it just a persistent illusion? Kevin Mitchell is Associate Professor of Genetics and nNeuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and author of ‘Free Agents – How Evolution Gave Us Free Will’. He joins Seán...

You might have noticed from the officially released Vatican photographs that the Pope is lying in an open casket. But, is this still a common practice in Ireland nowadays, and if so, why? Joining Seán to discuss is David MacGowan from Foley and McGowan Funeral Home and Crematorium in Sligo and Ballina. Image: Reuters

As more and more people are finding the online search for love frustrating, the opportunity for real life connection is increasingly sought-after. Although speed dating itself is nothing new, what about speed dating events for gay women? Laura Kavanagh organises such evenings through Queen Of Hearts events, an idea born out of her gay female friends complaints about the online dating scene. She jo...

Do you feel like you’re a bit slow today? For many people, getting back into the swing of things after a few days off, particularly a long bank holiday weekend, can feel like a struggle. But, why does your brain feel like mush after time off work? Dr Tara Logan Buckley, Chartered Clinical Psychologist, joins Seán to discuss.

The Dublin Street Photography Festival kicks off next weekend on May 2nd in Charlemont Square, celebrating all things in the medium of street photography. Joining Seán to discuss is Street Photographer and one the festival’s Co-Founders, Des Byrne. Image: Dublin Street Photography Festival

A new book explores two extraordinary parallel histories, documenting the lives and crimes of a notorious Nazi, and an infamous Chilean dictator. Joining Seán to discuss is Philippe Sands, Human Rights Lawyer and Author of ‘38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia’... Image: W&N

A woman who spent years using sunbeds has taken to social media to warn others about the legacy of her addiction. Joining Seán to discuss is Kerrieann McDonnell, a Personal Trainer from Co. Clare…

Science is rediscovering the medicinal potential of things like magic mushrooms for treatments. UCC recently held a research day about this, and Oliver Davis, Professor of French at UCC and former Co-Editor of the Frontiers in Psychology series joins Tom Dunne to discuss…