Moncrieff

A Palestinian filmmaker and former martial artist now living in Ireland has been sharing her story as her new movie hits streaming platforms this week. Lexi Alexander was born and raised in 1970s Germany to a Palestinian father and German mother. Her passion for martial arts brought her to all corners of the world, including the US, where renowned actor Chuck Norris encouraged her to become a stun...

Condensation season has arrived… hurray? As the weather turns colder, you will find water vapor building on the insides of your windows, especially in the bathroom. So, what can be done to offset all this? Joining Seán to discuss is Denise O’Donoghue, Life Hack Columnist with the Irish Examiner, who has been investigating...

A visiting lecturer at UCD has been speaking about the pivotal role Ireland played in helping him process his survivor’s guilt after fleeing war-torn Kosovo when he was just eight years old. Professor Islam Borinca’s life changed forever when his father and brother were murdered during the war between Kosovo and Serbia in 1998… In a recent feature for The Journal, he speaks movingly about witnessi...

Be honest, how many hours are you spending scrolling, tapping and watching social media? Are you permanently attached to your phone, or have you decided to buck the trend and give up altogether? Technology Editor with the Irish Independent Adrian Weckler joins Seán to discuss whether we have actually reached peak social media…

From Stephen King to George Saunders ,there is no shortage of authors willing to put their insights on how the greats write and how you can do it better But, how does advising children on the topic of creative writing differ from dealing with more mature aspiring writers? Patricia Forde is Laureate na nÓg and author of ‘Making It Up As You Go Along: A Children’s Guide to Writing Stories’. She join...

Last year, Revenue seized 112 million illicit cigarettes in Ireland. The black market trade in tobacco products is big business. So, how do tobacco companies go about clamping down on all this. Conor Pope, Consumer Affairs Correspondent for the Irish Times, joined a sting operation to find out, and joins Seán to discuss.

Last year, over 14,000 Irish people visited Lapland. Over the past 30 years, tourism to the northern Finnish territory has exploded. Now, a new investigation has examined the ecological consequences of this… Joining Seán to discuss is Lotta Narhi, an Investigative Environmental Journalist based in Finland.

It’s a disease which many of us thought had been fairly much eradicated, but cases of TB are at their highest level since 2018, and could hit 300 by the end of this year… Professor Anne Marie McLaughlin is from the St. James’ National TB Centre, and joins Seán to discuss. Image: CDC

Seán’s guest decided, on a whim, to visit Ireland last month for the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival after hearing a reference to it on the hit TV show ‘Schitt’s Creek’. What happened next is the stuff of an American Rom-Com! Colorado native Mary Timby joins Seán to discuss… Image: Galway Tourism

Author of ‘Riders’ and ‘Rivals’, Jilly Cooper, has passed away. Perhaps best known for her bingeable bonkbusters, she brought joy to millions of readers, particularly in the UK and Ireland. Joining Seán to reflect on her work and life is Sheila O’Flanagan, author of the bestselling recent novel ‘The Honeymoon Affair’...

Can ‘swag gap’ relationships truly last? This new ‘gap’ that’s been circling on social media refers to when one partner is much cooler than the other – in fashion, in lingo, in friends, and in hobbies. Users have taken to TikTok to share how their style clashed with that of their partner, and how relationships with such differences are inevitably destined to end. But, is that really the case? Join...

Would you let your 2 year old cook? Well, Jamie Oliver thinks you should! So much so, he is bringing out a new series of cookbooks aimed at toddlers and their parents. Someone with a wealth of knowledge in this area is Chef and Author, Gina Daly. She joins Seán to discuss.

It was this very week a quarter of a century ago when Gilmore Girls premiered. It’s also ‘Gilmore Girls Season’, when every autumn devoted fans rewatch the series. But, what is it about the formula of this programme that attracts legions of repeat viewers? Joining Seán to discuss is Dr. Jess Shine, from the Media Communications Department of MTU in Cork…

From Putin’s alsatian to an alligator in the White House, pets have played a surprising role in politics. Joining Seán to discuss is Peter Cardwell, Journalist and author of ‘Political Animals: The secret life of the political pets of Westminster and Washington’...

This Saturday will see the annual World Porridge Making Championships take place in Scotland. Mayo’s Rebecca Holohan will be representing Ireland, and she joins Seán to discuss!

‘Change is possible’ - that’s the message of Doctor and Neuroscientist Brian Pennie, who is about to deliver his first talk at Maynooth University since his studies there. The university is celebrating 25 years of its Psychology Department, and is hosting a number of free events to mark the occasion, which are open to the public. The event is taking place on October 8th, and coincides with the day...

Are we ruder in traffic than before? Have we lost our manners? Have we lost all courtesy and decency, and have we stopped saying thank you to the bus driver? Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been investigating, and joins Seán to discuss.

We saw overnight the detention, by Israeli forces, of activists on the Sumud Flotilla headed for Gaza, including a number of Irish citizens... It comes as we await further news of any type of progress following a proposed peace deal proposed by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. All the while the people of Gaza remain under constant bombardment having been displaced from the place they call home...

The Simpsons is the longest-running sitcom in US history, but is the world’s favourite yellow family still relevant? US-based Journalist and Simpsons enthusiast, Alan Siegel, says the show didn’t just reflect America, it reshaped it forever. With the 37th season out this week and a new movie in the works, he says the Simpsons are still going strong. He joins Seán to discuss his new book ‘Stupid TV...

Are we obsessed with drinking water? Hydration has been at the centre of social media trends and even has its own hashtag on TikTok: #WaterTok. Buzzy new viral products like gigantic 5L bottles or the Stanley Cup have fuelled this ‘water mania’ – but is there such a thing as drinking too much water? Joining Seán to discuss is Dietitian Aoife Quinn…

As the cold evenings close in, now is the ideal time to set up a bird table in the garden, or even attached to a window if you live in an apartment. But, how do you do it, and are there certain foods that will attract specific species? Joining Seán to discuss is Niall Hatch, Head of Birdwatch Ireland…

There’s one thing that unites Irish people everywhere: we love to give out about the state of the place… but, heaven help anyone else who dares do the same. Today, we’re exploring the tug-of-war that happens among emigrants: those who left Ireland with a dream in their suitcase, and came back with stories and maybe just a bit of snobbery. Irish Times contributor Céire Sadlier has written about jus...

Imagine uprooting your life, spending thousands of euros, jumping through every hoop - only to land in a country with no job waiting for you. That’s the nightmare facing migrant nurses arriving in Ireland, scammed by recruitment agencies promising work that simply doesn’t exist. Seán is joined by Varghese Joy from Migrant Nurses Ireland, who wants to expose how suspected visa fraud is leaving skil...

The U.S. Federal Government has ground to a halt in what’s known as a ‘shutdown’. But, what exactly does that mean, and why does it keep happening? To help make sense of it all, Seán is joined by Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute in UCD.

Wallpaper is back in, and it’s louder, bolder and more vibrant than ever. Wallpaper is all the rage for 2026, and have been hailed by interior designers across the country for the personality and warmth they can add to a room. With peel-and-stick options, even renters can join the design revolution. Joining Seán to discuss is Interior Designer, James McNamara…