Moncrieff

What makes us yawn? We all do it, but few of us actually know why. Even today, scientists are still puzzled by the recurring action. Wrongly attributed to breathing, the instinctive act might have more to do with our brains and neurological functions. Professor of Behavioural Biology at John Hopkins University, Andrew Gallup joins Seán to discuss the breakthrough on the contagious gesture few of u...

Today marks Armistice Day, the signing of negotiations which brought the end of World War I. It is also known as Remembrance Day, Veterans’ Day, and Poppy Day, in other parts of the world, and over the years has evolved to commemorate all those who have died in war. Joining Seán to discuss the history of Armistice Day is Historian and Archives Manager at Dublin Cemeteries Trust, Dr. Brian Casey…

Is Gen Z going ‘braless’ and what does this mean for the future of lingerie? Social media has recently been taken by storm when actress Sydney Sweeney went for a ‘braless’ red carpet look. She freed her nipples in a sheer dress that made the rounds on social media, with users blaming her for sexualising herself for the male gaze, while others hailing her for what was deemed to be a ‘feminist’ move...

You know what it’s like, when you go to a new city you can end up spending hours in queues and being stuck in crowds with the masses... Actor Richard E Grant has revealed a new approach to sightseeing ,saying that the best time to explore somewhere new is at night, around 8pm, when every other tourist is eating dinner. So, is this true? And what is there to do at night as a tourist in Ireland? Tru...

You may have been watching today’s inauguration of Catherine Connolly as Ireland’s 10th President. Seán’s guest was there in person to see this peaceful transfer of democratic power in action, and whereas that’s the norm here, it’s a process that seems to be increasingly imperilled elsewhere… Art O’Leary is Chief Executive of the Irish Electoral Commission (An Coimisiún Toghcháin), and joins to di...

Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) has digitised its records, and is making them available to the public, with many documents going back to the glory days of Irish rail in the 19th century. Joining Seán to discuss is Kevin Forkan, Group Archivist for CIÉ. Image: CIÉ

Hate speech and extremism causing women to be driven away from politics is putting our democracy in “serious danger”. It follows the resignation of Sweden’s Centre Party Leader, Anna-Karin Hatt, over what she described as an “unbearable number of threats and harassment”. The party leader said she no longer feels safe in her own home, with her predecessor leaving the role three years ago for the sa...

How much of your working day is spent in meetings? We tend to think of them as a necessary evil, but are they all really necessary? Joining Seán to discuss is Margaret E Ward, CEO of Clear Eye Leadership Consultancy.

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…