Moncrieff

If you've ever been on holiday and found yourself speaking the local language with the waiter a little too well, it may be because of the few drinks you had before that… University of Bath Researcher, Inge Kersbergen, has put to the test the possibility that a little tipple makes you more efficient at speaking a new language, and she’s been awarded the Ig Nobel prize for her work! She joins Seán t...

This Saturday morning will bear witness to a once in every 15 years celestial event, the passage of Titan in front of Saturn, and will be visible from Ireland. Joining Seán to discuss this is Niall Smyth, Head of Research at Munster Technological University and Head of Blackrock Observatory in Cork…

Are young people more consumed with self doubt and a fear of causing offence than other generations? And if so, what can be done to make them more resilient? Joining Seán to discuss is Joe Humphries, Columnist with the Irish Times…

Electronic conveyancing could cut the time taken to buy a home to as little as four weeks. Secure, paperless and electronic conveyancing processes would save costs, cut red tape and reduce stress of house sales. Right now, it can take up to 6 months, sometimes even more to buy and own a house. Joining Seán to discuss is Mike Stack, a Solicitor with digital conveyancing specialists Beam.

Do you dread the hassle of travel? Well, if you’re an Irish passport holder, you may take for granted being able to travel without the panic of a visa. That is not the case if you’re from a country like India, where your passport can often lead to visa issues and airport delays... Azmia Riaz has been writing about her experiences travelling with a ‘bad’ passport and just how inconvenient it really...

A recent survey in the UK shows that over half of college students admit to only being able to cook up to 5 meals – and these include the likes of instant noodles… Should we be equipping our young people with more efficient cooking skills before they fly the nest? Joining Seán to discuss is Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School, who has written a book on this very topic!

Cover your ears, superstitious listener, because this new generation of parents will cause you to toss all the salt and make you bless yourself into oblivion.  Not only are they finding out the gender of their babies, they're naming them and throwing a pre-birthday party too! Newstalk's Sarah Madden reports on the stupidest trend to reach our shores so far.

When Mondo Duplantis broke the world pole vaulting record this week, attention turned to his unusual ‘claw shoes’... So, what are they, and how do they work? Joining Seán to discuss is Sports Journalist Cathal Dennehy, who is on the ground at the World Championships in Tokyo...

Donald Trump has announced that he will sue the New York Times for 15 billion dollars for alleged defamation. The US President now has several major active lawsuits against media outlets, but what is the reason for his war on the media, and what does it mean for free speech in America? Joining Seán to discuss is Graham Finlay, Lecturer in the School of Politics at UCD…

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield has quit the ice cream maker after almost 50 years at the company; this is over the brand's new ties with Unilever. But, they are not the only company to have had a very public breakup... Joining Seán to chat about some of the more interesting and maybe unknown side of corporate breakups is Conor Pope, Consumer Affairs Correspondent for the Irish Times...

It was almost 50 years ago when the anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko was viciously beaten to death while in custody. His story became the subject of the Richard Attenborough movie ‘Cry Freedom’. Joining Seán to discuss is Dillon Woods, whose father played a key role in bringing the truth of Biko’s murder to light.

A new medical study has found that people who spend time scrolling social media while sitting on the toilet are far more likely to develop hemorrhoids… Joining Seán to untangle this is the GP Brian Higgins.

Extreme temperatures caused by global warming may have caused 16,500 deaths across Europe this summer. New research from the Grantham Institute in the UK has estimated that climate change is likely to be responsible for 68% of additional heat-related deaths. This summer was one of the hottest on record, with temperatures soaring well past 45 degrees celsius in Western Europe, including Spain and I...

A study led by Trinity College has shown improvement in physical activity and social engagement in children with mobility issues when a specially trained mobility assistance dog is introduced. Dr Heather Curtain from Trinity School of Engineering and the Gait Laboratory was the first author of this research, and joins Seán to discuss. Image: Trinity College Dublin

Robert Redford, American actor and Director, has died at the age of 89. Joining Seán to look back on his legacy is Esther McCarthy, Film Critic.

Having completed the Liffey Swim 55 years in a row, Dublin native Derek ‘Bimbo’ Wilkes has once again claimed victory for the first time since 1989. He joins Seán to discuss!

There are now more adults living at home with their parents than ever before... And as the housing crisis deepens, the latest 2022 census data showed that 1 in 5 18 to 50 year olds lived with their parents, while 6 in 10 under 25 are still at home… But for so many people who are stuck in this situation, living with family is their only hope of saving for a deposit and buying their first home. El K...

As ‘Supercar Season’ in London draws to a close, Mark Paul, London Correspondent for the Irish Times, has been prowling the streets of the UK capital’s boujiest streets to get the lowdown on whether or not these priceless imported cars are acting with impunity… He joins Seán to discuss.

As Ireland looks ahead to the next presidential election, we face an important question: what role should the President play in public life? Traditionally, the office was seen as largely ceremonial, but in recent years, Irish Presidents have taken a more outspoken role on both national and international issues. Some praise this as a fundamental approach, while others argue it risks blurring the bo...

The University of Galway has unveiled a new digital archive revealing what life was like in an internment camp in the 1970s. The journals and photo albums were given to the college by Paddy McMenamin, who spent time in Long Kesh… Archivist at the University of Galway Library, Dr Barry Houlihan has been pivotal in collating the material, and joins Seán to discuss. Image: University of Galway

Seán’s guest is a multimillion bestselling author. Her recent book ‘The Women’, based during the Vietnam War and examining the role of American women in the conflict, was a huge success, with Warner Brothers buying up the filming rights. Other listeners will know her work from the hit Netflix show ‘Firefly Lane’ starring Katherine Heigl. Author Kristin Hannah joins to discuss!

Over the past couple of months, a number of high profile corporate executives have either been fired or resigned over romances with their employees. But, what rules exist in Ireland in this area? Joining Seán to discuss is Julie Galbraith, Head of Employment at Eversheds Sutherland law firm…

Around 60,000 kids from around Ireland started school for the first time recently. We decided to follow junior infants from their first day and then recheck on them to see how they got on. Henry McKean joins Seán to share what he heard!

The Irish Government is once again being urged to prioritise the Occupied Territories Bill. This comes as a report was released today, signed by 80 humanitarian and faith-based organisations, saying that a ban on services must be included in the bill. Joining Seán to discuss this is Conor O’Neill, Head of Policy and Advocacy at Christian Aid Ireland and Spokesperson for the campaign to pass the Oc...

Ireland isn’t exactly overflowing with world champions, but we could potentially have a new one next week… Emma Quirke is the world’s 3rd best Dissectologist, and a hot prospect at next week’s World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship! She joins Seán to discuss.