Moncrieff

It was billed as Magnus Carlsen V The World as the five-time World Chess Champion took on 143,000 people from all around the world. But, how does a game like that work, and was it as amazing an achievement as it sounds for the Norwegian Grandmaster to force the World’s players into a tie? Alexander Baburin is Ireland’s only Chess Grandmaster and joins Seán to discuss. Image: Reuters

Seán's guest lost her husband to cancer just two months ago. While undergoing treatment, he made a donation so that they could have children in the future through IVF. Now, she is trying to undergo posthumous IVF, but the health service is restricted from covering this on the free IVF scheme. She would like this to change. Joining Seán to discuss is Melanie Dineen Fleming…

What should you do if you spot a giant whale washed up ashore? And, what is the risk of an explosion? The public have been warned to stay away from a very stinky minke whale on the beach in Portstewart Co Down... Joining Seán to discuss is Padraig Whooley, Sightings Officer with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group…

Seán’s guest believes that we should replicate the success of the 2004 smoking ban to fight the climate crisis. But, how would this work? Sadhbh O'Neill, Climate and Environmental Researcher, has been writing about this in the Irish Times, and joins to discuss.

Have you ever wondered why the first night's sleep away from home is always the worst whether you’re staying at a friend's house or on holidays in the Canary Islands? Well, that’s called the ‘first night effect’, and Fiona Brennan, Sleep Expert and author of ‘The Positive Habit’ joins Seán to discuss more on that, and what we can do to avoid it.

There has been a lot of hype about the stellar cast for the upcoming series of Celebrity Traitors and there is of course Irish representation there as well.   This is just the latest chapter in the story of actor Ruth Codd’s meteoric rise to fame. She joins Seán to discuss! Image: BBC

A lot of us would be familiar with the image of Jim Morrison’s graffitied grave in Paris’s Père-Lachaise Cemetery. What you may not have been aware of is that the grave used to have a marble sculpture of The Door’s frontman’s head atop it. The bust had been missing, presumed stolen for 37 years but now unexpectedly it has shown up. Carolyn Campbell is a Photographer and Author of 'City of Immortal...

You would struggle to find anyone better travelled than Tony Wheeler. As the Co-Founder of Lonely Planet, he has been to over 170 countries, and still has more on his travel bucket list. But, having sold the company that he and his wife Maureen spent decades building up, do guidebooks still serve a purpose for the modern day traveller? And what countries would he never go back to? Tony Wheeler joi...

Back in the days before streaming, it was completely normal and expected that you would own copies of your favourite songs and albums. With the likes of Spotify that’s no longer the case. Now we merely pay for the privilege of listening to someone else’s collection. So, what happens if a song is taken down from those services? Does it simply cease to be? Dean Van Nguyen is a Music Journalist and A...

Do we like to listen to people in public? With the trend of people talking out loud on the phone - isn’t it impossible to avoid? What have you heard out and about? Newstalk’s Henry McKean joins guest host Tom Dunne to share what he’s heard.

As Communion season rolls on, many parents will be wondering how their child should manage cash gifts. The average cash a child receives cumulatively for their Communion is now €588. One person used this as an opportunity to teach his kids about investment, and it has literally paid dividends. Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss is Michael Houghton, Host of The Irish FIRE Podcast, a show about...

Seán’s guests would be well known to listeners from their podcast ‘Young Hot Guys’ and their own stand up shows. Comedians Shane Daniel Byrne and Killian Sundermann join Seán in the K Club to chat!

Seán’s guest is a man who wears many hats: he’s a doctor, a former member of the defence forces and a former Independent TD in Kildare. Joining Seán in the K Club is Cathal Berry!

This Sunday, Newstalk is airing a Futureproof documentary special on the ‘Drake Equation’ and the scientists searching for signs of life in distant worlds.  The documentary is called ‘Is There Anybody Out There?’ and will air at 12 noon on Sunday. Aidan Mc Kelvey is the Producer of the documentary, and joins Seán to discuss.

Every human has an innate sense of rhythm. It may not feel that way when you’re trying to throw some shapes to Funky Town at 1am, but we all do. But, are we the only animals with a sense of music? Professor Catherine Hobaiter is a Researcher in Evolutionary and comparative psychology at The University of St. Andrews. She joins Seán to discuss.

GamerFest takes place this weekend - and among the highlights is the launch of the new Gaelic Football 2025 video game. Gaming Content Creator Chris O’Gara, AKA The Gara Show, joins Seán to discuss. Image: GamerFest

According to the Oxford Economics Global City Index, Dublin is the 13th best city in the world, but falls to 100th when it comes to quality of life and housing. Henry McKean has been out and about to try and get the feeling on the streets of the capital, and joins Seán to discuss.

Earlier this week, the Government approved plans for Ireland’s Norman heritage to be celebrated as part of a European-wide cultural initiative called ‘2027 European year of the Normans’ to mark the group’s impact on western civilisation. But, not everyone is particularly happy with the idea of celebrating Ireland’s 12th century invaders. Aengus Ó Snodaigh is Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South Central a...

Fart walks, they’re exactly what they say on the tin... Should we all be going for a walk after we eat our dinner so that we release all the gas we’ve been building up all day? The experts say yes. Registered Dietitian and owner of Orla Walsh Nutrition, Orla Walsh, joins Seán to discuss.

Those old enough to remember Ronald Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ will be familiar with the idea of a space based missile defence system, but perhaps we thought it would remain pie in the sky… Not the case, according to Donald Trump. The US President announced yesterday that he had chosen a design for his “Golden Dome” system, and that it would be up and running before the end of his term. Is that feasible...

For the first time, a formal curriculum resource on Ireland’s mother and baby institutions, industrial and reformatory schools and Magdalene laundries has been published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Joining Seán to discuss this is Sarah Anne Buckley, Associate Professor in History at the University of Galway and one of the leads of the Tuam Oral History Project, whose res...

We all know the ones, the laneways that you would be afraid to walk down at any time of the day or night... Well, this afternoon, Dublin Councillors will be meeting to put forward a vote to close Swan Alley, which is just off Thomas Street in the Liberties, Dublin 8. The small alleyway has been earmarked due to illegal drug taking and antisocial behaviour, and follows a similar move to gate off Ha...

The Who’s drummer Zak Starkey has been fired for apparently “overplaying”, but what does this mean, and how do drummers strike a balance between musical expression and not taking over? Joining Seán to discuss is Dave Hingerty, a Professional Session Drummer and former University Lecturer in Drumming at BIMM Music Institute Dublin...

In any job, it’s likely that you’ll encounter a lazy colleague or two, so what can you do to ensure that they don’t get on your absolute nerves and drive you mad? Whether it’s someone who falls asleep at their desk or simply leaves all their work for others – we find out should you rat them out to the boss? Career Psychologist and author of ‘Total Reset’, Sinead Brady, joins Seán to discuss.

The Auschwitz Memorial has announced a multi-million euro project, in which they have created an exact digital replica of the concentration camp for use in feature films. But, how will the project work, and how are movies about Auschwitz made since the ban on filming there took effect in the late 1980s? Joining Seán to discuss is Film Critic Esther McCarthy… Image: auschwitz.org