Moncrieff

There’s a good chance that by the end of next week we will have a new Pope. There’s also a reasonable chance that the new Pope’s name will be Peter. If that happens, then there is an excellent chance that the end of days will follow shortly… That’s according to an Irish Archbishop who died almost 900 years ago… Niamh Griffin has been writing about this for the Irish Examiner, and joins Seán to dis...

A recent study, commissioned by the Policing Authority entitled Still Not Heard, Still Not Safe, reveals that people of African descent, and Brazilians, in Ireland continue to experience racial profiling and discriminatory policing and have a deep lack of trust in An Garda Siochana. The findings are of no surprise to Dr. Ebun Joseph, Special Rapporteur on Racism and Racial Equality. She joins Seán...

Do you have a nickname? And is it one that you were given, or something you embraced over the years? Nicknames can be weird, wonderful and often completely unrelated to the name you were given at birth. Ceire Sadlier has been writing about nicknames and the pet names we have for each other in the Irish Times. She joins Seán to discuss.

A new theory on the meaning of the spiral symbols at Newgrange might mean that the site is more of a “cosmic calendar” than we may have thought before. Joe Fenwick, Archeological Field Officer at the University of Galway, joins Seán to discuss.

How handy are you with power tools? Whether you’re fed up waiting to get a tradesperson out, or are trying to save money, it seems there’s a big change to people getting back into DIY – especially young women. So, what do you really need to be able to change a lightbulb, put up a curtain rail or lay new kitchen floors? Suzanne Armstrong is a DIY Educator, and she’s been sharing her advice online,...

There is something of a social stigma that we have about attending certain events or doing certain activities on our own. In particular, a gig or a concert is something that we tend to view as a communal experience. But, should we go to more gigs on our own? Emma Kehoe is an Empowerment Coach, Mindfulness Mentor and Radio Presenter and she recently went to see English musician Vraell alone. She jo...

It’s over a week since many of us would have first heard that Pope Francis had “sadly died”. And this particular phrasing may have reminded those of you who are more grammatically minded of the much slower demise of something else; the adverb. So, why have they gone out of fashion? Stephen Lucek is Assistant Professor in Linguistics at UCD. He joins Seán to discuss.

Who do you go to for advice? And what do you do when your friends are fed up with listening to you? Well, could ChatGPT prove to be a listening ear? Edeain O’Connell decided to share her dating dilemmas and use ChatGPT for relationship advice. She joins Seán to discuss.

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...