Moncrieff

People with mental illnesses are more likely to be in prison, and for vulnerable adults, spending time in jail does not help them and costs the taxpayer a lot of money and resources… Writing in today’s Irish Examiner, Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, looks at some of the potential solutions to dealing with mental health in prisons, and dispelling myths. He joins Se...

Long before ‘Ryan’s Daughter’ or even ‘The Quiet Man’, the American movie industry came to Ireland to make a film. ‘Sweet Inniscarra’ was the first talkie filmed on location here in 1931. In the interim, the original reels have gone missing and now one man is spearheading efforts to find a copy. Tom Hurley is the Radio Producer and documentary maker leading the charge. He joins Seán to discuss.

A new study in Austria shows that cockatoos are among the only known animals to flavour their food. Joining Seán to discuss is Dr. Alice Auersperg, Cognitive Biologist and Professor at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna…

Do you feel the pressure to get up at 5am and be productive? The people who get up early in the morning have for many years been hailed as the successful ones, the ‘do-ers’ who work hard and get things done. But, is busyness really worth it, and are we all just sleep-deprived? Author Emily M Austen is fighting back against this... forget the 5am club, she says, it’s all about the 8am club! She joi...

Last week, Roscommon-Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice called for a tree-free corridor of 35m from transmission lines in forests and 30m on roads. But with Ireland already lagging far behind the European average for forest cover, do we really want to start cutting down more trees. Eoghan Daltun is a Farmer, Rewilder and Author of award-winning bestseller 'An Irish Atlantic Rainforest'. He joins Seán t...

Retiring early is a dream for many - but to do so requires a lot of sacrifices. Michael Houghton decided to make those drastic changes, and is now looking at retirement in his 40's. To discuss, Seán is joined by Michael, Host of the ‘Irish FIRE’ (Financial Independence, Retire Early) podcast…

A chance encounter with a famous novel that was missing a letter has led to a sizable auction sale… Joining Seán to discuss is Daniel Pearce from NLB Auctions in Devon.

What would you do if you couldn’t remember your partner or how you fell in love? Canadian Nesh Pillay and her other half, JJ, have been dubbed the real life ‘50 First Dates’ story after Nesh lost her memory in October 2022. What followed was years of recovery, and life turned out to be much more complicated than a romantic comedy... Nesh Pillay, subject of the Amazon Prime documentary ‘50,000 Firs...

With the way technology is now, have we lost the art of diary keeping? Do you still write in one? Bridget Jones is one character whose dedication to her diary sparked inspiration for author Edel Coffey. She joins Seán to discuss! Image: Universal

Later today, Ireland might have its first ever three Michelin Star restaurant, with Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen rumoured to be in line for the accolade - 51 years after the country got its first ever star. That was awarded to the Arbutus Lodge Hotel in 1974. Declan Ryan is the former owner of the Arbutus Lodge Hotel, and he joins Seán to discuss. Image: Savills Ireland

Seán’s guest is a hotel reviewer and stayed overnight in 40 hotels across Ireland’s capital last year. She is writing about her conclusions in tomorrow’s Weekend Magazine in the Irish Independent. Nicola Brady joins to discuss.

More than 150 people are auditioning to work at Disneyland Paris in Dublin today. Singers, dancers, and all-round performers are competing in the hope of landing a gig at the famous theme park. Our reporter, Josh Crosbie has been down at the auditions today finding out what it takes to be selected.

If you are a dog owner, you may be used to your pet sneaking into your bed… But, what if you reversed things and slept in the dog bed instead? There is a 6ft human dog for sale in Lidl at the moment and Guardian contributor Tim Dowling has been testing it. Tim joins Seán to discuss. Image: Lidl

Just over ten years ago, an Australian called Belle Gibson developed a wellness empire, largely built on the idea that she had managed to cure her own brain cancer through ditching traditional medicine and following a more natural path. Investigative Journalist Beau Donelly played a crucial role in dismantling this lie and his book, entitled ‘The Woman Who Fooled the World’, has now been turned in...

An artist has come up with a unique concept to draw attention to environmental concerns in Wexford, with a plan to install an actual life-sized house in the sea. Joining Seán to discuss is artist and freediver, Nina McGowan…

Are you constantly being bombarded by notifications and is your phone lighting up every few minutes with messages? Author and Journalist Sophie White took drastic steps to try and curb her addiction to being constantly contactable. She joins Seán to discuss.

If you have been on social media lately you may have seen people snapping an odd chocolate bar in half with a green goo oozing out of it. This is Dubai Chocolate: a pistachio and tahini-infused bar that has taken the internet by storm in recent months. A sweetery in Mullingar has started producing and selling the bar, and the demand for the chocolate is through the roof! Denise Buckey, owner of Su...

Tarot card reading was once a pastime of Renaissance Italy aristocrats. But now,  Gen Z are seeking guidance with social media driving an increase to its popularity. To discuss, Seán is joined by Amanda Healy, who is a Tarot card reader based in George’s Street Arcade Dublin.

Hoarding is a disorder classified as difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions, and it was made famous by various reality shows covering it over the years. With hoarding being a major health and safety risk, local authorities are keen to address it. Gloucester City Council and other councils in the UK are taking a new psychological approach in dealing with hoarding, one which is having...

Could 3D Printing be the solution to our housing crisis? Tonight, three families in Dundalk will be sleeping in their new homes which have been made with pioneering 3D printing technology. For more on this, Seán is joined by Justin Kinsella, who is the Managing Director of HTL Tech…

You may have childhood memories of picking up sticks, maybe because they looked strange, or because they doubled as a sword! Well, a page on Instagram that spotlights all kinds of sticks has exploded in popularity in recent years. Account @officialstickreviews has close to 3 million followers, and its co-founder, Boone Hogg, joins Seán to discuss.

With the Taoiseach announcing that Ireland will adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, what does this mean, and will it cause problems? Joining Seán to discuss is Dr Barry Cannon, Associate Professor of Sociology at Maynooth University, who has been expressing a view on this in the Irish Times today…

With the news that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is making a return to our screens, we’ve been taking a deep dive into the archive to re-examine a famous episode of the series which featured the Irish language… Joining Seán to discuss is Film Critic and fan, Brian Lloyd.

Are we washing our clothes too much? Well, according to the French, it's time to step away from the washing machine and let our smelly clothes breathe... Advice from the French government’s Ecological Transition Agency has sparked a debate about whether we’re wasting far too much electricity and water doing the washing. Author Laura De Barra joins Seán to discuss.

You may have a parent, or elderly loved one whose driving may have become problematic… But, why do some elderly find it so hard when it comes to giving up driving? And, when is the right time for them to quit? Mary Kenny, Journalist for the Irish Independent, joins Seán to discuss.