Moncrieff

Notre Dame Cathedral has risen from the ashes! Five years after the devastating fire, French President Emmanuel Macron toured the beautifully restored landmark, calling it "more beautiful than ever." With €700 million in donations and the work of over 1,300 artisans, the cathedral is set to reopen on December 7th. To tell more, Seán is joined by Peter Conradi, Europe Editor of The Sunday Times. Im...

A new book suggests that the craze for tattoos in this part of the world began with the rich upper classes! Joining Seán to discuss is Matt Lodder, an art historian at the University of Essex and author of ‘Tattoos: The Untold History of a Modern Art’...

For the last year or two the international news feeds have been dominated by a number of seemingly intractable armed conflicts. The UN was founded with a view to preventing further wars, so could a restructuring of the institution end our current tragic inertia? Omar Barghouti is co-founder of the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights and a co-recipient of the 2017 Gan...

Scraping fingers down a blackboard, sticking your finger up your nose: there are many things that give people the ick. So, what’s your biggest pet peeve? Henry McKean has been out asking the public what annoys them, and joins Seán to discuss.

We all have habits, whether they be good or bad. But, what if there was a science-backed blueprint to help us not only break the bad ones but make the good ones stick? Groundbreaking research from Trinity College Dublin has just uncovered exactly that. Led by Dr. Eike Buabang, this study reveals how our brain’s automatic and goal-directed systems work together, and sometimes against us, when it co...

Among the thousands of tomes housed in the National Library of Ireland are many cookbooks, stretching back to the 1660s. The recipes inside offer a fascinating glimpse into the lives of our ancestors, particularly women. Two keepers at the NLI have been examining these books for a series of talks called ‘Cooking the Books’. Joining Seán to discuss are Joanne Carroll and Nora Thornton, Assistant Ke...

A new survey carried out by UNESCO casts a stark warning on the absence of fact checking among online influencers. But, what can be done to rectify the situation? Joining Seán to discuss is Adeline Hulin, Head of the Unit for Media and Information Literacy at UNESCO...

In recent years there have been calls to include an award for stunts in the Oscars. The idea being that Hollywood should recognise the creative input and the difficulty involved in coordinating and performing these set pieces. Those difficulties are made all the more difficult if what you’re coordinating has to be performed in front of a live audience. That is the role of a Theatre Fight Director....

There's increasing debate over Northern Ireland's flag at the Commonwealth Games, with calls for a change to better represent the region's diversity. Joining Seán to discuss this is Conal Heatley, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland.

How far have we come in the fight against HIV in Ireland? To mark World AIDS Day, a powerful new documentary, ‘Memorial – The Story of HIV/AIDS in Ireland’, will be airing this Thursday on RTÉ. This documentary takes a deep dive into the impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis on Irish society, telling the stories of those who lived through it, and the newly unveiled AIDS Memorial at Phoenix Park. To tell m...

Ten year old Krish Arora has become one of Mensa’s younger members after attaining the maximum score possible. This means that young Krish scored higher than would be expected of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking… But, does that mean that he’s smarter than two of history’s most gifted thinkers? And what exactly does a high IQ indicate? Seán is joined by Brian Marshall, Publicity Officer with Men...

What really happens to your body when you take cocaine? Dr. Chris Luke, Medical Columnist and Podcaster has seen the harrowing effects of this drug up close, and joins Seán to unpack the science, the history, and the harsh realities of cocaine.

The ‘Shamrock’ was a car built in Ireland intended for the American market, but after the tenth car was made, production ceased - making it a very rare collector’s item. Alison Healy, Journalist with the Irish Times has been writing about the strange history of the car, and joins Seán to discuss.

On Friday many of us here in Ireland will be going to the polls to exercise our democratic franchise. 2024 is a pivotal year for democracies around the world with as many as 2 Billion people world wide taking part in elections. But although these are all taking place in democracies, not all democratic systems are the same. So what is the fairest and how does ours compare? Lee Drutman is a Politica...

Are you looking for love but are having no luck finding it online? Maybe it's time to try something a little more traditional. Personal ads have been a cornerstone of connection for decades, and they are one of the most beloved sections in the Irish Farmers Journal. To discuss why farmers are still turning to these pages to find romance, Seán is joined by Ciara Leahy, Editor of the Irish Country L...

Ireland is prescribing a staggering 50% less hearing aids, per capita, than the UK. Why is this, and what can be done to help more people? Joining Seán to discuss is Brendan Lennon, Director of Advocacy for Chime…

Figures from Eurostat data show that the rate of c-sections in Irish maternity hospitals has jumped to 41% among first time mums. This is double the EU average. So, what is driving this increase? Joining guest host Stefanie Preissner to discuss is Dr Krysia Lynch, Chairperson for the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services in Ireland…

With the holiday season fast approaching, parents are looking for ways to save money, reduce waste, and find toys their kids will truly love. Enter Vicky Noble, the craftswoman behind DluluKaloo Wooden Toys, an eco-friendly Irish enterprise inspired by a similar initiative in Australia. Her solution? Renting toys before buying them! Parents can now “try before they buy,” whether it’s for big-ticke...

Rather than having ‘the big day’ be, well, one day - should a wedding be spread among multiple dates? This is called a ‘deconstructed wedding’, and it's becoming a growing trend. Guest host Stefanie Preissner is joined by Wedding Planner Tara Fey to discuss.

A new motion in Paris proposes to ban SUVs from the city - should we be doing the same? Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been out asking the public, and joins guest host Stefanie Preissner to discuss.

Ever gone on a date where the guy just keeps talking about his gym routine, and you're left wondering if he even knows how to ask a question? Well, you're not alone! Today, we’re unpacking why some men struggle with conversation, from being socially pushed to stay quiet about feelings to the pressure of being 'manly' and emotional all at once. Brendan Kelly, Psychiatrist, joins Seán to discuss.

Until now, the world’s thinnest pasta has been made in a village in Sardinia, the so-called ‘Threads of God’ pasta. But now, a crowd of scientists in London has created one that is 200 times thinner than a human hair! Joining Seán to discuss is Adam Clancy, a lecturer in Materials Chemistry at University College London... Image: Beatrice Britton / Adam Clancy

Few people have a licence of any description in their early teens, and even fewer have their whole career mapped out before reaching the age of 18. 16 year old Muireann Bagley, however, has clocked up 21 flying hours, and will be sitting her Private Pilot Licence exam as soon as she turns 17 next February… Muireann joins Seán to discuss her flying experience.

It’s that time of year again! Whether in a bustling shopping centre, a cosy office party, or you’re listening to your favourite festive playlist, one song reigns supreme: Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You.’ But, did you know this holiday juggernaut started as a humble release in 1994? Thirty years on, it’s the defining sound of Christmas, topping charts worldwide and capturing hearts...

The Spanish Armada, while often remembered as a clash between England and Spain, had its impact stretched far beyond the English Channel, leaving a lasting mark on Ireland’s shores. Michael B. Barry’s new book ‘1588, The Spanish Armada and the 24 Ships Lost on Ireland’s Shores’ explores the surprising connections between Spain and Ireland. He joins Seán to discuss. Image: Andalus Press