Moncrieff

LÉ Eithne the last naval ship built in Ireland has set sail on its final voyage ahead of its likely scrappage. The Vessel was the flagship of the Irish Naval Service and served 38 years on missions at home and abroad before it was decommissioned in July 2022. Joining Sean to explain the importance of LÉ Eithne, its capabilities and what it was like to serve aboard her was Mark Mellett, Chief of St...

An Irish photographer has spent time in one of the most exclusive towns in the world. A place called Orania, in South Africa, which has very strict guidelines on who can actually be a resident. But is this town an extension of apartheid? Sean was joined by photojournalist Stephen Bean to discuss...

There has been a huge spike in the ownership of Alpaca’s in Ireland recently.  You can’t eat them or milk them, they only produce one offspring a year and they cost around €1,500 a head, so why have their numbers shot up?  Sean was joined by Paul O’Brennan, Vice Chair of the Alpaca Association of Ireland...

Have you ever met someone and wondered how they got their nickname? Why do we give people nicknames and what do they say about people that our real names don't? Henry McKean went to ask people how they got their nicknames...

A number of coffee trailers around Dublin employ only ex-prisoners, trained up as baristas, as a social enterprise to help former inmates back into employment. Sean was joined by Pearse O’Reilly, Training and Social Enterprise Manager at PACE Social Enterprise...

Two weeks ago an American man set himself alight outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC, in protest of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Self-immolation has a long and disturbing history. Sean was joined by Amber French, Senior Editorial Advisor with the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict...

The University of Maryland has hit the pause button on all fraternity and sorority shenanigans, announcing a suspension of Greek Life activities. These bastions of 'brotherhood' and 'sisterhood' aren't just social hideaways; they're your golden pass to a lifelong club of exclusivity. Yet, joining these elite circles may just be a high-stakes game.  Sean was joined by Larry Donnelly, Law lectu...

South Korea has broken its own record for having the world’s lowest birth rate, with estimations that the country’s population will halve by 2100 if current trends persist. But why are Korean women so reluctant to have children? Sean was joined by Dr. Kevin Cawley, Director of the Irish Institute of Korean Studies at UCC...

Have you ever been scrolling on social media and came across a photo of someone promoting a product that looked too perfect? Well, it may have been an AI influencer! In recent years, there has been a rise in the use of AI influencers but why? Elaine Burke is host of the ‘For Tech Sake’ podcast joined Sean to discuss...

An exhibition at the Tate Modern in London features a series of instructions created by Yoko Ono back in the 1960s. The sometimes bizarre suggestions, such as “Grieve for a made up friend” offer an intriguing window into the 91 year old artist’s mind. Journalist Oobah Butler has decided to take her instructions literally and has carried them out.

At the moment only 6 per cent of bus drivers in Dublin are women. Dublin Bus has recently launched a campaign to increase that number. Newstalk's Stephanie Rohan headed to the Dublin Bus training centre in Phibsboro to try her hand at it...

Going green and being sustainable is an important consideration for most people, but one man in Cork has taken things one step further. He has built a home made of straw. Sean was joined by Liam Walsh, carpenter and builder to discuss… 

Wedding traditions such as the bride's father paying for the wedding and wearing a veil are apparently dying traditions among younger generations. Sean was joined by Henry McKean who has been looking into this...

A councillor in Wexford is calling for horse riders to ensure they clean up their animals’ poo due to fouling occurring on Curracloe beach. So, how should this problem be addressed? One solution has enjoyed success in Killarney over the past number of years. Sean was joined by Niall Kelleher, Fianna Fail Councillor in Kerry...

When human remains were discovered in a bog in Derry last month, it wasn’t immediately clear if the body was contemporary or ancient. This has now led to calls for a code of best practice so that police and archeologists can work together in such situations. Sean was joined by Rosie Everett, a lecturer in Environmental Sciences in UCC...

While it promised a world of wonder, the Willy Wonka event in Glasgow descended into farce over the weekend. Now, parents of disappointed kids are fighting back. Sean was joined by Libby Brooks, Scotland Correspondent for the Guardian... Image: Facebook via Stuart Sinclair

Gen Alpha, the first generation who can swipe left and right on a tablet before they've learned to turn the pages of a picture book. Destined to claim the title of the largest generation globally, they raise questions: Who are these tech-savvy trailblazers? What whims and fancies guide them? And what twists await our future as they strut into the working world?  Sean was joined by Dr Melissa...

A review into laws around sex work will Ireland has been delayed once again.  It’s after the industry was decriminalised in 2017, leading to some uncertainty for those who work in the industry.  Linda Kavanagh is from the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland and joined Sean to discuss...

One of the world’s major dictionaries has decided, after hundreds of years of debate, that it is now ok to end sentences with a preposition. Sean was joined by Dr. Stephen Lucek, Assistant Professor in Linguistics at UCD... 

The local priest of a church in Calabria is under police protection after his chalice was spiked with bleach, allegedly by a local mafia organisation. Philip Willan, freelance journalist based in Rome, who is covering the story from The Times, joined Sean to discuss...

The Deposit Return Scheme is causing problems for small businesses; A small craft beer company would have to pay €70,000 a year to put the Re-turn labels on their products and due to this may have to let staff members go. Dean McGuiness, owner of Premier International Beers joined Sean to discuss...

What actually is Wagyu? You could find yourself spending £900 for a wagyu steak in a particular restaurant in Mayfair but you can also buy so-called wagyu burgers for very cheap in Aldi. To discuss, Sean was joined by Rick Higgins, Butcher and Co-author of ‘And for Mains’...

A man on Tiktok reviewed the Aer Lingus 10 euro breakfast on his 6am flight to Hamburg. He liked it in the end. But how has airline food changed in recent years? And how do you get an upgrade into business and first class without paying? Henry McKean who loves airplane food joined Sean to discuss...

Carmen Bellot, Style Editor at British Esquire joined Sean on the show to discuss how Bob Marley popularised the tracksuit...

The other day we covered Rebecca Syndrome, where a partner becomes obsessed with your past relationships. Henry McKean met a lady who had a different story, about her friend who was caught up in cohesive control. Henry McKean wanted to find out more. He met Jody Duggan whose ex-partner Jake Boles went to jail for coercive control and assault...