Moncrieff

As winter approaches, with its gloomy days and longer nights, it's no wonder we can feel a little down.  But experts may have finally found an answer to the 'winter blues' – and it involves having a word with the season itself.  Sean was joined by Professor Hayden Lorimer, Co-investigator on the Living with SAD project – which was a co-study between University of Glasgow and Edinburgh...

A TikTok trend of taping your mouth shut at bedtime to enforce nasal breathing is gaining traction in Ireland, but experts say evidence of the benefits is lacking.  Videos of the practice, favoured by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Bradbury and Erling Haaland, have gained more than 38.5 million views on TikTok. It involves placing a strip of skin-friendly tape over or around the...

When Napoleon died on the island of St. Helena in 1821, something very intimate was removed from his person and has become the stuff of legend ever since. Sean was joined by Historian and broadcaster Ashley Cowie from HistoryFuzz.com... 

One of the main differences between married and unmarried couples continues to be the perceived notion that the tax system favours those who have tied the knot. But to what extent is this true? Some people are calling for change in this area. Sean was joined by Norma Moriarty, Fianna Fail TD for Kerry...

A former senior zookeeper at London Zoo has been collecting animal poo for over 20 years. Now, her extraordinary collection is on exhibition. Tracey Lee, ex-zookeeper and artist joined Sean to discuss... Image: The Origin of the Faeces: Poo from the Zoo

Over half of the 148 regulated bathing waters across Ireland had restrictions during this year’s bathing season.  That’s according to a detailed report carried out by Noteworthy, the investigative platform from The Journal.  They also found that the number of days on which Ireland’s official swimming spots have been restricted has almost tripled in the past decade.  Alice Chambers i...

We used to say that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, but increasingly parenting has become a less community-based process. A new network tries to revive some of these old principals, and saves on babysitting costs too. Sean was joined by Sue Redmond, Co-Founder of Care Shared...

Major websites such as Amazon and and Tripadvisor have recently announced plans to clamp down on fake reviews on their sites. But how big actually is the issue of these fake reviews, and how do we know not to fall for them? Sean was joined by Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor with the Irish Independent.  

Having a nap, sharing a cuddle and watching TV were the situations owners preferred to spend with their pet over their partner – while 31 per cent said they’d even rather share their duvet and bed with their cat. Henry McKean joined Sean to discuss...

They say politics is a game, but an artist from Portrush has designed a set of trading cards, based on what he might call “typical” Catholics and Protestants.   Fergus Boylan has been drawing sketches about Northern Ireland for papers and websites, but his latest venture’s success has come of something as a surprise.   From the Protestant café owner to the Catholic goth, charac...

It’s becoming more and more common to hear about someone you know gettinga  flight to Turkey for a medical or cosmetic procedure, so much so that it seems almost a normal, everyday thing to do now. But, there’s obviously still a lot of thought put into these things before the person takes the plunge, and the experience can be far from ordinary for many. Sean was joined by Rudi Zygadlo, a musi...

What time do you have your dinner? And what does dinner consist of to you? Depending on which part of the country you live in, your answers to those two questions could be very different. For many, dinner is in the middle of the day to give you the energy to keep working, while for others, it’s only acceptable in the evening when all the work is done. Sean was joined by Edward Hayden, the chef, br...

The devastation caused by an explosion at a hospital in Gaza has been met with widespread condemnation.   However it is still unclear who is responsible for it – both sides are laying the blame at the other’s feet.   EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “All facts need to be established, and those responsible must be held accountable.” But is that even possible?&nb...

More and more international modeling agencies are recruiting from one of the largest refugee camps in the world, located in Kenya. But what is the fate of these models? Sean was joined by Journalist Lisa Brinkworth who has been investigating this for the Sunday Times...

Nowadays, we always hear about old buildings or infrastructure being refurbished or replaced to become more modern and look for suitable for a 21st century society. Well, in the case of the Wicklow Harbour lighthouse, the local council are doing the opposite, by restoring the original dome from 1884, and removing the newer roof. Joanne O’Dowd, Senior Executive Engineer with Wicklow County Council...

Meta will soon feature deepfake versions of celebrities, except in this instance it's legal. The company has reportedly spent millions on the rights to use the images and the voices of the likes of Kendall Jenner, Paris Hilton and Snoop Dogg as chatbots, For more on this Sean was joined by Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly to discuss...

How often have you been stung by friends to pay you back for something? Maybe you are always the one who goes missing when it’s your round. Today is National Pay Back a Friend day in the US. Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie, has been hearing from disgruntled friends about the debts they are owed.

The island’s first ever medical cannabis production facility is currently being built in Belfast. Sean was joinedby Peter Reynolds, director of communications for Growth Industries...

Vaping products should only be available on prescription.   That’s the suggestion from Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne, but could this send previous speakers back to cigarettes?   Sean was joined by Senator Malcolm Byrne on today's show to discuss...

New research shows that a measly 2% of family photos ever make it onto the wall of people’s homes, with most of these memories existing purely on digital devices. But how does this huge reduction in the developing of photographs affect kids’ sense of self? Sean was joined by Kate Demolder, a freelance journalist, who has been investigating this for the Irish Independent...

Today marks 100 years since Walt Disney founded Disney. In every film since 2006 the film studio pays tribute to a small village in Lincolshire and the crest can be seen on every Disney castle. Norton Disney is a small village with a population of 242, but it’s impact is much bigger than you may think. Richard Parker, secretary of the Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group joined Sean to disc...

Inspired by the global groundswell of outrage over the murder of George Floyd back in 2020, a group of Irish people came together to throw a spotlight on the untold stories of black people in Ireland. The organisation has grown over the past few years and has now produced a book entitled Black & Irish: Legends, Trailblazers and Everyday Heroes. Sean was joined by Briana Fitzsimons, Co-author o...

A clown dressed up as Pennywise from the Stephen King book and movie IT has reportedly been stalking the streets of a Scottish village.  He has even issued a message to the media and dared the police to catch them in Skelmorlie.  Jenness Mitchell, Scottish Reporter with Sky News joined Sean to discuss...

Turkey, the world’s largest producer of hazelnuts, had a bad harvest this year, there are now fears of an impending shortage of Ferrero Rocher. Silvana Franco, Food writer and TV chef, has decided to go and recreate the delectable treat at home...

Bryan Campbell and his movie monsters creations bring a slice of Hollywood to Ireland. Bryan, who grew up with a love of the Predator movies made the switch to movie magic after recovering from an injury in 2009. Since then Bryan and his business partner set up Arachnid FX and their work can be spotted in major films and tv shows.  Bryan Campbell, co-owner of Arachnid FX joined Sean on the sh...