Moncrieff

As PBP TD Brid Smith has announced she will not seek re-election at the next contest, the debate around the age profile of our public representatives has opened up. Currently the average age of TDs is roughly 51. So why are there not more younger people getting involved? Sean was joined by Dáil Éireann’s youngest member, James O’Connor, Fianna Fail TD for Cork East... Image: Twitter via James O'Co...

A group of four rabbits were rescues from Stephens Green on Sunday, which were believed to be pets that someone released to the wild because they no longer wanted to care for them. How dangerous is it to release domesticated animals to wild environments and what happens when you do? I’m joined by Sean was joined by Gillian Bird, Head of Education and Media at the DSPCA...

The aptly named Death Valley in California is the hottest place on Earth and temperatures over the past few days have been getting dangerously close to its record, which was set this month 120 years ago. Newstalk’s Simon Tierney travelled to Death Valley in 2015 and he joined Sean to describe what it’s like inside the dust bowl of the Mojave Desert...

The All Island Strategic Railway Review is due to come before the Cabinet later this month, and it includes plans for more high speed connections between major cities and an increase in freight connections to ports. But Ireland wasn’t always so poorly connected by rail, so why did we ever close so many of our lines to begin with? Sean was joined by Jonathan Beaumont, rail historian and writer to d...

From Galway to Killarney, our streets are full of buskers, but different rules can apply under local bylaws. One of Ireland's most well-known buskers, Allie Sherlock, posted a video on Sunday saying police in France asked her to stop singing while performing. So we sent Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie around Dublin city to meet with artists, tourists and locals to hear about the rules and regulati...

The drug company Eli Lilly has developed an experimental drug to treat dementia. It has found that the drug could have a dramatic effect in slowing down the disease. However, dementia is not just one thing, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, but Lewy Body Dementia is the second most common. Kevin Quaid is an activist and author who is living with Lewy Body Dementia and he joined Sean to...

Have you ever sat in an Irish pub, looked around the walls and spotted weird ornaments, old photos, and strange objects from times gone by? These are the pieces that are unique to the Irish pub, and there’s one man who’s become something of an expert for those who want to create that traditional atmospheric feel. Ian Dowling owns Rare Irish Stuff and he joined Jarlath Regan to discuss...

Imagine going home and being asked “how was your day?” and the answer is “great, I was set on fire!” That’s a somewhat typical day in the life of a stunt performer. Niamh Hogan is one of a relatively small group of female stunt performers and she joined Jarlath Regan on the show to discuss...

Just over a quarter of a century ago, Barry Browne was camping by Lough Key in Co. Roscommon, when he saw something that would stick with him for decades. Was it a UFO, and if it was, what does that mean for our understanding of unidentified aerial phenomena? Barry Browne joined Jarlath Regan to discuss…

‘Rewilding’ is the gardening buzz word of 2023. With public spaces like the front of Trinity College growing out their lawns in favour of wild meadows, the trend for this seems to be getting bigger and bigger. However, the British TV gardening personality Alan Titchmarsh has now set off what can only be described as a horticultural grenade by declaring that rewilding can be catastrophic for biodiv...

Between 10% and 15% of the Irish population is currently living with tinnitus but groundbreaking new research in Trinity College is discovering novel ways to help sufferers. Jarlath Regan was joined by Professor Sven Vanneste, from the Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience and School of Psychology to discuss...

While we’ve been expanding paternity and parental leave in Ireland over recent years, there are still many families who struggle to manage home and work life. Grandparents are often called upon to step in when there’s a sick baby or during mid term breaks. A handful of companies are now offering grandternity leave. Caroline Reidy a HR and Employment Law expert from the HR Suite joined Jarlath Rega...

The golden retriever is currently celebrating its 155th anniversary as a breed. As it was first bred in Scotland, there are crowds of dog owners gathering in the Highlands this week to mark the event with 466 golden retrievers assembling yesterday to break the British record for the most animals of this breed in the one place. Orlagh Murray, the Secretary of the Golden Retriever Society of Ireland...

This week marks the 85th anniversary of the handover of Spike Island, in Co. Cork, from British to Irish ownership. Spike Island, one of the infamous ‘Treaty Ports’, was a particular bugbear for a generation of Irish people. Jarlath Regan was joined by John Crotty, Former CEO of Spike Island, who is now publishing a book on the island’s history...

If you are on a dating app, you’ll know that the strike rate can be hit and miss. However, a new study shows that about two thirds of people who are on Tinder are in relationships. Are they all cheating? Are they looking for something else? And what about the people who are swiping right, hoping to find their true love when the majority of potential matches aren’t even single? Jarlath Regan was jo...

While there is a long history of mudlarking in England, particularly on the River Thames, the hobby is growing in popularity in Ireland. Sean was joined by Mudlarking enthusiast Johanna Keene...

The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albenese has pledged to hold the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum within 6 months. But what is this vote all about and why is it causing controversy? Sean was joined by Jonathan Drennan, an Irish journalist based in Sydney...

When you fly in and out of Dublin Airport you are probably unaware of the efforts that go into ensuring no animals strike the engines, but there are in fact teams of people who work in this area. Dr. Sammy Ball, a Wildlife researcher with UCC, has been working on the management of the hare population at the airfield, and he joined Sean to discuss...

2021 saw a 3,000 per-cent increase in the sales of AirFryers. At one point, much to the consternation of social media chefs, TikTok-ing their every interaction with the machine, there were even fears of a national shortage. However, are they worth the money or is it all just a bit of a fad? Aisling Larkin, TV Chef and Mindful Eating Coach joined Sean to discuss...

More and more couples are considering sleeping in separate beds. Some say there are benefits for rest while others disagree. Newstalk reporter Josh Crosbie has been speaking with people who do it and experts in the area.

While there’s been a political movement around Scottish Independence, the UK’s next political debate might be whether or not they’d lose the Orkney Islands to Norway. The islands are 10 miles north of the Scottish coast, and have both historical and cultural links to Norway. The island council passed a motion to draft a report on the constitutional future of the islands. So where does the strong l...

The Hollywood sign in LA is currently marking its 100th anniversary, but it isn’t the only one in existence. There is a replica in the Wicklow countryside near the village from which the Californian neighbourhood may well get its name. Sean was joined by Tommy Tutty, from the Hollywood Community Forum...

Is it becoming trickier to find a petrol station in certain parts of Ireland? The figures suggest that there has been a significant change in the number of stations over the past 20 years, both upwards and downwards. Research we have carried out here on the show tells us that there are currently 30% less petrol stations in Ireland today than there were 25 years ago. Sean was joined by Kevin McPart...

For this weeks 'How To' slot we’re looking at how to build an extension. Sean was joined by Hugh Wallace, Architect and Judge on RTÉ's Home of the Year to discuss...

Sex Education is to be made mandatory for those in 5th and 6th year in secondary schools from 2024. Currently, a consultation process is underway about what needs to be in place for this to work effectively. Sean was joined by Eoghan Cleary, SPHE teacher in Templecarrig College in Greystones