Moncrieff

With the Christmas period coming to an end, many people around the country will be starting to take their Christmas tree down. But when is the right date to do so, and what do you do with it afterwards? Henry McKean has been looking into this and he joined Tom Dunne to discuss...

A rare celestial event will take place later tonight. But what is it and how can people look out for it? Dave Moore from Astronomy Ireland joined Tom Dunne on the show to explain...

It is often said that bad times make great art - Dublin based artist, Nathan Wheeler certainly believes that to be true and has been using his creative skills to expose the sheer scale of the housing crisis. The hobbyist turned activist is highlighting the issue by creating detailed models of the derelict buildings in every town and village in the country and he joined Tom Dunne on the show to dis...

An Irish man is in position to become the 2nd ever Irish person to win the long running channel 4 quiz show Countdown. Octochamp Edward Byrne has won today’s semi final and is now in the final which is on our TV screens tomorrow, Friday 23rd December. Edward joined Sean on the show today to chat... Image: Channel 4

Many people will be making their way home for Christmas over the next 48 hours or so, whether that be a short car journey or a flight around the world. But for families in Ukraine, having the family home for Christmas this year takes on a whole new meaning, and for Lesia Vasylenko, she picked up some very special passengers from the train yesterday. Lesia is a human rights lawyer as well as an MP,...

When you’re seriously ill and in need of rehabilitation, one form of therapy you might not think of is music therapy. Music has been proven to be a motivator towards meeting your health goals and can bring both physical support and emotional support along your health journey. Alison Sweeney, music therapist in Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street joined Sean to discuss…

Henry McKean met people randomly at Heuston Station in Dublin and asked where are you going?

The BBC Food website is a go-to for many households, especially in preparation for Christmas dinner. And it turns out the prawn cocktail with Marie Rose sauce seems to be back in vogue as the website releases their most popular recipes for the big day. Is it the ultimate kitsch dish? And why would a staple of the 70s and 80s be making a comeback? Edward Hayden, TV chef and culinary lecturer from S...

In the town of Gavle in Sweden, every year the city builds a giant straw goat. But dark forces have led the goat to be burned down on a total of 38 times out of the past 54 years. Will it survive this year? Sean was joined by Anna-Karin Niemann, Spokesperson for the Gavle Christmas Goat...

For this weeks 'How To' slot we’re looking at how to donate an organ. Sean was joined in studio by Dr. Catherine Motherway, Clinical Lead on Organ Donation with University Hospital Limerick and Organ Donation Transplant Ireland to discuss...

Brendan Cummins, who is one of Ireland’s most violent prisoners is suing the State after being placed in solitary confinement for the last 3 and a half years. His lawyers are arguing that being locked up for 23 hours a day is making him more aggressive due to the solitary placement in what is known as the National Violence Reduction Unit. To explain this case, Sean was joined by Conor Gallagher, T...

There have been reports that the morality police in Iran is to be disbanded. The Attorney General said it at a press conference, but it turns out he doesn’t have the power to do so. Since then, Iranian officials have only affirmed the regime’s commitment to modesty rules, even announcing new enforcement methods and punishments. The morality police was established in 2005 with the task of arresting...

This Christmas sees the return of the Nativity play to schools all around the country. Newstalk reporter Henry McKean visited Holy Child National School, Larkhill, Whitehall to see their Nativity play...

Welsh-Australian Artist, Lee Hadwin had no training, and no inclination in his waking life to be an artist, however, he draws and sketches portraits, figures and landscapes in his sleep. Lee is the only person known to be alive that can only produce art whilst asleep and not whilst in a conscious state awake, and he joined Sean on the show to discuss... Image: leehadwin.com

What is it about Christmas music that we enjoy so much? It’s the same songs we hear year on year, so what is their enduring power? Peter Vuust, Professor in Neuroscience at the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University and Director of the Center for Music in the Brain joined Sean to discuss…

Swinging paintcans, electrified sinks, a drop from a zipwire are all hazards that the baddies ‘’The Wet Bandits’’ are subjected to in the movie Home Alone. When comedians James Acaster and Guz Khan decided to make a TV show recreating the scenes from the Christmas classic they knew they needed to call one person, Engineer, Dr Zoe Laughlin. Zoe joined Sean on the show to discuss the science behind...

The myths and preconceptions that surround stammering can often affect how people who stammer view themselves. Society’s obsession with fluency has reinforced a stigma that is difficult to shake off. Happily, the shame that is often associated with stammering is now being replaced by what’s called stammering pride. Sean was joined by Nora Trench Bowles, Vice Chair of The Irish Stammering Associati...

The remains of Private Seán Rooney, who was killed in an ambush while serving on a United Nations (UN) mission in Lebanon on Wednesday night, have returned home to Ireland this morning. Three separate investigations are being conducted into the incident by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, Lebanese authorities led by a military prosecutor, and the Irish Defence Forces. Sean was joined b...

James Dempsey joined Sean for the weekly TV review slot, TV on the Radio...

With only 9 more sleeps until Christmas, Santa and his reindeers are readying themselves for their annual world wide trip. Scientists have now worked out how Santa and his team have been able to make their epic journey whilst also protecting the environment. Matt Grey, founder of event:decision, who was involved in carrying out this research joined Sean on the show to discuss...

At last there is a pub in Dublin that caters quite heavily to your pooch. PYE Dundrum has newly opened and encourages your doggy companion to join you for a doggy beer. Ronan Flood, co-owner of PYE Dundrum joined Sean on the show... Image: PYE Dundrum

Jen Hogan journalist with The Irish Times joined Sean on the show today to recap the stories making the headlines this past week...

Kim McCafferty has travelled all over the world as a street theatre artist, perhaps most notably with her work for Clowns Without Borders, an extraordinary group of people who bring laughter to the most marginalised communities in the most challenging circumstances. Closer to home, she is also the founder of Cavan Arts Festival. Kim joined Tom Dunne on the show today…

Have you ever turned to artists like Cold Play or Adele to find some comfort in times of despair? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone as various studies including research carried out in Durham University have found that melancholy music actually helps to lift our spirits. Tom Dunne was joined by Tuomas Eerola, Professor in Music Cognition in Durham University to discuss...

Underwear. A vital component in how we dress. One leg goes in, then the other, and we hoist them up to our hips. But for one person, they have taken this process one step further. Trinity Graduate, Rachael Schmitt has broken the Guinness World Record for most underpants pulled up in thirty seconds. Rachel joined Tom Dunne in studio, alongside Henry McKean who is attempting to break her record...