Moncrieff

Imagine taking a 45-minute hike up a mountain to then go inside the mountain, and travel 1,385 feet down below the surface to your hotel. A new experience called Deep Sleep has launched inside the Snowdonia Mountain in Wales, and their Operations Manager Mike Morris joined Sean to discuss... Image: Deep Sleep

ChatGPT has blown up across the world with billions of searches since it launched last year. But now, a menacing alter ego within the AI chat bot has been uncovered. DAN, which stands for Do Anything Now, allows users to pass all ethical limitations of the chat bot, and has even provided advice on how to break into Aras an Uachtaráin, the Dáil and how to run a smear campaign against TDs. Elaine Bu...

A consultative forum on Ireland's international security policy is to be held this week. Part of that discussion will look at Irelands neutrality. Ireland, Austria and Malta are the only neutral counties in Europe – what is it like being neutral in Malta, and are they considering their own neutrality? Sean was joined by Neville Borg, Fact Checker at the Times of Malta...

Pickle enthusiasts will be delighted to know that a pickle eating competition is coming to Dublin this month, as part of Stoneybatter Festival. The interesting thing about this eating contest, is that the Golden Pickle isn’t awarded to the person that consumes the most, but rather how well you can handle the increasing sour intensity. Dearbhla Reynolds, fermentation expert and author of 'The Cultu...

In the Netherlands a paralysed man has learned to walk again, thanks to AI bridging the gap between the brain and the spine. One of the system engineers for that allowed Gert-Jan Oskam to walk again was Irish man, Cathal Harte. Cathal is the lead software and system engineer at NeuroScience and joined Sean on the show to discuss...

Would you go to a museum that talked about death? Waterford is opening the Irish Wake Museum today in a former hospice. It looks at how death was celebrated in communities, and how attitudes have changed in centuries past. Eamonn McEneaney, Director of the Waterford Treasurers group of museums joined Sean to discuss... Image: Twitter via @WFORD_Treasures

As Irish people we moan about the rain and the cold constantly. But, when it gets a bit warm, we suddenly can't handle it - but there are physiological reasons for this. Sean was joined by Dean Burnett, Neuroscientist, Lecturer and Author to discuss...

The European Parliament has passed the Artificial Intelligence Act, which is aimed at regulating platforms that use AI in different settings. All but four Irish MEPs voted for it, with those four abstaining, such as Clare Daly and Mick Wallace. Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune joined Sean to discuss...

During the week a video of Belgian TikTokker David Baerten went viral. He asked his family to tell people he had passed away and organise a funeral. The 45-year-old was annoyed that his friends were paying him insufficient attention. Barrister Peter Leonard joined Sean to discuss...

A woman in Offaly was struck by lightning while standing in her kitchen - luckily, she was wearing rubber shoes. Alan O’Reilly, from Carlow Weather joined Sean to discuss lightning and how it is formed...

What would you think about paying for a tour to a warzone? Maybe Afghanistan or Yemen? A tour company travels across the two regions, with journalists showing the way and giving access to places where you’d normally not expect. Photojournalist Joe Sheffer, co-founder of Safarat Tours joined Sean to discuss...

The war in Ukraine has impacted many aspects of our lives – cost of living, immigration issues, fuel price. But a more surprising victim is an unpublished novel. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ – was due to release her latest novel in February 2024, but she has requested it be pulled because of fan backlash about it being set in Soviet-era Russia. Is this a form of self-censorship o...

It's Father’s Day this Sunday in case you have forgotten. But is it more than a Hallmark Holiday, does it really mean something? Henry McKean has been out and about asking people about their dads and meeting dads before the big day...

Next month marks 116 years since the Irish Crown Jewels were sensationally stolen from Dublin Castle, triggering an uproarious attempt to retrieve them. Sean was joined by William Derham, Curator at Dublin Castle to discuss...

Has anyone gone stateside recently and noticed more turbulence when in the air? There might be a reason for that. A study by Reading University has shown that airplane turbulence is strengthening because of climate change. Professor Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist at Reading University joined Sean to discuss...

Paul McCartney has announced that he is using AI technology to extricate John Lennon’s voice from an old cassette recording for a new release. Sean was joined by journalist and broadcaster Pat Carty to discuss...

For this weeks 'How To' slot we’re looking at how to prepare for prison. Sean was joined by Wayne Hart, Academic and Ex-Prisoner to discuss

How do you stay active as you get older? Imagine playing squash and partaking in Irish dancing from the age of 9, and still keeping it going 35 years later. Orla Doherty is the over 45s European Squash Champion and she joined Sean on the show... Image: Orla Doherty Blogger

New research from Kings College London shows that the United Kingdom has a lot more conspiracy theorists than we thought. It showed that a third of the population believe the cost-of-living crisis is a way to control the population, and a quarter believe Covid-19 is a hoax. How do these conspiracy theories spread, and why are people believing them? Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiarity in Trinit...

A radio DJ from San Diego has created his own micronation called 'Slowjamastan' and has appointed himself 'Sultan' of the 11-acre territory in the Golden State.  Randy 'R Dub' Williams has visited every UN designated country - more than 190 across the world, and has resorted to creating his own nation under his rules. 

Shin kicking is a sport that originated back in the early 1600s in England. Sean was joined by Mike Newby, Winner of the World Shin Kicking Championships 2023 which took place recently...

A bridge in Dublin is to be renamed as Bloody Sunday Bridge in commemoration of the events at Croke Park on November 21st 1920 when 14 innocent civilians were killed by RIC/Auxiliaries/Black and Tans. For the past three years, debate and public consultation has been ongoing over changing the name from the Clonliffe Bridge/Russell Street Bridge to the new official name. Cllr Nial Ring, Councillor f...

When Kilkenny played Galway at the weekend in Croke Park. There was a stag party there, one of the stag party dressed as a Kilkenny player, managed to sneak onto to the pitch after the match and have his photo taken with the team. Henry McKean hit the streets to ask Dubliners about their stag and hen experiences...

Balbriggan is one of Ireland’s most diverse, multi-cultural towns, and one that has had a reputation for issues around racism. Kevin Curran grew up in the North Dublin suburb, and has returned to teach in the DEIS secondary school he once attended. Spending time with the kids in his community, he has penned a novel in their voices tackling some of the issues they face every day. The book is called...

Today on Moncrieff, we explored something that many of you may never heard of, a phenomenon termed ‘Widow’s Fire’. Essentially, it is the intense desire for intimacy following the loss of a spouse. A normal part of the grief process, it is a taboo topic for most, but not for Nicky Wake. Nicky joined Sean on the show to discuss...