Highlights from Moncrieff

Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) has digitised its records, and is making them available to the public, with many documents going back to the glory days of Irish rail in the 19th century.Joining Seán to discuss is Kevin Forkan, Group Archivist for CIÉ.Image: CIÉ

Hate speech and extremism causing women to be driven away from politics is putting our democracy in “serious danger”.It follows the resignation of Sweden's Centre Party Leader, Anna-Karin Hatt, over what she described as an “unbearable number of threats and harassment”.The party leader said she no longer feels safe in her own home, with her predecessor leaving the role three years ago for the same reasons...CEO of Women for Election, Brian Sheehan, joins Seán to discuss how this may be reflecting the situation here in Ireland…

How much of your working day is spent in meetings?We tend to think of them as a necessary evil, but are they all really necessary?Joining Seán to discuss is Margaret E Ward, CEO of Clear Eye Leadership Consultancy.

Designer Paul Costelloe said “I really love Irish people... they are so quick to pay you a compliment”, but is he right? Do we give out enough compliments to people? Are they genuine and how do you take a back handed compliment? Should we compliment people more?Newstalk's Henry McKean has been asking the public, and joins Seán to discuss.

One month into the ceasefire in Gaza, how have things actually improved on the ground? Has the fighting halted completely, can people return to their homes (or what's left of them) and just why is aid still being blocked?John Whyte is the Acting Senior Deputy Director of UNRWA (Operations), the United National Relief and Works Agency for Palestine, for the Gaza Strip and joins Seán to discuss.Image: Reuters

Scientists have discovered 30 new deep-sea species, including a carnivorous “death ball” sponge unlike anything seen before.The expedition explored volcanic craters and oceanic trenches near the South Sandwich Islands, revealing a hidden world of strange creatures.Among the findings were iridescent scale worms, new species of sea stars, and the first confirmed footage of a juvenile colossal squid.To tell us about these fascinating discoveries, Dr Michelle Taylor from the Ocean Census project joins us on the line…Image: Schmidt Ocean Institute

This week saw two major events to promote the future of household robots; Neo, the 1X Technologies butler and Optimus, the much heralded robot from Tesla. But, will these robots actually be able to do any of the tasks that are promising to make our everyday lives easier?Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss is Tech Journalist Emmet Ryan, who has been investigating…Image: 1X Tech

Much of the scandal surrounding the now former Prince Andrew has been seen as being unprecedented, but this is far from the first public scandal the British Royal family has faced.Just over a century ago, Irish woman Nellie Clifden was a central character in a controversy that almost toppled the Monarchy…Those events inspired Andrew O'Connor's 2018 novel ‘By Royal Appointment', and he joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.

Xania Monet, the R&B singer-songwriter, has become the first AI-generated artist to debut on a Billboard radio play chart. So, what does the incursion of AI into music mean for the future?Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss this is Journalist Pat Carty…

Feminist statement or search for instant notoriety? Harriet Richardson's latest artwork has the internet divided. Especially since the work of art is in this case is - her!The London-based artist spent nearly a thousand euro to tattoo the names of all of her former lover's mothers across her ribs and even hired a private investigator to find some of them…She joins Seán to discuss…

Over the past three years, comedian Ailish McCarthy has been working on getting a legislative gap filled. Although comedians are considered artists by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, they remain ineligible for grants and funds allocated by the Arts Council.Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh launched an amendment to the Arts Bill this Thursday to have their joke-telling recognized in law.Ailish McCarthy joins Seán in the studio to discuss…

We're all familiar with the saying “dressing your age”, but are we really reading between the lines?In the digital age, everyone can become an influencer, and women over the age of forty are making their voices heard more than ever before.Dubbed ‘Silver Influencers' by the BBC, this new generation of women is completely unapologetic about aging and seeks to redefine what being a mature woman is during this decade.Stylist Cathy O'Connor joins Seán to discuss how she and other ‘silver influencers' are changing the game for women across Ireland through representation.

Two-thirds of people would avoid Dublin City Centre for fear of crime, according to a new survey from Dublin Inquirer and Amárach. But is it geography, do you feel safer in some areas and not in others?Henry McKean has been touring the streets of Dublin City Centre and joins Seán to discuss…

How did the globalisation drive begin, and how has it impacted our economy?That's what David J Lynch's new book, ‘The World's Worst Bet' aims to explore.Lynch is a Global Economics correspondent for the Washington Post, and his latest book examines how the United States' ambitious plans after the Cold War have led to interdependence and a precarious global economy.He joins Seán to discuss.

Businesses in Bantry in west Cork are again counting the cost after about 20 premises were flooded when the town experienced a heavy downpour earlier in the week…This left many locals worried, as it marked the town's seventh flood since 2020 and 10th since 2012.So, what needs to be done to prevent more flooding?Andrea is joined by Michael Collins, Leader of Independent Ireland, as well as local residents, to discuss.

This year marks the centenary of the last state execution of a woman in Ireland, but what is the story behind the Annie Walsh case?Joining Seán to discuss is Dr Patrick McGarty, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at Munster Technological University…

Democrat Zohran Mamdani has won the New York City mayoral race, with a pledge to “make America affordable again.”This would include plans to make New York City's buses across the entire network free to ride.But, how feasible would something like this be here in Ireland? Could free buses work in Dublin?Professor at the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin, Brian Caulfield, joins Seán to discuss.Image: Reuters

Seán's guest knows, at the click of a button on her phone, where many of her loved ones are at any given time. But, the normalisation of location sharing is prompting her to reconsider whether or not this is good or not.Saoirse Hanley from the Irish Independent has been writing about all this in today's paper, and joins to discuss.

Food and eating can be exceptionally challenging for autistic people, particularly kids. So, why is this, and what questions does it raise about the Free School Meals Scheme?Joining Seán to discuss is Adam Harris, Founder of As I Am…

Have you ever gotten a haircut you absolutely loathed, but were too shy to say it? Too afraid to speak up and vouch for yourself, you hoped that your hairdresser would not notice that you hadn't seen them in months.But, there could be another option that doesn't involve ghosting your hairdresser…Gwen Loughman joins Seán to discuss how to save that oh-so precious relationship…

The decision to opt out of organ donation should be respected.That's the view of the President of the Medical Council of Ireland, Dr. Suzanne Crowe.It follows the publication of figures in response to a recent parliamentary question, which revealed over 55,000 people have signed on to a HSE register to opt out of automatic organ donation upon death.Under current revised legislation, everyone is assumed to be an organ donor unless they have expressed otherwise on the register.Dr Suzanne Crowe joins Seán to discuss.

Long before the term multi-media artist came into use, and before a 90s soap about six friends trapped in a small New York City apartment changed television forever, there was Allee Willis.No idea who that is? She'd like to keep it that way. Perhaps ‘the most unknown famous woman in Hollywood', she rubbed shoulders with the likes of Cindi Lauper and hosted some of the most decadent parties in her Los Angeles home nicknamed ‘The Pink Bungalow'.Neal McCullough, an illustrator from Bangor, Co. Down first heard of her when she emailed him asking if he could make a sticker for a charity honoring her friend. What followed was an unlikely but fruitful collaboration.He joins Seán to discuss his upcoming pop-up book inspired by her mythical home…Image: Poposition Press

University College Cork has become the first Irish university to introduce paid leave to employees who have experienced pregnancy loss.It follows extensive work carried out by the university's Pregnancy Loss Research Group.Its 2024 report revealed that many people surveyed reported negative and discriminatory attitudes in the workplace after they had revealed they had had a miscarriage, while others confided they had pressure from management to return to work before they were ready to do so.Under current legislation, there is no statutory paid leave for people who experience pregnancy loss under 23 weeks, after which they can avail of full maternity or paternity leave.To speak to us about this, Professor and leader of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at UCC, Keelin O'Donoghue, joins Seán.

Where does the Irish capital stand on a European level when it comes to our tree canopy cover, and how is it decided where to plant new ones?Joining Seán to discuss is the man responsible for all this, Ludovic Beaumont, Tree Officer for Dublin City Council…

We thankfully live in a time when gender equality seems like an achievable goal, and many steps have been taken to right the wrongs of a patriarchal past.No doubt some inequality remains, and some things are harder to compare than others. Take public bathrooms for instance: are the men's better than the women's?Sarah Carey is a Columnist with the Irish Independent and has been writing about this. She joins Seán to discuss.

The European Union is publishing its annual review of candidate countries' progress toward membership today.It's part of a long and demanding process that measures how well aspiring members meet the EU's democratic and economic criteria.From the western Balkans to Ukraine, the road to joining the Union has become more complex and exacting than ever.To help with understanding what's at stake, Seán by Professor of European Politics at Maynooth University, John O'Brennan…

In an episode of ‘The Kardashians' the other day, Kim Kardashian made it clear that she is in full support of the idea that the Apollo moon landings never actually happened. So, why does this particular conspiracy theory persist while others fade away?Joining Seán to discuss is Howard Berry, Reader in Film Heritage Practice at the University of Hertfordshire…

AI has been discussed a lot, with questions about how the technology is changing things and affecting relationships, but the impact of AI on intimate and romantic relationships is especially profound…Now, research has been done with young boys, between the ages of 11 and 15, in the UK, showing that over a third would consider an AI girlfriend...Lee Chambers, the Founder and Chief Executive of Male Allies UK, joins Seán to discuss.

Are you sick of things breaking the second the guarantee expires?From washing machines, phones and other kitchen appliances, are there simple ways to combat planned obsolescence?And, should we all actually be repairing things ourselves instead of forking out for something new?Joining Seán to discuss this is Caitriona Redmond, Consumer Columnist with the Irish Examiner.

With COP 30 set to begin this day next week, a lot was made of Bill Gates' recent comments on climate change, but perhaps the way in which they were reported and interpreted is a large part of the problem we are having…Are scientists losing the communications battle to bad actors who willfully misrepresent the facts?Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh is Senior Lecturer in Physics at the South East Technological University in Waterford. He joins Seán to discuss.

Have traditional restaurant manners in Ireland been replaced by a free-for-all anything goes? Phone calls, watching videos and eating with your mouthful? What's the worst you have seen, and has there been a noticeable decline in manners?Newstalk's Henry McKean has been investigating, and joins Seán to discuss.

The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, under construction since 1890, yesterday became the tallest church in the world after a new section of its tower was installed. Joining Seán to discuss this is Stephen Burgen, Freelance Journalist based in Barcelona.

Is there anything you do just for the sake of it? Even if you're not good at something, is it worth it to dabble?Karen Walrond, author of ‘In Defense of Dabbling', joins Seán to discuss.

As Dublin celebrates its 15th anniversary as UNESCO City of Literature, an Irish-Nigerian writer reflects on her journey from direct provision to a successful career in the arts.Melatu Uche Okorie is the award-winning author of ‘This Hostel Life', a short story collection outlining her experience in the direct provision system.She moved here from Nigeria in 2006 and spent eight and half years in a centre with her infant daughter.She has since been shortlisted for the Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year award at the Irish Book Awards, and her collection has even been adapted into an operatic work by the Irish National Opera.Melatu joins Seán to share her story…

It's that time of year again where we're pulling our woolly jumpers out of the attic ready for another winter.You may be finding that your warm layers have been attacked by moths in the meantime, but instead of throwing them away and buying more fast fashion, there are easy ways to repair things in your wardrobe...Kim O'Driscoll is the Founder of the Prolong Project, and joins Seán to discuss.

Do we need to start teaching our young people about the advantages of AI? With the way the world is going, these could be valuable career deciding skills.Jean Noonan, a part of Digital Business Ireland Advisory Council, and an Assistant Lecturer in the School of Business Technology, Retail, and Supply Chain at TU Dublin, thinks just that. She joins Seán to discuss

Today, we sent Henry McKean down the Marble Arch Caves in county Fermanagh to experience a sound bath for the first time, with thanks to discovernorthernireland.com. Henry lay on a yoga mat deep underground with water rushing through, and sent this report!

Do you have what it takes to be cool, and can you fake it until you make it?Writing in the Guardian, Journalist Elle Hunt gave it a shot, and joins Seán to discuss.

An Irish Neuroscientist has been speaking out about the link between loneliness and dementia.In Ireland, CSO figures show that in 2024, 5.6% of 16-24 year olds said they felt lonely “most or all of the time”.This is approximately 80% higher than those aged over 65…Dr. Sabina Brennan is a Psychologist, Neuroscientist and host of the Super Brain podcast, as well as author of ‘Still Me'.She joins Seán to talk about why loneliness carries profound implications for brain health, and even heightens the risk of dementia…

Steven Moore, a familiar name and face for many of antique lovers, has released a book entitled ‘The Stuff of History', a curated compendium of curious objects and forgotten people.Steven joins Seán to discuss!

Ide O'Carroll is a Social Researcher, author, and former teacher who undertook a 30-year project for her latest book.In this unique book, we hear from Irish women who stayed living on the island, who did not emigrate, describe their lives and perspectives on a dramatically changed social context from the 1990s to 2023.‘Thirty Years of Change Through Women's Eyes' releases officially tomorrow, and Ide joins Seán to discuss.

What makes a word a ‘taboo', and what power do these words hold?Research conducted by experts across 17 countries and in 13 different languages aimed to explore just that.The study found there is an intrinsic link between a country's culture and its swear words, and that the type of taboo words reported can be indicators to the social hierarchies present in that country.Simone Sulpizio, Psychology Professor at the University of Milano-Bicocca and lead author of the study joins Seán to discuss.