Highlights from Moncrieff

There are lots of things we say and do that are that little bit different on this island.A particularly noticeable one is our use of the word ‘amn't'.So are we just saying it wrong or why is it that we don't say aren't or ain't like most of the English speaking world?Fadi Boukaram posts about language as ‘Cedrusk' on Instagram and he's been speaking about this recently. He joins Seán to discuss.Image: Dictionary.com

In the run up to Dublin Pride, which takes place next Saturday June 28th, Glasnevin Cemetery are running Queer History Tours this weekend in advance of next week's celebrations.Anna Collins is the tour guide for them, and they join Seán to discuss.

It's billed as the longest day of the year – or the shortest night – the Summer Solstice in recent years has brought people from all over the world to some of our sacred sites marking this occasion.However, traditionally its origins lay in more localised community get-togethers, crossroad gatherings and particularly bonfires to mark the feast of St John.To tell more, Seán is joined by Michael Fortune, Folklorist.

A new book examines how diverse sexuality and gender is not some recent concoction of the so-called “woke left”, but rather embedded in the ancient biology of the natural world.Joining Seán to discuss is Nathan Lents, author of ‘The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender and Mating Shape Modern Relationships'...Image: Harper Collins Publishing

Tom Dunne's guest is very very hard to pigeonhole. She founded Nasa's The International Space Orchestra, set up her own underground university and has worked with the likes of Beck, Damon Albarn and Massive Attack.Now, she has a new movie ‘Doppelgangers', which will be screened at Ireland's international documentary film festival Docs Ireland in Belfast on the 25th of June.She is Director and Designer of Experiences, Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian, and she joins to discuss!

As the show is in Killaloe today, it would be a missed opportunity not speaking to this woman: she's a marathon swimmer, an Ireland and Munster rugby legend and a local.Rosie Foley joins Seán for a chat!

Richard Harris was an extraordinary actor and widely regarded as one of Munster's most impressive exports...Whether you remember him from his roles in the Field or Harry Potter or any of his acclaimed stage performances, an upcoming exhibition at the Hunt Museum in Limerick will feature the first Public Exhibition of the Richard Harris Archive...CEO at the Hunt Museum, Teresa Crowley, joins Seán to discuss.

It's time for some summer vibes! The weather here in Killaloe (where the show is taking place today) is stunning and the summer feels in full swing.Henry McKean has been chatting to locals and visitors and asking: is Killaloe paradise?

Given that the show is on the River Shannon today, it makes sense to think about how water is used to generate power and energy.The Ardnacrusha hydroelectric scheme was a revolutionary step in public infrastructure and construction began on the power station one hundred years ago.Station Manager at Ardnacrusha, Brendan Shine, joins Seán to tell more.Image: Institution of Civil Engineers

The Moncrieff Show is live from Killaloe River Cruises on the River Shannon, as part of Newstalk's Summer Tour with thanks to ESB!Seán's first guest hails from Nenagh, just up the lake from where the show is taking place. His books have won several awards, and his most recent novel is ‘Heart, Be at Peace'. Donal Ryan joins to discuss!

Host of the COYGIG podcast on Off The Ball, Kathleen McNamee, joins Moncrieff to discuss the explosive growth of women's football in Ireland and abroad.Listen here

Helen Vaughan, psychotherapist, joins Moncrieff to share tips on navigating the emotional minefield of holidays with a partner — from managing expectations to avoiding rows in the sun.Listen here

Dr Amalia Scannell, microbiologist and food biotechnologist in the UCD Institute of Food and Health, joins Moncrieff to explain why sharing towels can spread bacteria, fungi, and viruses — and what science says about how often we should be washing them.Listen here

Raph O'Connor, Chief Training Officer with the Search and Rescue Dog Association Ireland North, joins Moncrieff to explain how dogs are trained to detect human remains in missing persons cases, disaster zones and forensic investigations, and what it takes to work in such intense conditions with an animal.Get all the conversation here.

Greg Dickinson, Senior Travel Writer with The Telegraph, joins Moncrieff to explain the story behind the world's shortest commercial flight — a 1.7-mile hop between two Orkney Islands in Scotland — and what it reveals about the people there, and the connections between the islands.Listen here.

Kate Wilson, author of Disclosure: Unravelling the Spycops Files, joins Moncrieff to discuss how she discovered her long-term boyfriend was, in fact, an undercover police officer tasked with infiltrating activist groups, and how she fought a decade-long legal battle against the British state.Listen here

An Irish rugby club the Emerald Warriors have won an international rugby tournament in Oslo.Hosted by international Gay Rugby, the Union Cup is Europe's largest inclusive rugby tournament, featuring 45 teams from 10 countries.Club President of the Emerald Warriors, Richie Fagan, joins Seán to discuss the win!Image: @ewrfc on Twitter

If you have been to the shop recently and used a self-service checkout, you may have noticed that you are on camera!Retailers have in recent times been installing CCTV at checkouts to combat rampant retail theft.But, do these cameras raise concerns over data protection? And would it be better to go back to the conveyor and the cash register?Caitríona Redmond, Consumer Journalist with the Irish Examiner has been writing about this, and joins Seán to discuss.

We use these roads, paths, and railways to make human connections every day. Bus routes are the heart of Ireland's connections, and along the way we have the opportunity to connect with strangers in a variety of ways.Henry McKean joins Seán to tell more, and share what conversations he had with strangers.(In partnership with Vodafone)

Sally Challen killed her husband after four decades of coercive control, and spent eight years in prison before her conviction was quashed following decided campaigning from her family who produced evidence of years of gaslighting and manipulation at the hands of her husband.The high profile case put a spotlight on coercive control and how insidious it is.Her son, domestic abuse campaigner and author of ‘The Unthinkable: A Story of Control, Violence and My Mother', David Challen, joins Seán to discuss.Image: Hachette UK

Have you ever been certain you're one size in clothing, only to find yourself in the fitting room later with four pairs of jeans in the same size, and they all seem to fit differently? You'd probably expect a size 12 is the same in every shop, but if you've ever shopped around to update your wardrobe, you'll probably know by now, that's not the case. So why do sizes vary so much? And is there a standard guide shops and brands should be following? Newstalk Reporter Emily Keegan has been looking into it, and brings us this report.

A probe developed by the European Space Agency has taken the first images of the Sun's south pole. How big of an achievement is this, and what can we learn from it?Joining Seán to discuss this is Dr. Peter Gallagher, Director of the DIAS (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies) Dunsink Observatory.Image: European Space Agency

Who are your really good friends, and could you list them?And, more importantly, should you list them?Keeping in touch can be hard, especially with busy lives and family responsibilities and all the rest of it, so is a list of prioritised people the way to go?Niamh Ennis, Coach and Mentor, joins Seán to discuss.

A new documentary looking into the stories behind songs, is focusing on Spandau Ballet's song ‘Through the Barricades' and we are delighted to be joined now by singer and songwriter Gary Kemp…Image: RTÉ

Death Cafes are now popping up all over the world. Seán's guest went along and found it a transformative experience, but what exactly are they?Elizabeth McCafferty, Journalist and Broadcaster, joins to discuss.

There are large concerns around the use of AI in education, but could it be used for good?Dr Cillian Ó Fathaigh, Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the Jagiellonian University Kraków, joins Seán to discuss.

Children in Gaza have been deprived of the very basics of life and living, and that includes less tangible things like fun.Haneen Koraz is an acclaimed Palestinian Animation Director who has been trying to help displaced children to reclaim these things in some way by teaching them to create and animate their own stories.A selection of these children's short films will be screened on Monday in The Stella Cinema, Rathmines at 6pm, who set up the event.Shauna Cullen, Producer with Jam Media, joins Seán to discuss.Image: @animator_haneen on Instagram

Seán's guest has been collecting chewing gum wrappers for decades. In fact, he has turned them into paper chains stretching a length of 37,000 metres, but why?Joining to discuss is American collector, Gary Duschl...

A few months ago, Seán's guest decided to draw an enormous digital penis across the English landscape, using GPS art, in order to raise awareness of men's health. Now, he is calling on penis enthusiasts across the world to join him this year and draw as many dick pics as possible!Terry Rosoman, Men's Health Campaigner, joins to discuss.

The Women's Tennis Association has announced that it is introducing a new policy in which a player's ranking can be protected while they take time out for fertility treatments. This is further to their announcement of paid maternity leave for pro tennis players.Joining Seán to discuss this is Máire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh, Doctor and Columnist with the Irish Independent…

Seán's guest is about to undertake an extraordinary theatrical marathon during the Cork Midsummer Festival: performing a play for 24 hours!The Second Woman, starring Eileen Walsh, begins this Saturday, June 14th, at 4pm and will finish the following day at the same time. Tickets can be purchased for the entire 24-hour performance, or for shorter segments, at corkmidsummer.com.Actor Eileen Walsh joins to discuss.

There are certain things you can learn about a person from the way that they walk.Perhaps you might get a sense of what type of person they are, whether they are confident or shy, stressed or relaxed.But actually, a walk can tell you so much more and often it can be the first diagnostic port of call for medical professionals, indicating everything from your susceptibility to heart attack to your rate of cognitive decline.Naomi Davey is Clinical Research Fellow in Memory and Falls at Tallaght University Hospital and joins Seán to discuss.

Whether it is your first father's day or your 40th, there's nothing like being celebrated...But, what do dads really want for the day?Journalist and Author of ‘Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?', Seamas O'Reilly joins Seán to discuss.

With summer loving in full swing, we often see more Public Displays of Affection, in the streets and at rock concerts. But, is it socially acceptable to snog and hug passionately in public, in 2025?Henry McKean joins Seán to discuss!

Many kids are preparing to head off on a 6th year holiday once the Leaving Cert comes to an end. But, how can parents prepare their sons and daughters to ensure a happy and safe experience on, for what will be for many, their first experience of going abroad independently, while keeping their own anxiety levels at bay in the process?Joining Seán to discuss is Dr Chris Luke, retired Consultant in Emergency Medicine and host of the Irish Medical Lives podcast, who has been writing about this in the Journal…

Close to 30% of first-time house buyers are now buying on their own. Solo buyers face special challenges that those buying as a couple don't face.Joining Seán to discuss is a woman with first-hand experience of this: Jennifer Sheahan, former Home of the Year Winner and Columnist for the Irish Examiner…

A community archeology project in north Co. Dublin has made a number of remarkable discoveries over the past month or so, including a Roman era pot and a playing dice made from antlers and bones. But, how do community and volunteer excavation actually work?Joining Seán to discuss is Christine Baker, Heritage Officer with Fingal County Council and Director of the Drumanagh Excavation...

‘Breeding for profit' is the modus operandi for many in the animal trade, as investigations show that Ireland has become the puppy farm capital of the world...Just how damaging is this industry, and what about the pets who are impacted?The DSPCA are warning people to do their own checks when getting a dog.Gillian Bird, Head of Welfare Advocacy & Sustainability joins Seán to discuss.

Technology has undeniably made life easier, but with many women using period tracking apps to keep note of their cycle, researchers in Cambridge University are urging for this data to be protected.The recommendation is for public health bodies in the UK to create an alternative to the private apps, but is this realistic?And just how important is tracking your period?Doctor Yvonne Williams from the Shannon Medical Centre joins Seán to discuss.

Ed Sheeran has said that he identifies as ‘culturally Irish', but what does that mean exactly, and is it a feeling shared by many people who were born outside of this island?Larry Donnelly is a Boston Attorney and Law Lecturer at NUI Galway. He joins Seán to discuss.

A 200 year old condom, in excellent condition, has now gone on display in Amsterdam. But, what does this artefact tell us about sexual practices in the past? Joining me now is Maria Holtrop, Rijksmuseum curator...

When you think of classist societies, the most familiar one you may think of would be the UK, with accents over there maybe leading you to make all kinds of assumptions on their wealth and background.But, how classist is Irish society? Are we just as bad as them?Author and Playwright Kevin Barry has some thoughts on this, and joins Seán to discuss.