Highlights from Moncrieff

The largest and most expensive Lego set currently on sale in Ireland and the UK is the Star Wars Death Star, coming in at a staggering €999.99, and recommended for over 18s only.Joining Seán is a man who spent a lot of time getting it built: Nathan Spendelow, Tech Editor for Telegraph Recommended.

The Deaflympics is the oldest international multisport event for deaf athletes. At the most recent Deaflympics, a range of new technologies to make the games more inclusive for not only the athletes. but spectators too.Broadcaster and Presenter of TechXplore Paul Carter attended the Deaflympics, and joins Seán to discuss.

Every celebrity or high-profile wedding comes with a flurry of comments across the interest of people, claiming guests were “upstaging the bride”, drawing too much attention to themselves or making the day all about them.But, does this really happen? How many weddings have you been to where someone actually wears white? Or something better than the bride?To talk about upstaging fear, Seán is joined by Editorial Assistant for the Irish Independent and Fashion Stylist Orla Dempsey.

Next week, the Taoiseach will take the first official trip in the new government jet, travelling from Dublin to Philadelphia and then on to DC for the St Patrick's Day festivities in the White House. But ,what is the €53 million jet actually like?Joining Seán to discuss is Kevin Byrne, retired Air Corps Lieutenant Colonel and Airport Safety & Security Auditor.

Tedfest is the annual celebration of Father Ted, where hundreds of like minded fans descend on Inis Mór. Peter Phillips, Co-Founder of the event joins Seán to discuss Tedfest's unlikely origins in the Sri Lankan civil war, and how the late broadcaster Gerry Ryan was key to its success…

A major new survey of attitudes has discovered that Gen Z men have more traditional views on gender roles than their grandparents' generation.Joining Seán to discuss this is the leader of this research, Heejung Chung, Director of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College in London…

According to a study, if you start laughing during a serious situation, it could be a sign of high intelligence. Henry McKean met people who start laughing at inappropriate times, how do teachers and business leaders cope with it and asked experts why it happens?He sent in this report.

How can we get our children to eat healthier? David Bell believes that the best way to get kids to eat healthier is to make them think it's their idea. David founded the ‘Belly Bugs' to help children understand their gut health, and take care of it.He joins Seán to discuss.

Irish photographer Shane Hynan has been shortlisted for 2026 Sony World Photography Awards Professional competition. The Kildare native has been lauded for his collection Beneath | Beofhód, a portrait of Ireland's changing boglands.Shane joins Seán to discuss his work.

Cuba, which depended heavily on Venezuelan oil imports, has been heading towards a major humanitarian crisis since the Trump administration began embargoing tankers to the island in January.Irish Foreign News Reporter Hannah McCarthy has recently spent time in Cuba, and joins Seán to discuss…Image: Reuters

Every year at Leaving Cert results time, you'll hear that the results don't mean everything - and that there are many career options ahead of you. For example, we have a shortage of many different types of tradespeople. Iarnród Éireann is staging an event called ‘Try a Trade' to highlight the range of apprenticeships available.Josh Crosbie sent in this report...

Are curtains cancelled?The so-called ‘Dutch method' suggests sleeping with them open, letting early sunlight wake you naturally and reset your body clock. The Dutch have long embraced bare windows in the name of openness and community.But in the age of blackout blinds and privacy paranoia, are curtains out of fashion - or are we just not ready for the neighbours to see quite that much of us?Joining Seán to discuss is Róisín Murphy, Interior Designer.

A new report from an organisation representing Irish interests in the UK shows just how difficult it is for the Irish community to have a ‘good Irish death', with cultural differences around end of life care proving to be a significant hurdle.Joining Seán to discuss is Brian Dalton, Chief Executive of Irish in Britain…

The iconic Ford Fiesta is turning 50 this year, the beloved hatchback was a bestseller and still tops the secondhand market. So how did the Fiesta become such a titan of the motor industry? And if sales were so good, why did production end?Joining Seán to discuss is Senior Contributor to Classic & Sports Car Magazine and contributor to the Daily Telegraph, Simon Hucknall.

It is 10 years this month since the government introduced the dog chipping scheme. So, has it been a success and what still needs to be done to make it more effective?Joining Seán to discuss is Conor Dowling, Chief Inspector for the NSPCA…

Japanese scientists have created a new breed of onion, known as the ‘smile ball', which does not make the eyes water when it is chopped.Renowned Chef Dean Diplock joins Seán to discuss tearless onions, and some of the oddest ways people try to avoid crying when chopping onions.

When the Canadian actor Jim Carey recently accepted an honorary prize at the prestigious César Awards in France, the internet was aghast at his look and behaviour, slowly becoming convinced that the man who gave the speech was not actually Carey at all…Joining Seán to untangle all of this is film critic Brian Lloyd…

The results from the latest CSO baby names report shows a grá for gender neutral names, but why?Joining Seán to discuss this is Darach Ó Séaghdha, author of ‘Motherfoclóir' and ‘Craic Baby'...

A Dublin school's aquaponics project has been such a success that it now supplies its produce to a Michelin-starred restaurant.Joining Seán to discuss is Simon O'Donnell, who looks after the Urban Farm Project at Belvedere College in Dublin's north inner city…Image: V-Farm

Thousands of protected marine animals including grey seals, dolphins, angel sharks and flapper skates are drowning in tangle nets set for crayfish off Ireland's west coast…New figures from Ireland's Marine Institute show the deaths are happening inside Special Areas of Conservation, raising serious questions about why the State has not acted on risks identified years ago.Joining Seán to discuss this is Pádraic Fogarty, Environmental Campaigner.

Commuters across Dublin are growing increasingly frustrated with so called ‘ghost buses' services that appear on real-time displays, but then vanish or are cancelled. 100 drivers are set to be recruited by Dublin Bus from South Africa. Will this help with the problem?Tom O'Connor, Assistant General Secretary of the NBRU, joins Seán to discuss.

There's always a difficulty in the investigation of cases of rape and sexual assault, often being the word of one person against another, with no witnesses. This is particularly so with historical sex abuse, which, after a long process, can result in no prosecution.Seán's guest has been writing about her own experience of this in the Irish Times, and joins to discuss.HELPLINES:Dublin Rape Crisis Centre - 1800 778 888

The ice axe that was used to assassinate Leon Trotsky is perhaps one of the most famous murder weapons in history, currently on display at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC. But, what was the extraordinary story that led to the fateful moment when it was used back in Mexico City in 1940?Joining Seán to discuss is Josh Ireland, author of the new book ‘The Death of Trotsky: the True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy'...

Seán's guest is recently back from Wales, where he was exploring how the native language of that country is thriving and looking at whether or not lessons can be learned about how Irish works here…Shane Moynihan, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West joins to discuss.

It's now early March: is it time for a spring clean and a declutter? Does it clear the mind?Henry McKean met people spring cleaning at a recycling centre and met decluttering experts. He sent in this report.

More and more people are choosing to travel to their holiday destination via land and water rather than using air travel, perhaps to reduce their carbon emissions, but also to make the journey a part of the holiday.Joining Seán to discuss is Michelle Jackson, author and Travel Writer...

Reading is good for you for many reasons - one being a way to combat loneliness, which repeated studies have been discovering.Louisa Earls, Manager of Books Upstairs bookshop, joins Seán to discuss.

Just days after Christmas, 27-year-old Offaly camogie player Aisling Brennan collapsed suddenly while at a friend's house. With no warning signs and at the peak of her fitness, she had suffered a cardiac arrest. CPR from those around her and a defibrillator shock within minutes saved her life before she was airlifted to hospital and placed in an induced coma.Now back training and urging others to learn CPR, Aisling joins Seán to discuss.

Clare County Council has given the green light for a new 320-capacity ballroom at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Doonbeg, but there's a small catch.Before construction begins, the resort must put a protection plan in place for a tiny, 2mm rare snail, Vertigo angustior, which is safeguarded under EU environmental law.The council says the measure is to ensure compliance with the EU Habitats Directive, even though reports submitted with the application concluded the development would have no impact on the species.Joining Seán to discuss this is John Gibbons, Environmental Journalist.

If it feels like we're in a romantic recession, you're not wrong. From Dublin to New York, young people are reportedly having less sex and more screen time.But in Denmark, the mood is very different.In Copenhagen, Gen Z are still coupling up without the drama, no panic, no big think pieces, just a surprisingly healthy dating culture.So, what's their secret? And should the rest of us be taking notes?Joining Seán to discuss is Zoe Williams, Guardian Columnist.

Despite an apparent decline in reading and funding problems, the Irish library network very much still exists - and should still be used!Joining Seán to discuss is Colm O'Regan, Comedian and author.

Seán's guest today has probably visited more pubs than most people and is a big believer in reclaiming and celebrating the original idea of a good old pub crawl. While he has written books about pubs in other countries, his new volume is focused on this island.Joining to discuss is Thomas Vosper, author of ‘Historic Pub Crawls Through Ireland'.

Shifting sands have revealed what may be a part of the starboard bow of the HMS Saldanha, a navy frigate that was wrecked off the coast of Donegal in 1811, leading to the deaths of 253 sailors.Joining Seán to discuss is local Archeologist John O'Raw, who has been tracing the mystery surrounding this ship for decades…

Now, before you wrinkle your nose, yes, we're talking about chicken feet. They may not win any beauty contests, but when it comes to making rich, nourishing broth, they're absolute superstars.Today we're joined by Chef Gaz Smith, who's going to show us how to turn those little claws into a delicious, collagen-packed broth and explain why this unusual ingredient might just be your new secret weapon in the kitchen...

A new poll of 2,000 adults has found that people still commonly use a coin toss to make decisions about things, but is there any bias involved in flipping a coin?Joining Seán to discuss is Frantisek Bartos, a Post Doctoral Researcher in Psychological Methods at the University of Amsterdam...

Corsets are back - “shelf cleavage” is having a moment, and apparently, we're all meant to look like we've stepped out of Bridgerton or at least off the red carpet with Margot Robbie and Charli XCX.But before we start lacing ourselves into Regency-era scaffolding, one Columnist says she's sitting this trend out…Tanya Sweeney, Columnist with the Irish Independent, joins Seán to discuss.

If you have young kids in primary school, you may have heard them discussing how we are currently in spring, as this is what is taught in the current curriculum. But is February actually spring?Joining Seán to discuss is Peter Thorne, Climate Scientist at Maynooth University…

Poverty can affect people in many ways, including hygiene poverty. When money is running low, hygiene items like soap, shampoo, deodorant and more can be skipped out on. The Hygiene Hub aims to help people in that situation.Sorcha Killian, Head of Operations and Finances and Co-Founder of The Hygiene Hub joins Seán to discuss.

Jamaicans are claiming a Cork TD as one of their own after a video of Thomas Gould speaking in the Dáil went viral.People on social media say that his strong Cork accent sounds “uncannily” Jamaican, and even Gould himself is seeing the funny side, joking he won't be releasing a Bob Marley album any time soon.He joins Seán, as well as DrEllen Howley, Assistant Professor at the school of English in DCU, to discuss.

The resources available for people subject to domestic abuse are stretched thin enough - even more so for men. There is a Men's Aid, but their help line only operates from 9 to 5.Joining Seán to discuss this is Shane Kelly, CEO of Men's Aid Ireland.

A new Credit Union survey has found Irish people's outlook on everything from personal finance to the price of consumer goods tends to be negative. So, is there a sense of perma-gloom in the country at present and if so, how can people find positivity in the midst of it all?Joining Seán to discuss is Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin…

In Jurassic Park, the T-Rex stomps around the place with an earth-shattering rumble, but a new study in the States has discovered that it actually moved much more daintily, using its tip toes.Filippo Bertozzo, Researcher at the Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels and a dinosaur expert, wasn't involved in the study, but has been reviewing its findings, and joins Seán to discuss.