Moncrieff

What are the worst movies directed by actors?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over the weekend, the UK Independent released a list of what they believe to be the worst movies directed by actors.This list includes films like ‘L...

What is in a name?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.”Those of you who know your Shakespeare will immediately reco...

The discrimination sex workers face

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New research by the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland has revealed that 3 out 4 sex workers started because they were in financial difficulty.On top of ...

Should we all start scrapbooking?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve been looking for a new hobby, look no further!Scrapbooking is making the rounds once again! More and more people are commemorating the lit...

What are 2025’s biggest wedding trends?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From giant engagement rings to vow renewals, the wedding business is booming, and one of the industries that is always influenced by celebrity culture...

What is ‘Japanese walking’?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new walking trend has been gaining popularity online: Japanese walking. What many have been calling ‘high intensity walking’ is based on interva...

Should you compliment strangers?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most people would say that giving someone a compliment is a good thing.But not everyone likes receiving a compliment, and often the context can turn a...

Why Ireland’s coast is disappearing quicker than it should

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ireland's 7,500km coastline stretching from Donegal to Dingle is slowly but surely slipping away in front of our eyes…Entire sections of our coastli...

How to look after your dog in a heatwave

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While we may be basking in the good weather and enjoying the heatwave, experts are urging pet owners to take extra care, especially when bringing thei...

Finding the time to enjoy silence (and why it's important)

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Silence is something we often take for granted, we don't get to enjoy life without distractions nearly enough…Although many believe that these momen...

Why Trinity turned their front lawn into a wild meadow

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you have walked past Trinity College Dublin in recent years, you’ll have noticed that the front lawn is no longer a pristine lawn of green grass,...

Should Ireland be an ‘AI island’?

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are we doing enough in terms of AI? And is our government really prepared for the monumental shifts set to happen as more and more companies use AI?We...

The history of Dublin’s queer pub scene

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was it like to be gay and going out in the 1970s and 80s?Hana Flamm has been uncovering the Dublin queer pub scene, speaking to people about thei...

Children facing new school year uprooted from their homes

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As we approach the end of the summer holidays, children all across the country will be going back to school, but for many children, this will look a l...

Revising the relationship between Elvis and the Colonel

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week is the annual Elvis Week, marking 48 years since the passing of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, with many events taking place at Graceland, h...

Is pornography a pathway to criminality?

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The grim reality of the underbelly of the Internet is one of sexual exploitation, child abuse and offenders who trade off illegal pornographic content...

New play explores Irish mass emigration programme

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new play, ‘The Robinson Experiment’, explores the extraordinary story of one of Ireland's mass emigration programmes during the 19th century.Joi...

Would you like to live alone? - Henry McKean Asks

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are we missing out by not living alone? One in five of us stick with a partner to keep living costs down and be under the same roof. What are the diff...

Should Ireland have a complete trade embargo on Israel?

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Occupied Territories Bill is winding its way through the Oireachtas.Tabled originally in 2018, the bill would ban trade with the illegal settlemen...

Have saunas become the new pub?

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are your plans for Friday night?A whole swathe of people have skipped the pub, and instead are flocking to saunas with friends and forging connec...

Is there a ‘best’ way to cut a sandwich?

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You might not give it much thought, but the way you cut your sandwich can have an effect on how you enjoy it. Now, a man on social media is causing he...

Why have sales of convertible cars declined?

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sales of convertible cars have slumped majorly over the past two decades. But, why is this, and are they not the epitome of cool anymore? Or, is it ju...

Does sex really sell magazines?

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The old maxim that ‘sex sells’ has been applied to many industries, but perhaps magazines is one of the most relevant. Seán’s guest was the Edi...

Is Google’s AI killing internet search?

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since the dawn of the internet, the way in which we browse and search the internet has remained mostly the same.In the past year that has changed, wit...

New Palestinian cookbook showcases food culture and history

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seán’s guest, Izz Alkarajeh, is a Palestinian man who runs a popular restaurant in Cork with his wife Eman. They have now co-authored a new cookboo...

Why are people choosing to have dinner early?

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New data from the UK restaurant scene shows that more and more people are choosing to dine earlier, with the 6pm slot up considerably in bookings.Join...

Are lie-in holidays actually beneficial?

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re planning a getaway or are just back from some time off, you might notice that you sleep better on holiday.But, are those lie-ins real...

Mountjoy prisoners write book about how they ended up there

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone serving time in prison has a story about how they ended up there - which can be used to help others from ending up in the same situation.Senato...

Daniel O’Connell turns 250 - what is his legacy?

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Great Emancipator, perhaps the most influential figure in Irish history, and an inspiration to e...

What support exists for drug and alcohol addiction?

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With cocaine addiction, particularly among women, on the rise and alcohol dependency remaining an ongoing issue – what support is out there for peop...

How Oasis reached international stardom

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The controversy and scramble last summer to get tickets for the upcoming Oasis gigs this month was probably a good indicator of just how beloved the b...

Does Gen Z have a bad approach to money?

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recent research undertaken by Ernst & Young shows that Gen Z has a significantly different approach to finance than previous generations. But, why...

80 years since Hiroshima’s nuclear bombing

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the 6th of August 1945, US bombers dropped the first nuclear bomb, nicknamed ‘Little Boy’, over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.80 years later, ...

Women taking partners’ surnames - are Gen Z bringing it back?

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Traditionally in this country, a bride would have taken her new husband’s surname upon marriage. While this doesn’t happen as much nowadays, are G...

Why did John Wilkes Booth kill Abraham Lincoln?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new book has shed light on Abraham Lincoln’s murderer, the infamous John Wilkes Booth.While Booth is thought of as a crazed, lone killer, author S...

How does step-parenting coaching work?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After celebrity Katherine Schwarzenegger got engaged to Hollywood actor Chris Pratt, she sought the advice of a step-parenting coach to help her with ...

How does gerrymandering work?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over the weekend, a rather odd thing happened in Texas.Dozens of the state’s Democrat Representatives decided to up and leave.But why? And was this ...

Why do we love retro football shirts?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the new Premier League season is set to kick off in around 2 weeks time, some of the biggest clubs will be trying to flog you their newest and late...

Can being more macho help you to find yourself?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Dunne’s guest, Senior Features Writer with The Telegraph, George Chesterton, went on a bold, sometimes bloody, often brambly quest to reconnect ...

What is ‘bathroom camping’?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone with small kids will know about those sneaky escapes to the bathroom to get a moment’s peace, but the trend of so-called ‘bathroom camping’...

Enormous stick insect discovered in Australia

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new creature has claimed the title of Australia’s heaviest insect…The discovered stick insect was very difficult to capture, but is proving fasc...

Would you build your home with hemp?

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hemp is used for many things in the world, but did you know that it could be one of the solutions to the climate crisis?The plant can be used to make ...

How the music festival has changed

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With festival season kicking off in earnest this weekend with All Together Now, guest host Tom Dunne is joined by Journalist Pat Carty to discuss ahea...

What it’s like to play in the Poc Fada

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Monday, the annual Poc Fada will take place up the Cooley Mountains in North Louth.The sport has ancient traditions in Irish history, but it wasn’...

What was the impact of showbands in Ireland?

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While today marks the 50th anniversary of the Miami Showband Massacre, a new book explores the extraordinary impact the showbands had on Irish society...

Why does Australia celebrate Christmas in July?

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Christmas is a good bit away from us, but down under in Australia for many, especially in Sydney, Christmas isn't just celebrated in December, but als...

How does outside world contact impact isolated tribes?

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a fan of Star Trek, you’ll be familiar with the concept of the ‘Prime Directive’. Put simply, the idea is that you avoid contact wit...

The Cost of Dating - Henry McKean Reports

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gen Z adults in the States, those currently in their teens and 20s, are becoming more frugal about what they spend on dates as they deal with higher l...

Meta is banning political ads - a good thing?

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In October, the EU’s Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation will come into force. The aim of the regulation is to ens...

Oyster swallowing competition making appeal for women competitors

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This Friday will see the annual Oyster Swallowing Competition take place, as part of the Ballylongford Oyster Festival in Kerry. The festival is strug...

Who do house hunters really trust?

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a first time buyer desperately house hunting in a housing crisis?According to a report from Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, pr...

The history of the Sacred Heart

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Thousands gathered at Knock Shrine in Mayo last month for a ceremony where the Archbishop consecrated Ireland to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.While the i...

How does manipulation work?

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To discuss this, Seán is joined by Cass Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard and Author of ‘Manipulation: What It Is, Why It’...

Ireland’s ‘Blue Flag Beach Challenge’

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sea swimming has become all the rage in recent years and there are more than a few lovely places to engage in it this summer.Ireland has 98 Blue Flag ...

Starvation in Gaza and helplessness - from an Irish perspective

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us will have seen photos and images of starving children across our social media feeds and tv screens in the last number of days, as warnings ...

What it’s like to be an Interpreter

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Irish artist Jenny Brady’s new film, ‘The Glass Booth / An Both Gloine’, explores the worlds of interpretation and communication.Chris Guichot d...

Can you stop aging by just ignoring it?

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can you really turn back time? Well, what about by just not ever acknowledging how old you are?56-year-old Mariah Carey has come out to say that she “...

How gross is the airport?

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You might be looking forward to a holiday at this stage in the summer, but if you are taking a trip abroad, just how gross is the airport?And, should ...

Why does Chinese Guinness taste so wrong?

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While the many Irish pubs in China do a decent trade in Guinness, a major overhaul of where Chinese Guinness is brewed is getting people worried, and ...

Where are all the hand salutes in cities?

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Often in the Irish countryside, motorists and pedestrians will offer a finger or hand salutation on passing each other. This is something that doesn’...

Experiencing and dealing with psychosis

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seán’s guest suffered a mental health episode during lockdown while living in Italy. Diagnosed as psychosis, a condition she wasn’t familiar with...

The rich folklore within the Irish Traveller community

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Due to historical discrimination, the culture of the Irish Traveller community is not well known or understood.But, the minority's heritage is steeped...

What happened to DB Cooper?

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the evening of November 24th 1971, a man held a plane to ransom for $200,000, then parachuted out in his suit and dress shoes, never to be seen aga...

What will be the future of the Scouts in Ireland?

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Scouts, a vast youth organisation with thousands of members across the country, is attempting to offer a roadmap to our young people using more tr...

Does your job define you? - Henry McKean Asks

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A quarter of us stick to core office hours and go home at 5 on the dot. What does your job say about you? And does it define you?Henry McKean has been...

How do Russia’s ‘kamikaze’ drones work?

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last night, Russia sent another barrage of 300 kamikaze drones into Ukraine, a campaign they have ramped up by a factor of ten over the past 12 months...

Who was Lafcadio Hearn?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a country famed for its writers - this is the land of Joyce, Wilde, Beckett, Shaw and many more. We know these names.But, one name you migh...

What is an ‘AI couples retreat’?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A couples retreat is a staple of a relationship - the chance to get away from the responsibilities of life with a loved one. Now, imagine that, just w...

Are we witnessing the death of TV?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show has rocked the television industry, but what does it tell us more broadly about the decline of TV?Joining...

What makes people indifferent about sport?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With two All-Ireland weekends in a row, for those who are not into sports, it can be a rather alienating time. So, what is it that makes some people s...

What are the best live album recordings?

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Were you unable or unwilling to fork out a gajillion Euro for one of Oasis’s dynamic tickets?Well fear not, the now even wealthier Manchunian rocker...

Why has there been a reduction in aid commitments globally?

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The 40th anniversary of Live Aid happened recently.This great moment of global solidarity precipitated a decades-long increase in aid spending from ac...

What is the ‘toy library’?

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With her house full of plastic toys that her child had gotten too old for, Seán’s guest decided that something needed to be done that would allow p...

Blackspots for footpath parking - Henry McKean Reports

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gardaí issued just over 900 fixed penalty notices in Dublin in the first six months of the year, with Finglas and Ballymun being the worst offenders....

New ringfort excavation tells more about ancient Irish society

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Excavations at a ring fort overlooking Galway Bay have revealed that it was home to some of the most prominent members of ancient Irish society.So, wh...

The Irish group delivering decommissioned vehicles to Ukraine

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A group from Kilkenny recently returned from their 6th transcontinental convoy, delivering decommissioned commercial and public vehicles to the frontl...

‘Dinosaur fish’ seen to be in Irish waters

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard of a sturgeon fish?With a recent sighting of a fish previously thought to be extinct in Irish waters, what is this ‘dinosaur fish’,...

Being the world champion of doing nothing!

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The International Space-Out Competition is an annual event that judges who is the best at doing… nothing! But, how is that decided, and what is taki...

How domestic filming locations are found

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re making a movie, how do you find the perfect location for a scene? Is it  in a house ten minutes down the road, or on the other side...

The growing issue of child poverty in one parent families

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of parents are finding it hard to make ends meet as the rising cost of living hits, but one parent families are particularly impacted.Most poor ...

The role of romance in Irish Literature.

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who doesn’t want to live happily ever after?The important role of romance fiction in Irish Literature is being explored in a new exhibition, which h...

The moving statue in Ballinspittle - 40 years on

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Forty years ago today a 17-year-old local girl, Claire O’Mahony, saw the statue of Our Lady, in the grotto just outside Ballinspittle at Sheehy’s ...

How do we define Irishness?

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What we consider the markers of Irishness can be something of a fraught question, but one thing that we’re somewhat famous for is our accent.So, wha...

Why is there no practical driving test for tractors?

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There is currently no practical driver training or test for tractors in Ireland. Paul Daly, a Fianna Fáil Senator and farmer, is calling for this to ...

Why is July 22nd unusually short?

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Often, some days feel longer or shorter than others, but today, July 22nd, is actually literally shorter than others.Why is that?Shane Bergin, Physici...

Calls made for dedicated animal crime unit

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The My Lovely Horse Rescue group believe that there is an animal welfare crisis taking place in Ireland currently, and are calling on the Government t...

Are some people just bad at texting?

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a terrible texter? Or are you sick of sending messages and seeing the blue ticks and then waiting days for a reply?When it comes to texting, i...

What is the ‘Stop Killing Games’ movement?

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A movement called ‘Stop Killing Games’ is trying to convince the EU to introduce new rules so that consumers have more rights in relation to the d...

Why Drogheda United has links with Turkey

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a League of Ireland football fan, you may have noticed that the Drogheda United crest has a star and crescent on it, much like you would s...

Has the nightgown become popular again?

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From Parker Posey in ‘The White Lotus’ to Megan Stalter in ‘Too Much’, the nightgown is having a moment. But, how did such an old-fashioned ga...

What is inside this million year old ice?

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The world’s oldest ice cores have just arrived in the UK after a journey all the way from East Antarctica.Scientists will soon begin melting this ic...

What rules do you have for house guests? - Henry McKean Asks

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amal and George Clooney have a no phones rule for guests, their policy is to allow a safe and frank conversation. So, what rules do you have for your ...

Has cocaine use in Ireland been normalised?

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has cocaine become completely normalised?A new report published by the Department of Health has highlighted that cocaine users are now older and bette...

Julie Jay and Colm O’Regan on the comedy work-life balance

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Comedians Julie Jay and Colm O’Regan join Seán in Lighthouse Cinema to talk all things comedy, and the work-life balance that is needed in their ca...

Liz Nugent on her latest book ‘Strange Sally Diamond’

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seán’s guest’s latest book, ‘Strange Sally Diamond’, went straight to number one in Ireland.Liz Nugent, one of Ireland’s foremost crime wri...

Lost onion basket revived in local community

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A traditional Irish basket for collecting harvested onions had been lost to history, until Seán’s guest managed to recreate one so accurately that ...

Do you make an effort to speak the language abroad?

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you make the effort when you are abroad to speak the language?Even just a ‘gracias’ or ‘merci’ can go a long way.So, are we good at attempt...

Why did Mallorca ban splitting the bill?

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

‘One bill per table’ - that’s the new rule being rolled out across all restaurants in Mallorca to stop tourists bickering over the bill and wast...

How do we define our own identity?

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who are you?When someone asks you that question what first springs to mind? Your nationality? Your job? Your sexual orientation? Your religion?How use...

Pilot discusses quitting due to climate concerns

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seán’s guest used to be a pilot with a major airline before he developed ‘eco-anxiety’, causing him to quit flying. He now features in a new do...