Moncrieff

The story behind the thriving Japanese Irish music community

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You may be aware that the Taoiseach was on a state visit to Japan last week.What you may not know is that Japan has something of a thriving community ...

How philosophy helps you make sense of the news

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can philosophy teach us? And just how can applying philosophical logic help when assessing major news stories and global conflict?Co-Founder of H...

165 year old post office closes in Kerry

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nora O’Connor has been the Postmistress in Ballyduff in Kerry since 1984, after her family ran the post office there since the 1860s when the Penny ...

Is there forgotten treasure in your attic?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it's been tucked away and forgotten about, or left to you through inheritance - the humble attic could be containing treasures right above you...

What is ‘dynamic pricing’ in supermarkets?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does the price of barbecue food go up when the weather is good? And should you be stocking up on certain household items at particular times of year?W...

Did ‘No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish’ signs actually exist?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While over a million Irish people emigrated to the UK during the 20th century, the narrative over these people’s experiences varies, with the mythol...

How to prevent and deal with an ingrown toenail

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Getting an ingrown toenail during the summer can be a real pain, if you want to be in sandals and flip flops during the good weather. So, how do you p...

Long-awaited Defamation Bill passed - was it the right idea?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last week saw Ireland's long-awaited Defamation Bill passed in both the Dáil and the Seanad.However, not everyone is satisfied that the bill is suffi...

€1 houses in Italy - what’s the catch?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every so often you’ll spot those headlines about derelict homes going for one euro in Italy, and you might ask yourself if the dream matches the rea...

Would you have a pet tarantula?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

1,500 illegally traded tarantulas were recently seized by officials in Cologne Bonn airport. But, how dangerous are tarantulas, and are they still pop...

What is ‘music therapy’?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In an upcoming talk at the Sugar Club in Dublin on August 20th, Dr Shane Cassidy, a Music Therapist and Director of Neurolinks, will discuss how music...

Trump and the ‘Madman Theory’

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Trump really a madman, or is he simply following in the footsteps of Richard Nixon and acting out the Madman Theory in International diplomacy?Join...

Why Ireland is failing with marine preservation

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are calls for the government to follow through on the promises made to ensure marine preservation and the protection of our ocean environments.I...

Should cars ditch touchscreens and go back to buttons?

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With cars relying more and more on touchscreen technology, is there a growing safety concern, and is it time to return to good old-fashioned buttons?J...

How are phobias passed down to your kids?

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While you might be scared of spiders yourself, you probably don’t want to pass this fear onto your kids, so how do you manage the transfer of phobia...

How Temple Bar went from urban miracle to disaster

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When Seán’s guest moved into his flat in the middle of Temple Bar in 1996, this historic and recently regenerated part of Dublin was a bohemian and...

How happiness changes with age - Henry McKean Reports

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What age are we at our happiest, and does it surprise you that happiness can dip in your mid-forties, especially in women?Newstalk’s Henry McKean ha...

The untold story of the Yeats sisters

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Almost anyone who grew up in Ireland will have encountered the poetry of WB Yeats at some point in their education. His brother, Jack B Yeats, was an ...

Why has Ireland’s temperature record been held for 140 years?

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With most countries’ highest recorded temperatures having occurred in the 21st century, Ireland is very unusual. Ours occurred in the 19th century, ...

Neil Jordan on how the movie industry has changed

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Filmmaker and Writer Neil Jordan joins Sean ahead of his appearance at the West Cork Literary Festival to talk about his career, memoir, and the ever-...

Should we rely on AI to referee sports?

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tennis fans watching Wimbledon in the last week will have been up in arms at the issues with the AI electronic line calling system which was brought i...

Exhibition to look back on the life of Michael D Higgins

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There has been much discussion about who the next President may be, and who will put their name in the hat, but as part of this year’s Galway Intern...

The search for Ireland’s biggest 99 - Henry McKean Reports

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the Irish summer is finally here with temperatures reaching a possible 30 degrees, we sent Henry McKean to try and find the best and biggest ice cr...

Being childless by choice

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s much more common for people to decide not to have children than it would have been even a few decades ago, but still there are plenty of people...

What to do if you need to rehome your dog

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Getting a dog is a massive life decision, and while people may go into it with the best of intentions, the reality of providing a good home for a pet ...

Why the housing crisis is a European-wide issue

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New guidelines that will lift restrictions on apartment sizes and the number of one-bedroom units allowed in a development have been before Cabinet th...

What can be learned from how we handled Covid?

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Independent Covid Evaluation Panel aims to understand the extent of the damage from the Covid-19 pandemic, and take those learnings for advice on ...

How your personality type influences your workout

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a gym bunny who loves sweaty high intensity classes with a group, or are you a marathon-loving running loner?New research published by experts...

How does Dublin Airport manage peak travel in the summer?

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is your summer holiday booked, and will you be travelling through Dublin Airport in a bid to escape Ireland for a break away abroad?Given record passe...

The detrimental impact of ‘choking porn’

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’re probably aware that pornography is having a major impact on our culture and sexual practices.There are many sinister elements to this, but am...

What is wild hurling?

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Huge crowds converged on Croke Park over the weekend to witness the spectacle that is the All Ireland Hurling semi-finals.Hurling is much loved here a...

Campaign launched for Wexford village to have its own playground

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The community in Castlebridge, Co. Wexford, a town of 2,000 people, is currently campaigning to get their first playground. But, why is it such a stru...

The lack of gender parity in music festival lineups

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With many of the biggest musical acts in the world being solo women, we were told earlier in the year to prepare for “Pop Girl Summer”.But, it app...

Why it’s important to read to your children

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

According to a new report from Children’s Books Ireland, more than 1 in 5 Irish children under the age of four are not being read to. So, what are t...

Being homeless on arrival in Ireland

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Being homeless is undoubtedly a terrible experience, and unfortunately it is one that too many people in this country are familiar with. But, there ar...

Should we put wind turbines in our back gardens?

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ed Miliband, the UK Energy Secretary, is proposing the relaxing of regulations so that people can build wind turbines in their back gardens. So, shoul...

The cost of Irish Unification

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Irish Unification is a very emotive subject and often quite personal issue.It can often be quite difficult to evaluate the various reasons people have...

How to deal with bored teenagers during the summer!

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The summer holidays are long, especially for our teenagers who often sit outside the traditional models of summer camps and the like. What do you do w...

What is ‘time blindness’?

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of the symptoms of ADHD is time blindness, but how does this differ from poor time management?Joining Seán to discuss is Nicola Coss, ADHD Irelan...

Excavation of Tuam mother and baby home to begin

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The excavation of the Tuam mother and baby home site has been hailed as “A light at the end of the tunnel” according to the families affected.Anna...

Why does cheese give us nightmares?

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new study has examined the link between the consumption of cheese and bad dreams, and more broadly the relationship between problem foods and dreams...

Are we looking at a future of nuclear armament?

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Beginning on June 13th and ending with a ceasefire on the 24th, the recent Israel/Iran conflict may have been relatively short lived, but its conseque...

The folklore around animals and the weather

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How many times have you looked at your weather app when it’s raining, only for your phone to insist that you’re actually mistaken and the sun is s...

Why Ireland needs mother and baby psychiatric units

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With Ireland remaining an outlier on an EU level when it comes to mother and baby psychiatric units, what efforts need to be made in order to ensure t...

Is cycling without hands illegal? - Henry McKean Reports

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A cyclist has claimed that he was given a ticket by a City of London Police officer under the Human Rights Act for cycling no handed. But, here in Ire...

Should sunscreen be classified as an ‘essential product’?

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With temperatures set to soar to 28 degrees later this week, many listeners will be paying top dollar for expensive suncream products. But, should the...

Movies and Booze

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jean Smullen joins Moncrieff with two wines for the weekend. Chris Wasser reviews Jurassic World and Cronenberg’s The Shrouds, while Fionnuala Jones...

Going Grey With Pride

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Helen O’Rahilly, Former television executive with the BBC, joined Moncrieff earlier to speak about her decision to ditch the dye and go grey – lit...

Poop Cruise

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new documentary taking Netflix by storm charts the most miserable cruise of all time, as a breakdown in electricity and plumbing led to a nightmare ...

Sports Stars and Jewellery

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Two tennis players at Wimbledon have lost jewellery during play this week, with top player Coco Gauff dropping an earring mid-backhand and another’s...

Making The Switch to a Dumbphone

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Could you ditch your phone in favour of an old-school Nokia "dumbphone?"In a bid to cut her screentime and curb all the distractions of Whatsapp and s...

Why Actors Are Being Brought Back to Life on Screen

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A few days ago, Vin Diesel announced his conditions for him agreeing to make an 11th Fast & Furious movie... one of those was that his and Paul Wa...

Why Climate Change is Making Wine More Alcoholic

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

John Wilson, Irish Times wine critic, joins Moncrieff to explain how rising global temperatures are affecting grapes .Could this be why your favourite...

So, You Think You’re an Adult

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Declan Buckley and Barbara Scully join Moncrieff to tackle another round of listener dilemmas.From moving on from your ex to feeling lost after quitti...

Irish Cancer Society Warn Cancer Rates Could Double by 2045

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, joins Moncrieff to explain why the organisation is warning of a potential doubling in cancer cases by 2...

Beat the Lotto

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ross Whitaker, director of Beat the Lotto, joins Moncrieff to talk about his new documentary exploring the time when a syndicate attempted an elaborat...

Campervan Culture in Ireland’s Tourist Hotspots

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

NewsTalk's Henry McKean reports from campsites across the country, talking to tourists and campervan owners about the growing popularity of van life, ...

Crying at Work

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the back of Rachel Reeves' public showing of emotion in the UK Houses of Parliament, Lynda Barry, career consultant, joins Moncrieff to talk about ...

The Future of the Luas

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Paolo Carbone, Head of Light Rail Capital Programs with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, joins Moncrieff to talk about what’s next for Dublin’s L...

Parenting on Moncrieff

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Psychotherapist Joanna Fortune joins Moncrieff to respond to listener parenting dilemmas.From giving praise to dealing with early insecurities and mor...

Iran’s Grand Strategy

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Moncrieff is joined by Vali Nasr, author of Iran’s Grand Strategy – A Political History, to discuss Iran’s long-term geopolitical ambitions, it...

What Belongs in the Fridge

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Denise O’Donoghue, Life Hacks columnist for the Irish Examiner, joins Moncrieff to sort — once and for all —what should go in the fridge and wha...

Nee-Naw

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new service is being launched this week to provide support to people who feel unsafe or unwell during a night out in Dublin city centre.Known as the...

The Downside of Being a Digital Nomad

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Freelance journalist, Emily Bratt, joins Moncrieff to talk about the less glamorous side of working remotely around the world — from tax chaos and l...

Historic Offences Bill

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tonie Walsh, founding editor of Gay Community News, joins Moncrieff to discuss the introduction of the Historic Offences Bill, which seeks to expunge ...

The Evolution of The Simpsons’ Voices

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jesse Hassenger, culture writer for AV Club and The Guardian, joins Moncrieff to explore how the voices of The Simpsons characters have changed over t...

Why People Are Being More Honest About Plastic Surgery

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kerry Hanaphy, founder of Kerry Hanaphy Aesthetic Clinics, joins Moncrieff to discuss how she's noticed people are being much more open about plastic ...

Getting Out of a Reading Rut

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Saoirse Hanley, journalist with the Irish Independent, joins Moncrieff to talk about reading fatigue and how an online tool which suggested books base...

Blood Donation Call-Out for the Summer

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Paul McKinney, Director of Donor Services and Logistics with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, joins Moncrieff to make an urgent appeal for summer ...

Celebrity Perfume Endorsements

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the back of Donald Trump's own fragrance drop, Moncrieff is joined by Sarah Halliwell, beauty editor at The Gloss Magazine, to examine the endurin...

World's Most Dangerous Shipwreck

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most dangerous and closely observed shipwrecks in the world has been sitting in the Thames Estuary in London for 80 years. But why is it so...

Can AI Really Remove Emojis from Kids’ Faces on Social Media?

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jess Kelly, NewsTalk Tech Correspondent and host of Tech Talk, joins Moncrieff to explain a new AI tool designed to detect and strip out emojis placed...

Why Dog Poo on Beaches Is the Worst

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Éanna Ní Lamhna, Irish biologist and environmental consultant, joins Moncrieff to explain the serious environmental and health consequences of dog f...

A Year In the Woods: Montalto through the Seasons

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Clements, A well-known nature writer has released a new book about the year he spent living in a cottage on the grounds of a County Down estate; ...

Why We Refuse to Eat Insects

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Dustin Crummett, Executive Director of the Insect Institute in Washington, joins Moncrieff to discuss why Western countries still resist the idea o...

TV on the Radio

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sarina Bellissimo joins Moncrieff with her picks for what to stream. On the list thsi week:Ironheart – a Marvel spin-off bringing a new tech genius ...

Old Irish Censuses Recovered

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Brian Gurrin, census and population specialist with the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland project, joins Moncrieff to explain how old Irish census da...

Phoenix Revival

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a long campaign, the Phoenix Cinema in Dingle was saved from destruction by Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness.Aoife Granville from the Save T...

Puffin Snorkelling

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Travel journalist James Stewart joins Moncrieff to talk about one of the world’s most niche nature experiences: Puffin snorkelling.He explains where...

Baths Are Back

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

NewsTalk's own Sarah Madden investigates the resurgence of the humble bath.Why did we start such an uptake of the shower, and why, in certain circles,...

Streaming Kneecap's Set

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Helen Wilson joins Moncrieff to describe how her livestream of Kneecap's Glastonbury set blew up online.Listen here.

Presidential Terms

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sean Defoe, NewsTalk'sPolitical Correspondent, joins Moncrieff to discuss a proposal for changing the length of presidential terms in Ireland. Should ...

Movies and Booze

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michelle Lawlor, Brian Lloyd and Fionnuala Jones join Moncrieff for your weekly dose of wine, film, and showbiz. This week it's F1: The Movie, Ran —...

The Longest Tennis Match Ever

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With Wimbledon just around the corner, former amateur tennis player Liam Hoctor joins Moncrieff to relive an epic 55-hour tennis marathon in Tullamore...

Installing an Outdoor Shower

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jen Sheahan, former Home of the Year winner and columnist with the Irish Examiner, joins Moncrieff with practical and aesthetic advice on adding an ou...

Robocats

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Greenhill, Mayor of the Blue Mountains in Australia, joins Moncrieff to explain how robotic cats are being used in the Blue Mountains library —...

Five Times a Best Man

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Francis Nesbitt, joins Moncrieff to share stories from being a best man five times — the pressure, the speeches, the stag dos (and don'ts)Get all t...

How Our Fingers Wrinkle in the Bath?

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Davis, neuroscientist and psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, joins Moncrieff to explain why our fingers get wrinkly in water —...

Younger People Shouldn't be in Nursing Homes

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fiona Staunton, Director of Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease Ireland, joins Moncrieff to argue why younger people with early onset or chronic illness...

So, You Think You’re an Adult?

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Declan Buckley and Barbara Scully join Moncrieff to tackle your adult dilemmas.From a 'too' secretive partner to a new man that announces himself "too...

Are We Too Affectionate with Our Pets?

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has Ireland's love for pets has gone too far?With insights from pet owners, kids, a vet and even a pet bonding specialist, NewsTalk's Henry McKean rep...

What Actually Causes Potholes?

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Ciaran Feighan, civil engineer and consultant with Pavement Management Services Ltd. joins Moncrieff to explain how potholes really form, why Irela...

American Mother

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Author Colum McCann, joins Moncrieff to talk about his latest book American Mother -- the true story of a woman whose life was transformed by grief an...

How the brain invents your own reality

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does the brain perceive a situation which is new to us? A newly-released book explores how the mind fills in the gaps.Joining Seán to discuss is ...

Ireland’s trade relationship with Israel is bigger than you think

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

According to an Al Jazeera report, Ireland is the second biggest importer of Israeli products.And, with the Tánaiste bringing the outline of the Occu...

The chance of an asteroid hitting the Moon rises - but why?

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The chances of an asteroid hitting the Moon in 2032 have been ratcheted upwards as new data becomes available.Joining Seán to discuss this is Space C...

What does the “real” Iran look like?

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Given recent events and the bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States, we can have a tendency to let headlines dominate our perception of these ...

The different meanings of saying “I love you”

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How often do you hear the words "I love you"? Previously heard in a more romantic context, it seems to be used more and more in daily life, and is it ...

Would you take an AI tour of Dublin?

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Would you take an AI tour of Dublin? What even is that, and is it any good compared to having a real tour guide?Joining Seán to discuss is Liam Coate...

How to deal with cow sunburn

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While us humans are busy plastering on the suncream when the weather is good, spare a thought for our bovine friends who are just as vulnerable.Joinin...