Moncrieff

New theory on meaning of spiral symbols at Newgrange

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new theory on the meaning of the spiral symbols at Newgrange might mean that the site is more of a “cosmic calendar” than we may have thought be...

Why DIY is having a resurgence with women

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How handy are you with power tools?Whether you’re fed up waiting to get a tradesperson out, or are trying to save money, it seems there’s a big ch...

Should you go to more gigs on your own?

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There is something of a social stigma that we have about attending certain events or doing certain activities on our own.In particular, a gig or a con...

Has the adverb gone out of fashion?

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s over a week since many of us would have first heard that Pope Francis had “sadly died”.And this particular phrasing may have reminded those...

Could ChatGPT help with dating advice?

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who do you go to for advice?And what do you do when your friends are fed up with listening to you? Well, could ChatGPT prove to be a listening ear?Ede...

The mysteries behind the Dublin Whiskey Fire of 1875

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happened in the Great Liberties Whiskey Fire of 1875 and what mysteries surround it one hundred and fifty years later?Historian Donal Fallon join...

Are there nuclear weapons in space?

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Russia’s secretive Cosmos 2553 satellite, which has seemingly been spinning out of control lately, has raised alarming questions about the potential...

Why rewilding is so important

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Randal Plunkett took on an ambitious project of rewilding his family estate, Dunsany, embarking on a large-scale rewilding project aiming to improve b...

Making a mosaic out of digestive biscuits!

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can you really use digestive biscuits to make a portrait?Mosaic Artist Ed Chapman has successfully created biscuit versions of Judi Dench and David Bo...

Do we like missing out on things? - Henry McKean Asks

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a ‘JOMO’ or ‘FOMO’ person?According to the experts, the Joy of missing out can protect your mental health in a fear-of-missing-out wor...

Is having one child enough?

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seán’s guest had decided with her husband to have only one child, but a chance encounter with a newborn brought pangs of yearning.Joining to discus...

PJ Gallagher on 20 years of Naked Camera

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This month marks the 20th anniversary of one of the funniest shows on Irish television, ‘Naked Camera’.Seán is joined by its star, PJ Gallagher, ...

Rory O’Neill on Panti Bliss, The Four Mothers and Marriage Equality

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seán is joined in The Sugar Club by drag artist and gay activist Rory O’Neill, AKA Panti Bliss.Rory can currently be seen in cinemas nationwide in ...

The hidden side of YouTube

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are many many people who have made whole careers out of content they put on YouTube; the likes of Mr.Beast can have hundreds of millions of view...

The Great Gatsby Turns 100

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the Great Gatsby turns 100 this month, how relevant are its themes to the America of today? Seán speaks to Keith Duggan, Washington Correspondent ...

35 Years of Nothing Compares 2 U

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can you remember where you were when you first heard it? This week marks thirty five years of Sinead O’Connor’s iconic hit ‘Nothing Compare...

The Art of Friendship Exhibition

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Irish artists Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone were lifelong friends who are credited with bringing modern art to Ireland.  An exhibition which explo...

Finding Grey Pubes, Ageing and Feminism

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does it all really go down hill after 50? Author Kathy Lette decided to bare her soul and wrote about the experience of finding her first grey ha...

The Soviet Spy stationed in Ireland

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1960's, an Austrian man came to live in Ireland - tried to become a Butcher and later became a Travelling Salesman. The catch? He was a Soviet ...

Why is free speech under attack?

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You only need to look at the controversy surrounding Kneecap’s appearance at the Coachella Music Festival to recognise that free speech has been and...

What is ‘tech neck’?

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As we use our mobile phones and other devices, a phenomenon known as ‘tech neck’ can take place, causing increased wrinkles to form in this area.S...

New Oscars mandate requires judges to watch all films

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do you mean the judges haven’t seen all the Oscar nominated films?This is the revelation that has led to the introduction of a new rule by the ...

Is free will just an illusion?

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are we truly in control of our actions, or are we bound by our predetermined genetic make-up, powerless to act against our instinctive reactions to th...

The Pope has an open casket - is this still common?

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You might have noticed from the officially released Vatican photographs that the Pope is lying in an open casket. But, is this still a common practice...

What speed dating is like for gay women

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As more and more people are finding the online search for love frustrating, the opportunity for real life connection is increasingly sought-after. Alt...

How to defeat Bank Holiday brain mush

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you feel like you’re a bit slow today?For many people, getting back into the swing of things after a few days off, particularly a long bank holid...

Festival to celebrate all things street photography

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Dublin Street Photography Festival kicks off next weekend on May 2nd in Charlemont Square, celebrating all things in the medium of street photogra...

New book explorers parallels between Nazi and Chilean Dictator

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new book explores two extraordinary parallel histories, documenting the lives and crimes of a notorious Nazi, and an infamous Chilean dictator.Joini...

The dangers of a sunbed addiction

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A woman who spent years using sunbeds has taken to social media to warn others about the legacy of her addiction.Joining Seán to discuss is Kerrieann...

Is Ireland in a psychedelic renaissance?

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Science is rediscovering the medicinal potential of things like magic mushrooms for treatments. UCC recently held a research day about this, and Olive...

Everyday things to improve with family budgeting

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With families feeling the pinch of the cost of living now more than ever, people are looking to overhaul their spending habits and make realistic savi...

How to navigate a big break up

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the best way to call off an engagement?And how do you manage to recover after a big break up?Frances Kelleher is a Dating and Relationship co...

Home Alone Director wants to digitally remove Donald Trump from film 

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hollywood movie Director Chris Columbus has revealed this week that he would like to digitally remove Donald Trump from Home Alone 2. But, is there a ...

What is the ‘Straight Line Mission’?

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new adventure challenge that has been popularised over the past few years is called ‘Straight Line Missioning’, and requires participants to tra...

What is ‘guiltivisim’?

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us probably don’t have to scroll far down our social media feeds to find something about the war in Gaza or Ukraine, or perhaps Sudan or Yem...

Is the Thermomix dupe a worthy kitchen gadget?

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Thermomix is a state-of-the-art kitchen companion that offers to make life easier in the kitchen. But at almost €1,500, the efficiency, creativi...

The Irish pilot who did the first east-west Atlantic crossing

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Irish Captain James Fitzmaurice from Laois, who piloted the first east-west Atlantic crossing in April 1928, is a fascinating one.Joining...

IFI to screen classic films in their wide-screen glory!

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever fancied seeing film classics such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ & ’Ryan’s Daughter’ in their full wide-screen glory, Th...

The Great Moose Migration and ‘Slow TV’

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For some people, sitting down to watch TV is the most relaxing thing, but now millions of people are taking this one step further and embracing a tren...

How this sculpture of Gerry Adams was made

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new sculpture of Gerry Adams is currently on exhibit at the Kilkenny Portrait Show. But, how do you go about creating the likeness of a living perso...

Exploring the strange borders of Europe

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this country we are only too familiar with the problems that can occur when someone draws a new line on the map between two nations, but ours is fa...

What it takes to have a champion cat

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a winning cat?Over one hundred cats took part in the GCCFI Supreme Cat Show on Sunday, but only one cat was crowned the overall winner and ...

Why we can’t stop scrolling

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find conversations boring to the point that you are constantly reaching for your phone?Research shows that within two minutes of chatting Gen Z...

Why the EU should shut down content algorithms

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As European nations rearm at a rate not seen since the Cold War, one commentator believes that a more insidious actor needs to be addressed first: the...

Newgrange discovery sheds light on life in Neolithic Ireland

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve been lucky enough to visit Newgrange, you can attest to the fact that it’s a pretty impressive structure - so you can imagine just how i...

Is testosterone therapy the right choice for middle-aged men?

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More and more middle-aged Irish men are investigating the possibility of testosterone therapy, motivated by social media and podcasters such as Joe Ro...

Should dogs be allowed in the office?

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While there has been a rise in interest in employees bringing their dogs to the office, should workplaces have a pet policy in place to ensure that ev...

How workplaces should manage bereaved employees

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How should workplaces manage when an employee has been bereaved, and what supports should be in place to allow those in mourning to deal with their wo...

The mental toughness you need to win the Masters

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

He finally did it!Rory McIlroy completed a career grand slam in Augusta after coming out victorious in the Masters after a nail-biting play off.But wh...

How this man got an alphabetical shopping receipt

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

By choosing his groceries very carefully, and scanning them in a certain order at the supermarket till, a man has managed to get a perfectly alphabeti...

What is driving the demand for vinyl?

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the last record you bought?And do you own a vinyl record player?Taylor Swift is once again proving to be the most popular artist of her gener...

Homeless Irish-American man running for Mayor of Seattle

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An unhoused Irish-American man is currently running for Mayor of Seattle, in order to raise awareness of the significant housing issues facing the pop...

Oscars to give award for stunts from 2028

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a new award for Stunt Design, which will be inaugurated at the 2028 Oscars.Joining Seán...

Mountaineering Ireland warns hikers over recent fires

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the weather as glorious as it is, many people will be taking the chance to get out in nature and get hiking.Mountaineering Ireland have issued an...

New law campaigned by woman who lost son has been signed

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seán’s guest lost her son in the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack. After campaigning for many years for event venues to be obliged to prepare...

What is Syria like right now?

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the nature of news that once a conflict has ended, that country seems to slip out of our news feed, as if everything has been resolved and noth...

Is ‘slow dating’ the right way to start a relationship?

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How long does it take you to fall in love?And, is there such a thing as a slow burn, or should it be a whirlwind at the beginning?Jake Maddock, a Rela...

Admitting when you are wrong - Henry McKean Reports

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do we try to save face when we’ve lost an argument or made a fool of yourself? After Trump’s tariff u-turn, do you apologise? Do you try to ch...

Why ‘speedcubing’ is growing in popularity

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you any good at solving a Rubik’s cube?And have you heard of speedcubing?The new competition seems to be taking over the country as interest soa...

New documentary examines John Lennon and Yoko Ono charity concerts

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new documentary film examines two charity concerts that John Lennon and Yoko Ono organised in the early 1970s, using a treasure trove of contemporar...

Why do writers have so many superstitions?

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Author Anthony Horowitz has revealed that he writes a letter to his wife with details of how his book ends, just in case he gets hit by a bus before f...

Should the definition of a rat change?

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you blame them for the black death, or you just think they’re a bit gross, rats don’t have a fantastic reputation among us humans.And mayb...

Could AI help us become more emotionally intelligent?

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve spent any time on the internet, you may have noticed that emotional intelligence is in short supply, and apparently only 36% of us actuall...

Why talking about periods shouldn’t be taboo

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are misinformation and body shaming continuing to cause problems for women and their menstrual cycle? Máire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh, Doctor and Columni...

The work behind celebrity prosthetic teeth

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Teeth are all anybody is talking about these days when it comes to TV and film, thanks in part to the fascination with Aimee Lou Wood in The White Lot...

Finding comedy in grief - and oversharing online

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Life has a funny way of working out, but if you’ve just been dumped, lost your job and have nowhere to live, things can feel pretty miserable.Aoife ...

How to revamp your summer whites for the good weather!

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the weather improves, many people will be digging out their summer whites. But, how do you revamp these garments to make them look as good as new, ...

How rising chocolate prices are affecting the Irish baking industry

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alarming price increases in both chocolate and butter are having a major impact on the baking and chocolate industry in Ireland…Joining Seán to dis...

Why are there so many sightings of the Eurasian Hoopoe?

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a bumper season for sightings of the Eurasian Hoopoe on Ireland’s south coast, an exotic bird with a pink mohawk.Joining Seán to discuss ...

Is pedestrianisation hurting Irish businesses?

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While the ongoing pedestrianisation of many towns and cities around Ireland since the pandemic often brings benefits, it can put a toll on retail busi...

What is the right way to wear aftershave?

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new book claims that the French president Emmanuel Macron wears so much aftershave that his staff can smell him before they see him coming. So, how ...

How do we end the ‘culture wars’?

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A major part of our public discourse in recent years has been about the so-called ‘culture wars’.These discussions seem to exhibit an ever increas...

Are male teachers the answer to fighting toxic masculinity?

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Could having more male teachers help with toxic masculinity?Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson sparked a discussion with her comments calling for ...

The most memorable insults made in the Dáil

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The recent debate on Dáil speaking time wasn’t exactly a shining example of parliamentary decorum, but it was far from the first time such behaviou...

Do we go mad when the Sun is out? - Henry McKean Asks

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Temperatures are the highest so far this year, reaching up to 20 degrees in the midlands. But, are you wearing sunscreen, or is the stint of nice weat...

Why the typewriter is having a resurgence

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The typewriter was patented by four inventors in Milwaukee in 1868, and today, the machine is having something of an unexpected revival, with the city...

Has the gym replaced the pub for Gen Z?

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has the gym replaced the pub for the younger generation?According to new figures, more young people are going to the gym now than ever before, and Gen...

Henry McKean’s Make-A-Wish Challenge!

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s Wish Day! This week marks Make-A-Wish Ireland’s annual fundraising week, which raises money to grant life-changing wishes to children facing ...

Nationwide scheme has citizens on the hunt for fossils!

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new citizen science project in UCC called the Great Irish Fossil Hunt aims to catalogue the fossils of Ireland. But, how will it work?Joining Seán ...

What happens when someone dies on a plane?

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It is something nobody likes thinking about, but what happens if someone has a medical emergency on a plane and passes away mid flight?You might have ...

How has comedy changed in the modern day?

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the good old days, being a successful comedian was all about getting on TV.Making Gay Byrne chuckle on The Late Late or even taking the mick out of...

Children are facing an ‘allergy epidemic’ - here’s why

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, parents were told not to introduce potential problem foods, such as seafood, peanuts etc, to kids until they were a bit older. Now, ...

Cash-sniffing dogs - Henry McKean Reports

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Revenue Department in Ireland hires a lot of people - not just to make sure you're paying your taxes - but to prevent smuggling.One if its staff m...

Wish Week: Maisie’s Story

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week is Wish Week on Newstalk and right across the station we have been hearing about the amazing families who have had their wishes granted with...

Oxfam and An Post team up for clothes donation project

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Oxfam has teamed up with An Post for a new scheme where you can use the national postal service to pick up your donated clothes and other goods, for f...

Why men are stuck in fashion ruts

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Be honest, do you have a style uniform?According to the fashion experts, once men hit forty just keep buying the same clothes over and over again.So i...

How Arranmore island managed to grow its population

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever fancied a slower pace of life living on an island?Well, you may remember that the local community in Arranmore, which is an island off t...

How does filibustering work?

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last night, Senator Cory Booker broke the record for the longest speech ever on the senate floor in Washington DC, at just over 25 hours before he yie...

Ireland’s missing persons cases

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You have probably seen the media coverage for the missing farmer Michael Gaine, but not every case gets as much public attention.So, how does a missin...

Loch Ness Monster camera discovered after 50 years

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over half a century ago, a series of special cameras were submerged in Loch Ness as part of a programme to capture footage of the monster sea serpent ...

Is the gender pay gap improving?

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since 2022, Irish employers have been required to publish details of what their male and female employees are being paid.Has it had any affect to gend...

How exercise can warp our sense of time

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever held the plank position as part of your exercise regime, you’ll know that one minute of that core exercise can feel like a lifetime...

Aoife Barry on having her book stolen by AI

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when the book you’ve worked so hard on ends up online without your control? This is the case for arts journalist and author Aoife ...

Is ‘hetero-pessimism’ a problem on the internet?

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You don’t have to search too hard on the internet to find people complaining about useless men, but then again you don’t have to search too hard t...

What the Nixon/Lynch row teaches us about diplomatic relations today

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the early 1970s, a row broke out between President Richard Nixon and Taoiseach Jack Lynch over landing rights at Dublin Airport… but what lessons...

When can trademarks be used in television?

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A particular scene from the White Lotus, featuring the logo of a university in North Carolina, has prompted the institution to release a statement, bu...

What is an ‘Age of Reason’ ceremony?

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Would you consider doing an alternative Communion ceremony for your child?Many parents are choosing to raise their children in a non-religious environ...

Instagram Vs Reality: Solo Travel

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many people dream of quitting their job and heading off to go backpacking around the world. But, what happens when the reality of hostels and solo tra...

Peeing on the street - Henry McKean Reports

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wayne Rooney was caught short when he was spotted urinating in public after a night out in London…How common is it here in Ireland to urinate in the...

Should Google Maps use Irish place names in the Gaeltacht?

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you open up Google Maps while you’re driving through the Gaeltacht, you might notice that many of the place names are anglicised. Historian and R...