Moncrieff
Episodes
Who invented butter chicken?
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve heard about the War of the Roses, you might have seen the War of the Buttons, but have you heard about the War of the Butter Chicken? India’...
The Most Iconic On-Screen Kisses
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we approach Valentine’s Day, many listeners will be digging out their favourite romantic movies to enjoy. But any romantic film worth its salt wi...
Winston Churchill's teeth sold at auction
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Winston Churchill’s teeth have been sold at auction, a unique set of dentures that were once used to deliver some of the most famous speeches of...
The World's First Masters Degree in Panto
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An English university offers a master's degree in ‘Contemporary Pantomime Practice’ and the first-ever class has graduated! Do we need a master’...
The Kidnapping of Shergar, 41 Years On
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today marks 41 years since the infamous kidnapping of Shergar, and despite a major manhunt at the time, we still don’t have any answers. Dr Patrick ...
'I'm still trying to figure it all out' - Trans comedian Becky Cheatle on 'exploring' her gender through comedy
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Becky Starfighter Cheatle is an Irish comedian whose next performance is taking place in the upcoming Scene & Heard Festival, which kicks off next...
'It can happen anywhere' - Henry McKean asks the people of Cork about flirting
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some of us are gifted flirters, while most say it's a skill that holds them back. What sets the good and bad flirters apart and can you learn to be be...
What is the impact of Tucker Carlson interviewing Vladimir Putin?
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, has announced that he is in Moscow and has been granted a very rare interview between a Western journalist a...
The Benefits of Intergenerational Care
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The interactions between the elderly and children have always been one to bring joy. Well a charity in the UK are currently doing research on the...
How Does TV Dubbing Work?
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
RTÉ are putting 80,000 euro into dubbing Peppa Pig and Thomas the Tank Engine, but how does dubbing work and will this benefit children? Deirdre Barr...
The UK's unluckiest game show contestant
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine appearing on over 50 TC shows, some of them the biggest game shows in the world, and never winning a cent. Edward Oldfield, serial game s...
'People never really leave us' - Around one-third of people hold on to things from ex-partners
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us will have a box stashed away in the bottom of a wardrobe or under a bed filled with memories from the past. Usually they’re se...
Movies turned Musicals: The best movies to make it to the stage
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Musicals seem to be popping up everywhere, but why and are they even any good? Freelance journalist and musical lover Esther McCarthy joined Sean to d...
Which parenting tribe do you belong to in the playground?
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When you are at the playground with your children, do you ever look around and see the different types of parents around you? Could it be the hungover...
Dublin Airport launches new pet screening facility
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After an over 3-year hiatus, Dublin Airport has launched its new pet screening service. Sean was joined by Graeme McQueen, Media Relations Manager for...
Is snoozing the alarm good or bad for you?
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
New research suggests that hitting the snooze button to squeeze in an extra five or 10 minutes of sleep may actually be good for you. Henry McKean wen...
America's first ever smart road
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Detroit, the so-called Motor Town of the States, has recently opened America’s first ever smart road, a highway that allows electric vehicles to cha...
Suspected Chinese spy pigeon released after 8 months in detention
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A pigeon suspected of being a Chinese spy has been released after spending 8 months in detention, it turns out it was a racing pigeon from Taiwan. Rah...
Nail Health: Everything you need to know
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fingernails are something you don’t think about until there’s a problem, and it could be an unsightly fungal infection but for many women it could...
100 Years of the Winter Olympics
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It was 100 years ago that athletes first competed in the Winter Olympics, taking place in Chamonix in the French Alpes. But how different was the 1924...
'We can do it the same as a male can do it' - Calls for more female succession in farming
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Traditionally, farms were left to the sons but what about the daughters? Well, The Department of Agriculture has a new plan to promote and normalise f...
'I have an 8 filling breakfast roll everyday' - Henry asks what you have for breakfast
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One in five people have eaten the exact same breakfast every day for the last 5 years. Henry McKean hit the streets to find out what you have for brea...
Sea Sheperds: The people cleaning up our seas
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our sea is filled with ghost nets, which are described as ‘..curtains of death’ but what are they and what is being done about these death traps? ...
Is peeing in the countryside considered littering?
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A local council in Hertfordshire in England has come under fire after issuing a number of fines to people who have urinated in rural areas, under litt...
Paris' 'Ratatouille restaurant' loses over €1.5m worth of wine
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Wine worth more than €1.5m (£1.3m) has vanished from La Tour d'Argent, one of Paris' most famous restaurants and the inspiration for the film Ratat...
The Third Place: 'They allow for a communication and connection with other people'
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If your home and work are where you spend most of your time – the first and second locations that your life is centered around, where would you say ...
Calling all Gobnaits: Festival set to take place celebrating the patron saint of bee keepers
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Calling all Gobnaits! A festival is taking place is in Cork to celebrate the patron saint of bee keepers, and to give her more prominence i...
How do films get a classification?
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you decide what film you let your children watch based on the film certifications? And how do these certifications even work and do they have an im...
Masters of the Air: The history behind the new TV series
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The new Apple TV series Masters of the Air, which chronicles the escapades of the American B-17 bombers during WWII, is based on a book of the same na...
Is Working From Home Causing Bad Habits in Staff?
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Working from home has its perks but it also raises concerns about addictive behaviour and the dangers of falling deep into addiction, one man who know...
'County Coogee' - The Irish are 'taking a break from life at home' in Australia
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is a common theory at the moment that young people are being forced to immigrate to Australia, due to the high cost of living in Ireland. I...
International Croissant Day
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As today is International Croissant Day, it got us thinking about the origins of this delectable delight and were surprised to discover that its begin...
‘I’m absolutely useless when it comes to playing music’ - Henry attempts to learn the ukulele
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As part of Smithwick’s Trad Fest Henry McKean was asked to try and learn an instrument and was approached by Ukulele Tuesday, a Ukelele band which m...
Lack of own brand baby formula 'hugely problematic' for many parents
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Parents who buy baby formula will be well aware of the soaring costs of these products over the past two years. The ban on using vouchers or loyalty c...
Ambassador Theatre set to reopen with 'railings surrounding it'
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Ambassador Theatre at the top of O’Connell Street has been a landmark since its opening in 1764. Having been on something of a hiatus...
Living Funerals: How do they work?
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
More and more people are opting to carry out a living funeral, in which the subject attends their own send off or spends time in a coffin in order to ...
The Rise of Feng Shui in Ireland
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever looked across the room at a piece of furniture and thought ‘I’m not getting good energy from that’. Well then maybe you’re ...
Is there a cure for jetlag?
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Pilita Clarke, Columnist and Associate Editor of the Financial Times joined Sean on the show today to discuss jetlag and if there's a cure for it...
David Puttnam on Brexit, the Oscars and life in Cork
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
David Puttnam is a producer whose films have won 10 Oscars, 31 BAFTAs, 13 Golden Globes, 9 Emmys, and the Palme d'Or at Cannes. He is British born, bu...
Fintan McCarthy: 'All systems go' ahead of Paris 2024
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 2024 Olympics takes place in Paris this summer. Participating athlete's preparations will have been well underway for years, and hoping to continu...
Saudi Arabia set to open first off-licence in Riyadh
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Saudi Arabian government has announced that it is set to open its first alcohol shop since prohibition began in the country in 1952. Sean was join...
Are Love Languages Real?
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 5 languages of love created by Baptist, Gary Chapman in 1992 have become cemented into popular consciousness as a guideline for how to express and...
Unguarded: A play based around surrogacy laws in Ireland
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of people have created families through surrogacy but they don’t have the rights as others – they are in legal limbo’ those of the words o...
'The Beatles!' - What posters did you have on your childhood wall?
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Claire Foy whilst promoting her new film ‘All of Us Strangers’ with Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, told BBC Radio 2 she had a poster of Shaggy on h...
Debunking Social Media Scams
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Scam ads are all over the internet, from packages that never arrive to fake article scams that lead you to investing in a fake cryptocurrency company ...
Johnny Marr slams Donald Trump for using The Smiths song during a rally last year
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last night, the Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr tweeted his disgust at a Donald Trump campaign event using one of his band’s songs. He then vowed to st...
Part of St. Brigid’s relic to return to Kildare after nearly 1000 years
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last year, a campaign was launched to bring back St Brigid’s relic from Lisbon to Kildare. We spoke with David Mongey, Chairman of INTO Kildare and ...
Holidaymakers warned to 'be aware' of types of fauna when travelling abroad
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jamie Doran was hospitalized after he made contact with a caterpillar. Should we be more aware of deadly insects when travelling around Europe and eve...
Micro-Joys: Finding the Good in the Little Things
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve heard the phrase “find joy in the little things”, but in a world of wars, housing crises and climate change, it can be hard to see joy.&n...
Do we really turn into our parents?
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all think we are avoiding it, but sooner or later there comes a time when we just have to accept that we are turning into our parents. But did...
The Dating App for Bald People
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A niche dating site for the bald community seeks to link the folically challenged with those who admire a smooth pate. Sean was joined by David Minns,...
Why are cars getting bigger?
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Figures released today show that cars are getting wider by about a centimetre every two years. More than 73,000 SUVs were sold in Ireland l...
Oscars 2024: Oppenheimer dominates nominations
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cillian Murphy has been nominated for Best Actor at this year’s Oscars.The Irishman was nominated for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Chri...
Should the Irish Pub be placed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage list?
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As more and more pubs around Ireland close, is it time to offer some form of cultural protection? Sean was joined by Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth to di...
A History of Irish Political Cartoons
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Political satire has been a mainstay of commentary for centuries, allowing for brief but impactful remarks about current affairs, scandals and charact...
60 Years of Tolka Row
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It was this month 60 years ago that Ireland got its first soap opera. Tolka Row focused on two families in an imaginary housing estate in north Dublin...
'Getting back in the saddle' - 'A lot of benefits' from scheduling sex with a partner
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The comedian and actor Katherine Ryan has disclosed in a newspaper interview that she and her husband schedule their sexual encounters. So, is ‘...
How to take off and land in a storm
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You might have seen videos online of plans trying to land at various airports across the UK and Ireland last night during Storm Isha. Anyon...
Alpha vs Beta Relationships
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s the old saying opposites attract, but sometimes we can’t help but look for the traits we like about ourselves in our prospective partners....
The Return of the Hovercraft
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The hovercraft route between the south of England and the Isle of Wight is currently the only year round scheduled service using this mode of transpor...
The Flaws with Rotten Tomatoes
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the writers of the latest season of True Detective has gone public with her criticism of people ‘review bombing’ her show in order to skew ...
'My mam does everything' - Henry asks who does the housework in your house?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A Chinese mum live streamed her 9 year old son to make sure he is doing his homework, and so she can concentrate on her housework.This got us thinking...
What is 'bookshelf wealth'?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A new interiors trend called ‘bookshelf wealth’ is all the rage but what is it and is cultivating a bookshelf taking precedence over the actual re...
How do you pronounce scone?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Scone or scon? It has divided counties and nations for decades, but it seems both are correct. Countdown presenter Susie Dent has said the ...
How should we introduce young people to alcohol?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An incident in a pub in the UK, in which a child was refused a champagne flute for her soft drink, has triggered a conversation about when and how we ...
All-Island Strategic Rail Review would see Fermanagh as 'only county' without rail
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition to get Fermanagh included in the All Island Strategic Rail Review. The draft plan was publish...
Sober rave in Dublin about 'exploring a different way' to party
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Raves aren’t for the fainthearted. Often you’re packed into a warehouse with hundreds of other people, who are sweating and a little bit worse for...
Songs making a comeback from their use in recent movies And TV
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Older songs are making a comeback, with some being discovered for the first time by younger generations. The nostalgic wave can be prompted by a new T...
How does the cold weather affect an EV battery?
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Electric cars are a great invention but what happens to the batteries during the cold winter months, or if you are in Ireland, the coldness year-round...
What is a community hotel?
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The government yesterday agreed in principle to the request to turn a derelict hotel in Roscrea into a community hotel, in an attempt to calm tensions...
Hacks to Reduce Your Phone Use
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Tommy Tiernan found a grayscale screen to be his unlikely ally in curtailing phone use. But that’s just one trick in the digital detox hand...
Ireland's History of Emigration
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The media has been dominated by stories over the last number of months about protests taking place outside reception centres over immigrants seeking i...
The Baby Name Consultants
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
More and more people are choosing to outsource their baby naming to consultants. But how does the process work?Sean was joined SJ Strum, Founder ...
'I wouldn't really watch live TV' - Is realtime TV watching on the way out?
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The days of watching live TV could be numbered.The Broadcasters Audience Research Board in the UK says the proportion of programming watched on demand...
What is the role of the Irish Army Ranger Wing?
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A new purpose-built headquarters for the Army Ranger Wing is due to be built this year, as part of a series of infrastructure investments in the Defen...
Robin rescued in Kildare after getting caught in 'cruel' glue trap
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A charity based in Kildare town has recently released a robin red breast that came into its care, after getting itself attached to a glue trap.Dan Don...
How do you define genocide?
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, the eyes of the world were on the International Criminal Court, as Aouth Africa took a case against Israel over the situation in Gaza. ...
'I was going through two a day' - Attempting to quit vaping 'tougher than it seems'
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Starting is easy, quitting's tough. JJ Clarke, Assistant Podcast Producer at the Irish Independent, insightfully explores this in his latest piece. He...
Gladiators is back!
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Saturday evening TV in the 1990s was in its prime, with classics like Blind Date, Noel’s House Party, You’ve been Framed and others. Bu...
German Chancellor embraces 19th Century tech to outsmart Russian spies
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The German Chancellor’s office has announced that it will retain its 19th century pneumatic tube messaging system due to its fears of Russian interc...
The Most Turbulent Flights in the World
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Turbulence is the worst part of flying for many people. Though it’s a phenomenon that happens surprisingly regularly, it can often be alarming – o...
Do Irish women say 'sorry' too much?
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to comedian Emma Doran, Irish women are apologise too much. Emma depicts this in her latest video, which features various characters, o...
The World's Ugliest Lawn Competition
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is a comptetion currently ongoing for the World's Ugliest Lawn. Broadcaster and Gardener Diarmuid Gavin is one of the judges and he joined Sean ...
How do people decide what to dress their loved ones in for their funeral
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Singer Imelda May has revealed that her father was dressed in a clown suit for his wake because he had specifically requested them to arrange this as ...
Is the traditional phonebooth about to make a comeback?
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cork city's old phone boxes are due to be replaced with digital kiosks.Eir is applying to Cork City Council to replace their old phone boxes with new ...
The Search for Ireland’s Buried Treasure Ship
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It may seem like a notion of times past, but are there any treasure shipwrecks in Ireland? According to Edmond O’Byrne, Member of the Lifeboat in Ki...
Are your 20s the best decade of your life?
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are your 20s the best decade of your life? Is it the golden decade where you set yourself up for careers, life partnerships and the prospec...
'The demand is there' - Calls for a 'permanent' Olympic ice rink in Ireland
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland is just one of a very small handful of countries in Europe that doesn’t have an Olympic-sized ice rink. This has put athletes and parents up...
Le Chéile: Mentoring group helping young people reach their potential
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Le Chéile Mentoring, the national volunteer mentoring and family support service, has launched a new recruitment campaign seeking Dubliners to become...
29 bodies to be exhumed at Mountjoy Prison
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An excavation is to take place at Mountjoy Prison to exhume the bodies of 29 bodies. The 28 men and one woman were all executed for murder ...
British Post Office scandal 'top of the political agenda' following ITV drama
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A controversy has erupted in the UK surrounding the use of software by the British Post Office, which lead to a number of former Post Masters wrongful...
Star Trek's prediction of a United Ireland in 2024
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Star Trek fans out there will know all too well why 2024 is such a special year for Ireland’s relationship with Star Trek. In order to look at the m...
'Flat 7UP, that's the cure' - People's memories of pulling a sickie
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's that time of year where we are all tempted to pull a sickie or maybe we are genuinely sick. But how has it changed from the 1970, 80s and 90s unt...
Letter found in Royal Irish Academy Library 40 Years after it was written
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A note left in an old book in the Royal Irish Academy Library in 1983 has been discovered 40 years later.Author of the letter, Brendan Guilfoyle, Prof...
'There's much more access to testing' - Rise in number of STIs in Ireland
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over 6,700 cases of gonorrhoea were reported in Ireland last year, up from 3,976 in 2022. There has been a 70% increase in the number of gonorrhoea ca...
The Tidying Mouse
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A man's shed has been the nightly cleaning project of a discreet mouse, caught on film by wildlife photographer Rodney Holbrook over the course of two...
Scala - The World's Wildest Cinema
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Thatcher years are known for many things, but for those who may have felt like outsiders, the Scala cinema in London provided an influential and i...
How to Qualify for the Abandoned Home Grant
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Room to Improve returned to TV screens last night, and instead of the architecture, it was the grants that got viewers. The couple featured saved...
Microsoft keyboard gets first update in 30 years
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft is to make its first keyboard change in almost 30 years this year. The tech giant is adding a key to the keyboard of its Windows 11 P...
My dog ate $4,000 in cash
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A couple from Pittsburg got the shock of their lives recently when they discovered that $4,000 in cash that they left on their kitchen counter was eat...