Moncrieff
Episodes
What is Phubbing?
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re all guilty of not being able to put our phones down at times, and it’s gotten even more difficult to be without it in recent years, since so...
The Job of a Crossword Setter
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Crosswords are as popular as ever but how do they get created in the first place? Sean was joined by John Halpern, Crossword setter for the Guardian...
Cockapoo's can be 'quite a tough dog to have'
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The cockapoo has now passed out the Labrador on the list of most popular pets in the home. This is a result of the growing demand for designer dogs an...
'I never met her but felt I knew her' - How to handle nationwide collective grief
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland and the world are grieving Sinead O’Connor but most of us have never met her or even seen her play live. Why is it we grieve someone we don’...
'Sindy was more of a girl next door dolly'
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s been an awful lot of talk about Barbie over the last few months, but many women who grew up in Ireland will be more familiar with the 80s do...
Author Amy McCulloch: The Kerry Way started this grand adventure my life has taken
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When author Amy McCulloch set out travelling South America with her husband and partner of 10 years, she didn’t think she’d return from her trip a...
Beano comic celebrates 85th anniversary
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us grew up with comic books, and one that most people will recognise is Beano. Well, Beano turns 85 today, and in order to reflect the society...
How To...Design Your Home Interior
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For this weeks 'How To' slot we’re looking at how to design your home interior. Sean was joined by Jennifer Sheahan, Home of the Year winner to disc...
Should all Gardaí be armed?
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Taoiseach has rowed back on his stance that Gardaí should be armed in the wake of violent incidents in the capital. But what do the Gardaí feel ...
The People of Los Alamos
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Moviegoers were running to the cinemas this weekend to catch Christopher Nolan’s new Oppenheimer, but many people may not have noticed some historic...
Thank You For Holding: Episode 1
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The experience of being put on hold is one which most of us can relate to the exasperatingly long list of options, the tedious music and the struggle ...
'Is your car an option?' - Dating while living at home
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the consequences of the housing crisis is the tricky situation of bringing your date back to the gaff where your parents are living with you. B...
British Miracle Meat
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When the new mockumentary British Miracle Meat aired on Channel 4 last night many people struggled to know if its depiction of human flesh consumption...
Disconnecting while on holidays: 'People can't switch off'
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The whole point of a holiday is to switch off, relac and not think about work - But that's easier said than done. There is always that temptation to c...
Cooking with AI: 'A conversation with a cookbook'
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There was a time when recipes were handed down through an oral tradition. Could artificial intelligence help to bring this tradition back? Sean was ...
Nostalgic noshing
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What's your favourite meal of yore? The dessert that dances up memories of childhood or the snack you still comfort yourself with at the end of a bad ...
Guinness World Record holder for most Barbie dolls owned
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The marketing for Greta Gerwig’s new Barbie film is unavoidable at the moment. But how did it all begin? With the doll of course! Bettina Dorfmann ...
Annual swan count set to take place on the River Thames
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard the old adage that the swans in London belong to the Queen. Well, now the ownership of those swans has shifted over to Charles. T...
Scrapbooking: 'Great ways to keep memories'
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us had scrapbooks growing up dedicated to our favourite bands and our holidays, but it’s a craft that many people forget about in later life...
'Internalised homophobia is a key issue': Domestic violence in LGBT+ relationships
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reports of domestic violence increased during the Covid-19 pandemic as families went into lockdowns together. However, most of the conversations we...
'An Irish affair' - Kerryman who designed stunt for Mission Impossible
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest Mission Impossible movie one of the key scenes involves Tom Cruise careering up a ramp on a motorbike before launching himself off it in...
'No chance' of a pint under €5 in Dublin City - Guinness Guru
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Diageo have today announced that they will be increasing the price of their pints by 4 cent. This comes not long after their 12 cent price hike in F...
How To...Make A Podcast
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For this weeks 'How To' slot we’re looking at how to make your own podcast. Sean was joined by Patrick Haughey, Managing Director of AudioBrand and ...
Dáil's youngest TD brings 'something different to the table'
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As PBP TD Brid Smith has announced she will not seek re-election at the next contest, the debate around the age profile of our public representatives ...
'Easy prey for predators' - What happens when you abandon pets in the wild?
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A group of four rabbits were rescues from Stephens Green on Sunday, which were believed to be pets that someone released to the wild because they no l...
Death Valley: The hottest place on earth
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The aptly named Death Valley in California is the hottest place on Earth and temperatures over the past few days have been getting dangerously close t...
The History of Irish Railways
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The All Island Strategic Railway Review is due to come before the Cabinet later this month, and it includes plans for more high speed connections betw...
The rules and regulations around Dublin's busking scene
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From Galway to Killarney, our streets are full of buskers, but different rules can apply under local bylaws. One of Ireland's most well-known buskers...
'Life doesn't end the day you're diagnosed': Living with Lewy Body Dementia
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The drug company Eli Lilly has developed an experimental drug to treat dementia. It has found that the drug could have a dramatic effect in slowing d...
What constitutes a true Irish pub?
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever sat in an Irish pub, looked around the walls and spotted weird ornaments, old photos, and strange objects from times gone by? These a...
‘That was the first time I was set on fire …’ – Irish stuntwoman Niamh Hogan
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine going home and being asked “how was your day?” and the answer is “great, I was set on fire!” That’s a somewhat typical day in the ...
Roscommon was known as a 'UFO hotspot' in the 90s
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Just over a quarter of a century ago, Barry Browne was camping by Lough Key in Co. Roscommon, when he saw something that would stick with him for deca...
Rewilding 'not always the right thing' for your garden
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
‘Rewilding’ is the gardening buzz word of 2023. With public spaces like the front of Trinity College growing out their lawns in favour of wild mea...
New research aims to help the brain ‘unlearn’ tinnitus
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Between 10% and 15% of the Irish population is currently living with tinnitus but groundbreaking new research in Trinity College is discovering novel ...
'A lot of of people will be delighted' - Companies now offering grandternity leave
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
While we’ve been expanding paternity and parental leave in Ireland over recent years, there are still many families who struggle to manage home and ...
The World's Largest Gathering of Golden Retrievers
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The golden retriever is currently celebrating its 155th anniversary as a breed. As it was first bred in Scotland, there are crowds of dog owners gathe...
The 85th Anniversary of the Handover of Spike Island
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week marks the 85th anniversary of the handover of Spike Island, in Co. Cork, from British to Irish ownership. Spike Island, one of the infamous ...
‘Huge amount’ of Tinder users are already in relationships
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you are on a dating app, you’ll know that the strike rate can be hit and miss. However, a new study shows that about two thirds of people who ...
What is Mudlarking?
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
While there is a long history of mudlarking in England, particularly on the River Thames, the hobby is growing in popularity in Ireland. Sean was jo...
Australian Indigenous Voice referendum acknowledges 'historical inequalities'
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albenese has pledged to hold the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum within 6 months. But what is this vot...
'They breed like rabbits!' - Managing the hare population at Dublin Airport
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you fly in and out of Dublin Airport you are probably unaware of the efforts that go into ensuring no animals strike the engines, but there are i...
Air fryers are 'the new-age deep fat fryer'
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
2021 saw a 3,000 per-cent increase in the sales of AirFryers. At one point, much to the consternation of social media chefs, TikTok-ing their every ...
The pros and cons for couples sleeping in separate beds
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More and more couples are considering sleeping in separate beds. Some say there are benefits for rest while others disagree. Newstalk reporter Jos...
Why Orkney is 'seriously' considering joining Norway
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
While there’s been a political movement around Scottish Independence, the UK’s next political debate might be whether or not they’d lose the Ork...
Planning permission granted for permanent Hollywood sign in Wicklow
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Hollywood sign in LA is currently marking its 100th anniversary, but it isn’t the only one in existence. There is a replica in the Wicklow count...
Is it the end of the road for the traditional petrol station?
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is it becoming trickier to find a petrol station in certain parts of Ireland? The figures suggest that there has been a significant change in the numb...
How To...Build an Extension
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For this weeks 'How To' slot we’re looking at how to build an extension. Sean was joined by Hugh Wallace, Architect and Judge on RTÉ's Home of the ...
Teachers 'absolutely need training' to facilitate sex education classes
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sex Education is to be made mandatory for those in 5th and 6th year in secondary schools from 2024. Currently, a consultation process is underway abou...
100 Years of the Censorship Act
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week marks 100 years since the Censorship of Films Act was passed. Up until 1970, about 50,000 films were scrutinized, 11,000 of these were ed...
Ireland’s first-ever professional women’s footballer
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the Irish women’s team prepares to kick off in the country’s first ever appearance at a world cup, a curious piece of public art has emerged in...
Gig etiquette: 'People are just annoying!'
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A host of popstars, including Harry Styles most recently, have been hit by projectiles during live performance. It brings up the question of growingly...
Human activity has 'nudged the earth's spin'
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have been moving so much groundwater around the Earth over the past twenty years, that the tilt on the Earth’s axis has moved slightly eastwa...
'London has been calling!' - Trainee solicitors moving to bigger cities
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Legal services outside major urban areas are facong uncertain future According to a survey carried out by Behaviour & Attitudes, elements of the prof...
Red-carpet pyjamas 'becoming such a big thing'
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some celebs are now choosing to wear high-end silk pj’s out and about to fancy night clubs, fashion shows and to award shows. It's a popular trend f...
Skeleton of whale washed up in Kerry could be resconstructed for 'public display'
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A photo of a fin whale washed up on a south Kerry beach surfaced online at the weekend. It’s more than 60 feet long and is estimated to weigh 40 to ...
'All eyes now are on the Pope and his health'
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Politics tends to infiltrate most organisations, from the local GAA club to the largest corporations in the world – and religion is no different. ...
Roscommon GAA has ‘wrong sheep’ on county's crest
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A county GAA board is considering updating its crest after discovering the emblem featured the wrong breed of sheep. Both Roscommon County Council a...
'It's about shared cultures' - Green Party TD calls for 12th of July to be made an all-island bank holiday
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the spirit of mutual cultural understanding in the event of a United Ireland, a TD is calling on the Twelfth to be made a bank holiday in the Repub...
Claire Walsh on life as a freediver
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After base jumping, freediving is considered the second most dangerous sport in the world. My next guest is from Kildare and has taken this sport to h...
Comedian Enya Martin aka 'Giz a Laugh'
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Enya Martin is a comedian from Dublin, known for her sketches and characters on her ‘Giz a Laugh’ social media platforms, doing comedy about Covid...
Kate Moose on her new book 'The Ghost Ship'
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us are aware of the fabled pirates of the Caribbean but what you may be less aware of is the fact that there was an Irish female pirate who pa...
Spending Half a Million following Irish Football
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Football fans will be travelling to Australia and New Zealand next week as the Women’s World Cup is to get underway. And one man who will be travell...
So You Think You're an Adult: I caught my girlfriend on those skanky phone lines
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sophie White and Declan Buckley and Sean Moncrieff help tackle listener dilemmas...
11,000 people on L plates for more than 20 years
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Newstalk Reporter Henry McKean reports on why more than 11,000 people are driving on L plates for decades, with 1,700 people driving on a learner perm...
Irish Rail reveals the most often hit bridges
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Irish Rail has revealed the railway bridges that have been struck the most times. The top is a bridge in Limerick on the way to Nenagh, which has been...
‘No box, instructions, or details – just a gun in a plastic bag'
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may remember about 7 weeks ago; we reported that guns were being advertised on Facebook to users here in Ireland. Fast forward seven weeks and the...
How AI is being used to divert scam calls
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“I’m sorry could you start again” and “there’s a bee on me” are some of the phrases a new technology is using to get revenge on scam calle...
Teenager hospitalised after touching giant hogweed
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A teenager in Tipperary had to be hospitalised after cutting down a highly toxic plant in his neighbour’s garden. When doing some garden work, he di...
Is Dublin too visibly loud?
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
While Ireland’s capital city is filled with often beautiful and historic architecture, does the increasing visual clutter of signage, advertising, r...
Vote to put the Old Irish Goat on the new Irish passport
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The public consultation to choose what to put in the newly designed Irish passport is open, with lots of different suggestions of what to put in – f...
How often should a bra be washed?
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bras are garments that may require special attention when it comes to doing the laundry. But how often should a bra be washed and what is the best met...
How do other countries fund their public service media?
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With all the controversy in RTÉ about how they’ve used their money, you’d be wondering why you even bother paying for a TV license. But what abou...
Monkeys are taking over New Dheli
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
India’s capital New Delhi has been on the losing side turf war between humans and monkeys. The city now has a monkey population of over 30,000. Ra...
Need for Speed: 82-year-old takes to Mondello Park in a Ferrari
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Octogenarian and daredevil Maeve Keane told Sean about how she drove a Ferrari around Mondello Park to celebrate her 83rd birthday.
Galway publican rebuilds Inisherin pub
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A publican in Galway has managed to salvage the set of the iconic pub from The Banshees of Inisherin from a skip and he has now rebuilt it on the main...
Barbie and the South China Sea
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Barbie Movie has been banned in Vietnam due to a map used in one of the movie’s scenes. The 9 dash line map in the South China Sea is a sensitiv...
Recreating a 2000 year old pizza from Pompeii
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A few weeks ago, an extraordinary fresco was unearthed by archeologists in Pompeii which showcases what many think might be a precursor to the modern ...
Niamh Ní Dhrisceoil - Ireland's first female skipper
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Niamh Ní Dhrisceoil is Ireland’s first female skipper, and will feature as part of an RTE show airing next Tuesday called Mealladh na Mara on RTÉ ...
Meta to launch new app to rival Twitter
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook’s owner, Meta, is launching a new app on Thursday set to rival Twitter. The new app is called Threads. Host of the For Tech Sake podcast,...
Lion's mane jellyfish causes a beach to close in Cork
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A beach in east Cork is closed to the public due to a Lion's Mane jelly fish. Lecturer in Zoology in UCC, Dr. Tom Doyle, let Sean know just how dang...
What excuses do you use to skip work?
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, an interview with a Taylor Swift fan disguised in a blanket and sunglasses went viral as the fan had called in sick to work to go to the gig...
Raising a child on another planet
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When humans begin settling on other planets how will space settlers go about raising children? Is it ethical to raise children in outer-space condit...
Skipping work to watch porn
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s been a 400% increase in the amount of people seeking help for sex addiction, with one leading psychiatrist saying people are skipping work t...
The Museum of Country Life is preparing a pandemic exhibition
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In order to record a particularly unusual time in Irish life, the National Museum is currently collecting artefacts from the Pandemic, so that future ...
Battle of the sun lounger
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Videos have been going viral on social media of holiday goers running to place their towel on a sun lounger. Hotels across Europe have put measures in...
Mulligans in Manchester: The best pint of Guinness outside of Ireland.
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
He has been hailed the Guru of Guinness, and apparently his pub serve the best black stuff with people travelling from all over the world to sample hi...
Are the new breastfeeding rules good enough?
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
New rules come into effect today which mean that mothers will be able to take breastfeeding breaks in the work place up to the age of two. What will...
Movies and Booze
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sean was joined for Movies and Booze by Fionnuala Jones, Lynda Coogan and Olivia Fahy with thanks to Marks and Spencer.
The popularity of food trucks
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A recent survey from Lovin’ Dublin shows that 5 out of the top 10 best places to eat in Dublin are food trucks. But what is it about food trucks tha...
Why Gen Z are obsessed with subtitles
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gen Z are so obsessed with subtitles from seeing them on TikTok and Instagram reels, they now must have them switched on when watching TV and steaming...
The world’s best bartender
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The world’s best bartender has retired after nearly 30 years running the Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. He has perfected the skill of gue...
Air taxis to reach Irish shores for Ryder Cup 2027
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When the Ryder Cup comes to Ireland in 2027, the hope is that people arriving in Shannon Aiport will be presented with air taxis to get to Adare Manor...
'It's kind of surreal' - An Cailín Ciúin Director joins Academy
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A number of Irish people have been invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the US. Colm Bairéad, Writer and ...
'It's not a clear conclusion' - Study links HRT with dementia
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Research published today in Denmark shows a potential link between using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the menopause, and an increased risk of ...
“Our dad is from Cork and nobody understands what he is saying” - Why can’t we understand each other's accents?
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A misunderstanding at the Oireachtas Committee secret payments discussion has gone viral. Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath asked RTÉ’s Interim Deputy Ge...
Apple's fight to trademark the fruit
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Apple, the American tech company, are trying to trademark the image of the fruit – and we’re not talking about the iconic logo of the bite taken o...
'It's loads of fun to learn': Declan Buckley on growing up with deaf parents
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Over the weekend, sign language interpreters for Glastonbury went viral for literally performing with the music. It was also an aspect of the Governme...
'The American is the holy grail of tourists' - Hotelier
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is the time of year when you'd be forgiven for thinking there are more Americans in Ireland than in America. Of course, there are other tourists ...
How To...Become a Celebrant
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For this weeks 'How To' slot we’re looking at how to become a celebrant. Sean was joined by Ruth Scott, Broadcaster and Wedding Solemniser to discus...
Pilgrimage of Hajj in Mecca: 'An amazing experience'
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week the Hajj is taking place in Saudi Arabia, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which Muslims are expected to attend at least once in their lives,...