Highlights From Moncrieff

In Cork, the Fermoy Municipal District is allowing green spaces in council estates to be removed to make room for more parking spaces for residents. Fermoy Councillor Kay Dawson, joined Sean to discuss how the shortage of spaces is being blamed on the fact adult children can’t afford to move out due to the price of housing.

It’s an unusual thing to happen in July, but this Sunday, Croke Park will host its second All Ireland final in a week. More than 80 thousand people, mostly from Kerry and Galway, will make their way into the stands to watch either team lift the Sam Maguire Cup. Peter McKenna stadium director for Croke Park, joined Sean to discuss what preparation goes into making sure the stadium is ready for such a big event.

Each week we’re going to bring you some suggestions for your summer reading, taking a different category each time. This week Bob Johnstone of The Gutter Bookshop, joined Sean with his recommendations for crime and thriller reads. He recommended Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka,The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley,Geiger by Gustaf Skordeman,Hawk Mountain by Conner Habib,An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D.James and Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor.

Timmy O’Driscoll was on Owenahincha beach enjoying the heatwave with his two young children and his partner Jenna, when he noticed a young boy getting into difficulty in the water. He joined Sean to share his incredible story of diving into the water fully clothed to save the child.

Each week will take a topic and deep dive into it, doing all the research so you don’t have to. This week Gerry Appleby From Appleby jewellers, off Grafton Street, joined Sean with all you need to know how to buy an engagement ring.

With so many seagulls living in the capital they have made it hard to enjoy food outdoors in the summer. Newstalk reporter Simon Tierney has been researching ways to keep them away from and joined Sean to discuss how certain music could the answer to stopping seagulls stealing your snacks.

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland is now using pioneering technology to allow its service users to access information, newspapers, books and more. Kyran O’Mahoney, Chief Technology Officer with the NCBI, joined Sean to discuss how technology can assist those with sight loss.

They are America’s oldest Irish Catholic Fraternal Organisation, set up for Catholic immigrants in 1836 in New York and Pennsylvania. Today, they have over 46,000 members with groups across the world. Last week they held a vote at their convention proposing allowing women to join the order, but members voted against it. President of The Ancient Order of Hibernians Danny J 0’Connell joined Sean to discuss why.

We all know bees are good for crops and biodiversity, but proof is emerging that they are also clever, sentient and unique beings who yield basic emotions and intelligence. Lars Chittka has been studying bees for 30 years, he joined Sean to discuss how he has documented his discoveries in his new book “The Mind of a Bee”.

AIB has announced it’s moving 70 banks cashless, which is about a third of its network. Bob Quinn, Principal of The Money Advisors based in Naas town, joined Sean to discuss the pros and cons of a cashless society.

Europe's largest mammal is the bison. But it has been extinct in mainland Britain for thousands of years. Today, bison bred in Fota in Cork have been released into the wild in Kent. Sean McKeown, Director of Fota Wildlife Park, joined Sean to discuss the rewilding process.

Author Edel Coffey joined Sean to recap the stories making the headlines this past week.

A new study which reviews the experiences of women in Ireland who have had an abortion suggests that those who looked for treatment for a fatal fetal anomaly are falling through the cracks and are being ill-served. Alison Lynch, Co-chair of LMC Bereavement Support, an organisation which offers help for women in this area, joined Sean to discuss the ways in which women are being let down.

A seaside town in Co. Clare will soon get the chance to change the spelling of the town back to the name the residents say is officially the correct one.The town of Lahinch, or Lehinch as the signs say, has been a source of annoyance to many residents living in the area and Michael Vaughan, owner of the Vaughan Lodge Hotel joined Sean to explain how they been fighting for the name change for 6 years now.

When my next guest was given a book about historic sandwiches, it began a whole new online career for him. Barry Enderwick runs the ‘Sandwiches of History’ handle across various social media platforms, where he recreates some of the most bizarre, sometimes delicious, and often disgusting sandwiches from the past.

Many people will either host or attend barbeques and gatherings to enjoy a bit of the warm weather this weekend. So what if you’re dessie driver? Or just fancy something light? With more and more non-alcoholic “spirits” available now, there are plenty of options. Paul Lambert of Shaker and Vine in Swords joined Sean Moncrieff on the show with some suggestions: Raspberry Cooler: Mr L's Cosmo, fresh mint, raspberries, topped with sprite. Mr L’s cosmo is 15% abv so that makes this a light refreshing cocktail Limoncello Spritz: Limoncello, prosecco, soda, fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup same, it's a lower abv than spirits so makes this light and easy drinking Pink Gin Spritz: Kells Pink Gin, lemon juice, strawberry syrup, prosecco, and sprite are higher in alcohol but who doesn't like prosecco and strawberries.....and add pink gin......

Dr. Kevin Flannery, Marine Biologist from Dingle Ocean World Aquarium joined Sean Moncrieff on the show ahead of the heatwave this weekend to find out what is lurking underneath you as you swim.

Excitement is building for next month’s World Toe Wrestling Championships, which will be taking place in Derbyshire in northern England, with the best competitors fighting it out to see who has the strongest and most aggressive feet. Alan ‘Nasty’ Nash has been world champion on 17 occasions and will this year be fighting for one last time before he retires from the sport.

A new company has created Myrkl to help rid you of your hangover and allow for a guilt free night. Tim Dowling, writer for the Guardian and host of the podcast Insult My Intelligence, gave his body to science and tested this drug to see does it actually work, he joined Sean to describe his experience.

Mary Lou will be the next Taoiseach. That’s if the latest poll results were replicated in the voting booths at the next general election. Danny McConnell is Political Editor with the Irish Examiner and he joined Sean to discuss what would change if Sinn Féin were elected into government.