Highlights From Moncrieff

What were your first impressions of your partner?And were you thinking about whether they were ‘MORTGAGE material as well as MARRIAGE material’ when you first met, or was it a matter whether you fancied the pants off them?Columnist with the Irish Independent, Mary McCarthy feels that dating has become so much more transactional, and joins Seán to discuss.

Some schools around the country have been taking a stand around the excess cost and waste followed by debs season.  But its not just the schools who’ve been veering away from typical debs traditions, many young people have been going alternative routes for debs fashion... From vintage dresses to rented suits, they’ re trying it all. Terri Murphy Jones from Dublin Vintage Factory and The Big Smoke Vintage and Louise Lawlor from Rented Threads joined Fionnuala in studio.

Reality television has been a point of contention for lots of people for many years, with many saying it promotes bad behaviour and not to mention the stress it brings upon the people participating in it.  But, new research by the BBC show that we could be wrong about reality TV.  Dr. Jacob Johanssen, is an Associate Professor of Communications at St. Mary's University London and was also involved in the reality show Embarrassing Bodies and he joined Fionnuala in studio

A studio has highlighted the stark gender gap in STEM subjects at Leaving Cert level.  Just over 43% of female Leaving Cert students studied another STEM subject outside of biology, such as agricultural science, applied maths, or construction studies. This compares to 70.3% when it comes to Leaving Cert boys. Dr. Liz Coleman joined Fionnuala in studio to talk about the effects this has in third level education

Declan Buckley and Amanda Brunker join Fionnuala in studio to offer up advice on problems big or small!

As excitement for Taylor Swift’s new album release reaches fever pitch, what do we know so far? And just what literary references is Taylor making with her song titles? Swiftie and Assistant Professor at the School of English in DCU, Dr Ellen Howley joins Fionnuala in studio to discuss the popstars upcoming album

A study done by Galway University has called for ‘urgent action’ to address sex education in Irish schools after contraception use has dropped.  Dr. Andras Kolto, senior postdoctoral researcher at the Health Promotion Research Centre at University of Galway joined Fionnuala in studio to discuss.

Newstalk reporter Henry McKean went out to hear when your favourite swimming spots are and what do to in Dublin in the Summer! 

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan recently announced plans to introduce a Bill that would require end-to-end encrypted messaging services, such as WhatsApp and Signal, to give Gardaí access to private texts and chats. Simon McGarr is a Solicitor and Managing Director of Data Compliance Europe and he joins Fionnuala to discuss  the possibility of this happening whilst protecting the privacy of the public.  

Experts are declaring that people are choosing to ‘decentre’ their jobs from their lives and focus on a better work life balance in order to avoid burnout. And with a new report from the Department of Finance showing that people are working TWO AND A HALF HOURS LESS a week now than we were before covid, have our attitudes to work changed completely?  Career Psychologist and Author of Total Reset, Sinead Brady joined Fionnuala Jones in the studio.  

Over the weekend, the UK Independent released a list of what they believe to be the worst movies directed by actors.This list includes films like ‘Lost River’ by Ryan Gosling, ‘Charlie’s Angels’ by Elizabeth Banks, ‘The Beaver’ by Jodie Foster and much more.But, are there some that are the outliers? Can actors direct? Or to go a step further, should some actors stick to directing?Guest host Fionnuala Jones is joined by Film Critic, Journalist and Columnist Esther McCarthy to discuss.

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.”Those of you who know your Shakespeare will immediately recognise that quote from Romeo and Juliet, but how much truth is there in it?Is your name intrinsically part of your personality, or is it an incidental element of who you are?Writer and Filmmaker Molly Furey has been contemplating this very question in today’s Irish Times. She joins guest host Fionnuala Jones to discuss.

New research by the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland has revealed that 3 out 4 sex workers started because they were in financial difficulty.On top of this, migrant sex workers are facing major discrimination and marginalization when it comes to housing and trying to find some to stay.Linda Kavanagh is the Communication and Advocacy Manager for the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, and joins guest host Fionnuala Jones to discuss.

If you’ve been looking for a new hobby, look no further!Scrapbooking is making the rounds once again! More and more people are commemorating the little moments with everything from receipts, scraps or even concert tickets.As well as remembering some core memories, scrapbooking has a lot of other benefits as well, including being a positive outlet for stress relief, enhancing your focus and improving your memory.Joining guest host Fionnuala Jones to discuss is author and Journalist, Aoife Barry and social media influencer James Kavanagh, both avid scrapbookers!

A new walking trend has been gaining popularity online: Japanese walking. What many have been calling ‘high intensity walking’ is based on interval-style bursts of fast and slow walking.So far, it has been showing promising health benefits and not to mention, very convenient. All you need is a stop watch and somewhere to walk.Fiona Skelly, a Lecturer in Physical Activity and Health, joins guest host Fionnuala Jones to discuss.

From giant engagement rings to vow renewals, the wedding business is booming, and one of the industries that is always influenced by celebrity culture.But, what are the big 2025 trends and what in particular are couples embracing to make their special day extra special these days?Wedding Expert Sara Kennedy, who runs The Aisle by Sara Kennedy, joins guest host Fionnuala Jones to discuss.

Most people would say that giving someone a compliment is a good thing.But not everyone likes receiving a compliment, and often the context can turn a nice gesture into an awkward social moment.So, should we be offering strangers compliments or is it better to keep your thoughts, even the positive ones, to yourself?Pádraig Walsh is a Behavioural Psychologist and joins guest host Fionnuala Jones to discuss.

Ireland's 7,500km coastline stretching from Donegal to Dingle is slowly but surely slipping away in front of our eyes…Entire sections of our coastline are disappearing into the sea due to human activity and accelerated levels of climate change.To talk further about this radical rate of coastal erosion, Seán is joined by Environmental Geographer Michelle McKeown.

While we may be basking in the good weather and enjoying the heatwave, experts are urging pet owners to take extra care, especially when bringing their dogs for a walk in the sun.Dog’s Trust have called on owners to stay vigilant to avoid heatstroke, and joining Seán with more on this is Pete Wedderburn, AKA Pete the Vet.

Silence is something we often take for granted, we don't get to enjoy life without distractions nearly enough…Although many believe that these moments in silence are ‘wasted time’.To discuss his relationship with silence, Seán is joined by Psychologist and Founder of Jigsaw, Dr. Tony Bates.