Highlights From Moncrieff

Could having more male teachers help with toxic masculinity?Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson sparked a discussion with her comments calling for more men to become teachers, so that young boys have better role models.Is this the case here too? And what can be done to attract and encourage men into classrooms?Principal and Host of ‘If I were Minister for Education’ Podcast, Simon Lewis, joins Seán to discuss.

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 behaviour reared its ugly head in Leinster House…Diarmaid Ferriter is Professor of Modern Irish History in UCD, and he has been looking at some of the more colourful exchanges down through the years. He joins Seán to discuss.

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 weather so good that you’re forgetting the basics?Henry McKean hit the beach to find out, and joins Seán to discuss.

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 even hosting a convention for typewriter enthusiasts called Qwertyfest.Lisa Floading is one such enthusiast and collector, and joins Seán to discuss.

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 Z could just be the healthiest generation ever... or at least, much more fitness focused than the baby boomers and millennials before them.But, is spending so much time in the gym really good for you? Or is it making people lonelier?Reporter, Content Creator and Gym-goer Padraig Wilson McCarthy joins Seán to discuss.

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 critical illnesses nationwide.Since 1992, Make-A-Wish Ireland has granted wishes for more than 3,350 children across Ireland, including 214 wishes granted in 2024 alone. Henry McKean joins Seán to do multiple challenges - including sucking on a lemon, doing jumping jacks and wearing as many underpants as possible!

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 to discuss is Maria McNamara, Professor of Paleontology at UCC...

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 heard about the Australian couple who complained about enduring a ‘traumatic’ experience after sitting next to a body for four hours on their long haul flight...So, what’s the protocol?Former cabin crew and host The Red Eye Podcast, Ally Murphy, joins Seán to discuss.

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 Seán on Don’t Feed The Gondolas was a sure fire way to put bums on seats at your next live show!But, as with just about everything, social media has ripped up that rule book.Kyla Cobbler is a Comedian who understands this as well as anyone. She joins Seán to discuss…

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, the advice has been changed.Joining Seán to discuss is Juan Trujillo, Paediatric Allergist and Co-Director of the Centre of Excellence in Allergy at Cork University Hospital and UCC…

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 members, who managed to sniff out a quarter of a million in cash and €2 million worth of cigarettes, is a dog named Toby.Henry McKean went out to meet him!

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 the charity.Maisie Randle, who is ten, was one of those children.Her mother Rebecca joins Seán to tell all about Maisie’s big trip to the Harry Potter studios...Let’s make 2025 the biggest Wish Week yet. Every cent matters. Donate online at makeawish.ie/donate!

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 free! But, how does it all work?Joining Seán to discuss is Mark Sweeney, Donated Goods Strategy Manager for Oxfam Ireland…

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 is it a style rut or just a sensible safe wardrobe choice?Fashion Stylist, Personal Shopper and owner of stylishguy.ie, Shane Burke, joins Seán to discuss.

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 the coast of Donegal, were pioneering when it came to attracting remote workers to come and live on their beautiful shores...So, just how did they manage to grow population numbers for the first time in many years? And did the Croí Cónaithe scheme offering renovation grants make a difference?Adrian Begley from Arranmore Community Council joins Seán to discuss.

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 yielded the floor, but how exactly does filibustering work, and can it be effective?Joining Seán to discuss is Graham Finlay, Lecturer in the School of Politics and International Relations at UCD…Image: Reuters

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 missing person case work normally?Joining Seán to discuss is Christy Galligan, former Garda Sergeant and Search Supervisor…

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 that was believed to live there. Now one of them has been discovered, bone dry and in impeccable condition.Joining Seán to discuss is Adrian Shine, from the Loch Ness Project and author of new book ‘A Natural History of Sea Serpents’...Image: Britannica

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 gender pay gaps? And who is monitoring it?Jen Keane has read through all the reports and put up her findings on paygap.ie. She joins Seán to discuss.

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. And now, the science appears to back that up. But, why does our perception of time alter so much when we’re exercising?Ruth Ogden is a Professor of the Psychology of Time at Liverpool John Moores University. She joins Seán to discuss.