Highlights From Moncrieff

From ‘Aesop’s Fables’ to ‘Shrek’ and the ‘Banshees of Inisherin’, donkeys have often been represented in popular media, but has their representation always been fair and accurate, or has it been constricted by tired clichés?A new film course in the UK is aiming to change this. Joining Seán to discuss is Fiona Handyside, Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Exeter…Image: 20th Century Studios

The idea of winning an award like an Oscar for acting is seen by some as a futile attempt to turn art into sport.Some people have argued that comparing disparate performances is inherently unfair, and that a better metric would be to see a group of actors each take on the same part.But the one performance that all of the competing actors must be prepared for is the victory speech. So could good speech win you the award?Jesse Hassenberg is a Writer & Film Critic. He joins me now…Image: Reuters

It’s hard to believe it now, but Mark McCabe’s ‘Maniac’ turns 25 this year.So, let’s wind back the clock!Joining Seán to look back is Mark himself, DJ on 98FM and iRadio…

We have been hearing a lot about ‘untruths’, but is an ‘untruth’ just the same as a lie?Do we have a hard time admitting to lying, and how does our perception of it change depending on the situation?Chartered Behavioural Psychologist with Changeable.ie, Padraig Walsh, joins Seán to discuss.

Just how gross and disgusting is your kitchen sponge?And is your kitchen sink actually dirtier than your toilet seat?Dr Primrose Freestone, Associate Professor in Clinical Microbiology at Leicester University joins Seán to discuss.

Seán’s guest has written a new book about pursuing her life as a committed singleton, and how this led to her having a baby with a gay man, whom she lives with.Joining the show to discuss is Nicola Slawson, author of ‘Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms’…Image: Penguin

Teagasc is recommending that farmers diversify by renting our parcels of their land as allotments to the local community. But, is this a pragmatic idea?Joining Seán to discuss is Mairead Lavery, former Farming Reporter…

Whether it’s a public space - or even a wedding - when a child cries in public, it’s hard to deny that it’s annoying! So, what should be done when it happens? Should kids be banned from certain events?Henry McKean has been asking the public, and joins Seán to discuss.

You may have heard of the female ruler in Celtic Britain, Boudicca, who fought a rebellion against the invading Roman Empire.To the Romans, and perhaps to us, the idea of such a powerful matriarch could be seen as quite a rare thing, but new research from an archaeological site in Dorsets could suggest that women in Britain in this era were often in positions of power.Dr. Lara Cassidy is Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics in Trinity College Dublin and the lead author of the study. She joins Seán to discuss.

As a family in control of one of the most powerful media empires in the world, there has long been a fascination with the Murdochs. But, as Rupert Murdoch’s younger son, James Murdoch, speaks out about the family feuds and secret pacts – the dramatic fall out is even more sordid than a Succession script... Staff Writer with The Atlantic McKay Coppins published his in-depth piece which saw him spend time with James Murdoch and his wife Kathryn as the couple revealed their regrets and just how estranged the relationship is with his father and brother…He joins Seán to discuss.

Susanna Cappellaro was having a tough year in 2016. Having acted in films by Tim Burton and Peter Strickland, work had somewhat dried up.It was a time when something needed to change in her life and it did when her husband Scott announced that he was going to become a cyborg…Susanna Cappellaro is the Director of ‘My Husband The Cyborg’, and joins Seán to discuss.

There hasn’t been a new James Bond movie since 2021, and with no sign of a replacement to Daniel Craig being announced anytime soon, the franchise seems to have lapsed into disuse.Or at least, that is the claim of the Kleindienst Group, who have filed “cancellation actions based on non-use” targeting the James Bond name and associated trademarks…Shane Smyth is a Solicitor with FR Kelly who specialises in trademarks and other forms of intellectual property. He joins Seán to discuss.

Donald Trump has made his opinions on trans issues very clear through a number of executive orders designed to combat what he calls “gender ideology”.What’s less clear is the opinion of the political class on this side of the Atlantic.Has a change of approach in the US led to apathy among Irish politicians?To discuss, Seán is joined by Jenny Maguire, Trans Activist, who has been writing about this in the Irish Independent.

With singers such as Billie Eilish and products targeted at young people increasingly using exclusively lowercase letters, are Gen Z giving up on capitals?Joining Seán to discuss this is Journalist and Writer, Saoirse Hanley...

With more and more attention on the negative environmental impacts of airplane travel, is it time to bring back the blimp?Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss is Gregory Gottlieb, Chairperson of the Airship Association...

Tom Dunne’s guest has recently returned from participating at the Marrakech International Storytelling Festival 2025, in which she and her fellow storytellers set a new Guinness World Record.Maria Gillen joins the show to discuss!

Ireland's first pet blood dialysis machine is currently being set up, but now the vets behind the project are looking for dogs and cats to donate blood.Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss is Laura Cuddy, Director of Veterinary Specialists Ireland, based in Meath…

Are you planning a career break, or would you love the opportunity to take time away from your job, knowing that you have one to go back to?The career breaks offered in the civil service have come under criticism, after it emerged that one employee had been on leave for 12 years recently...But, are career breaks operating as a practical solution to childcare burdens that many are facing?Dr Clare Moriarty, Post Doctoral Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.

What do you remember about your childhood summer holidays?Writer Emer Roche spent her Summers with her grandparents in the Hamptons every year, a far cry from day to day life in Dublin in the 1980’s…She has written an almost love letter to those innocent days, and she joins guest host Tom Dunne to share her memories of a very different America than the one we recognise now…

In Ireland, we are used to a very quick turnaround between the death of a loved one and their funeral. However, people in the UK have a much longer process. Why is this?Journalist Sophie Grenham has been investigating in today’s Irish Independent, and joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.