Highlights From Moncrieff

A new creature has claimed the title of Australia’s heaviest insect…The discovered stick insect was very difficult to capture, but is proving fascinating to Entomologists.Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss is Angus Emmott from James Cook University in Australia…

Hemp is used for many things in the world, but did you know that it could be one of the solutions to the climate crisis?The plant can be used to make building blocks, and one of the biggest suppliers of them is based here in Ireland.Ronan McDermott is the owner of Hemp Build, and joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.

With festival season kicking off in earnest this weekend with All Together Now, guest host Tom Dunne is joined by Journalist Pat Carty to discuss ahead of it - and much more!

On Monday, the annual Poc Fada will take place up the Cooley Mountains in North Louth.The sport has ancient traditions in Irish history, but it wasn’t until the early 1960s where the competition as we know it today developed.So, what is it like to play in the Poc Fada?Joining Tom Dunne to explain is Brendan Cummins, former Tipperary hurler, who holds the record for the most Poc Fada wins.

While today marks the 50th anniversary of the Miami Showband Massacre, a new book explores the extraordinary impact the showbands had on Irish society more broadly, from the pleasure they brought to Irish people’s lives during the dull economic landscape of mid-century Ireland, to the new ways of dancing that they ushered in…Joining guest host Tom Dunne to discuss is Rebecca Miller, Author of ‘Are You Dancing: Showbands, Popular Music, and Memory in Modern Ireland’.

Christmas is a good bit away from us, but down under in Australia for many, especially in Sydney, Christmas isn't just celebrated in December, but also July!The tradition apparently has Irish roots, with it originating from 6 Irish men walking into an Australian hotel.Garry Crockett is former owner of the Mountain Heritage Hotel in Sydney, and he joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.

If you’re a fan of Star Trek, you’ll be familiar with the concept of the ‘Prime Directive’. Put simply, the idea is that you avoid contact with people who haven’t reached your level of technological development.This is more or less the approach of governments that still have uncontacted peoples living within the borders of their country today.But, what do you do when initial contact has already been made? How do you manage that situation without creating a catastrophe?John Reid is a Freelance Writer working with the Guardian on a series about uncontacted peoples and author of ‘Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet’. He joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.

Gen Z adults in the States, those currently in their teens and 20s, are becoming more frugal about what they spend on dates as they deal with higher living costs, according to a Bank of America survey. Is it similar here?Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been out asking the public, and joins guest host Tom Dunne to share what he’s heard.

In October, the EU’s Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation will come into force. The aim of the regulation is to ensure transparency when it comes to political ads on social media.But on Friday, Meta announced that they’re banning political ads altogether.So, is this a victory or a loss for the EU’s new regulations?Clare O’Donoghue Velikić is the Director of ODV Digital, a digital consultancy for the political and campaigning sector, based in Dublin. She joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.

This Friday will see the annual Oyster Swallowing Competition take place, as part of the Ballylongford Oyster Festival in Kerry. The festival is struggling however to attract women competitors and is currently calling all female oyster enthusiasts to participate…Joining Seán to discuss is Marie Hanrahan O’Neill, PRO of the Ballylongford Oyster Festival…

Are you a first time buyer desperately house hunting in a housing crisis?According to a report from Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, prospective home owners don’t have much confidence or trust in estate agents or sellers, and instead turn to family and friends to get information when going through the process.Joining Seán to discuss this is Ciaran Mulqueen from the Crazy House Prices social media pages.

Thousands gathered at Knock Shrine in Mayo last month for a ceremony where the Archbishop consecrated Ireland to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.While the image of the Sacred Heart is nowhere near as popular as it once was, it is clearly still very important to Irish people today.Professor of Ecclesiastical History at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth, Salvador Ryan, joins Seán to explain the history of the iconic image.

To discuss this, Seán is joined by Cass Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard and Author of ‘Manipulation: What It Is, Why It’s Bad, What to Do About It’.Image: Cambridge University Press

Sea swimming has become all the rage in recent years and there are more than a few lovely places to engage in it this summer.Ireland has 98 Blue Flag beaches in all. How many have you swam at?Well after being faced with that question, Biddy Hughes and Orla Leahy decided to swim all 98 to raise money for the RNLI.They’re currently on the northwest leg of the challenge, and Biddy Hughes joins Seán to discuss.You can donate here - https://www.gofundme.com/f/sea-fillies-fundraising-for-the-rnliImage: Achill Island

Many of us will have seen photos and images of starving children across our social media feeds and tv screens in the last number of days, as warnings that Gaza is slipping into a famine are echoed across the world.This comes as figures estimate that more than 60,000 people have died in the war…Joining Seán to discuss this is John Whyte, Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza.

Irish artist Jenny Brady’s new film, ‘The Glass Booth / An Both Gloine’, explores the worlds of interpretation and communication.Chris Guichot de Fortis is an Interpreter working for a Brussels-based defense organization, and one of those people interviewed. He joins Sean to discuss.Image: Project Arts Centre

Can you really turn back time? Well, what about by just not ever acknowledging how old you are?56-year-old Mariah Carey has come out to say that she “doesn’t allow ageing” and that is what keeps her young...Really?Consultant Physician in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine, Ronan Collins, joins Seán to discuss.

You might be looking forward to a holiday at this stage in the summer, but if you are taking a trip abroad, just how gross is the airport?And, should you be wiping down the plane before you get comfortable?Anna Burns, Microbiologist and Nutrition Scientist, joins Seán to discuss.

While the many Irish pubs in China do a decent trade in Guinness, a major overhaul of where Chinese Guinness is brewed is getting people worried, and even threatening businesses.Joining Seán to discuss is Denis Staunton, China Correspondent of The Irish Times.

Often in the Irish countryside, motorists and pedestrians will offer a finger or hand salutation on passing each other. This is something that doesn’t happen nearly as often in the city.Tina Pisco, Columnist with the Cork Echo, has been writing about it, and joins Seán to discuss.