Highlights From Moncrieff

Getting an ingrown toenail during the summer can be a real pain, if you want to be in sandals and flip flops during the good weather. So, how do you prevent one, and what can be done if it's too late?Joining Seán to discuss is Podiatrist Niall Donaghue, from the Cure Spa Clinic in Dublin, who has all the grisly details…

Last week saw Ireland's long-awaited Defamation Bill passed in both the Dáil and the Seanad.However, not everyone is satisfied that the bill is sufficient to prevent so-called SLAPP cases and therefore to protect free speech.Jessica Ní Mhainín is Head of Policy and Campaigns at Index on Censorship. She joins Seán to discuss.

Every so often you’ll spot those headlines about derelict homes going for one euro in Italy, and you might ask yourself if the dream matches the reality. However, some people who do the scheme end up spending far more money, so what does life in rural Italy really look like?Stephanie Woods Barry, who runs a travel instagram @stephmylife bought in Abruzzo with her husband, and she joins Seán to discuss her experience.

In an upcoming talk at the Sugar Club in Dublin on August 20th, Dr Shane Cassidy, a Music Therapist and Director of Neurolinks, will discuss how music can be used to help people with neurological conditions. But, what exactly is the link between the brain and music?Dr Cassidy joins Seán to discuss.

1,500 illegally traded tarantulas were recently seized by officials in Cologne Bonn airport. But, how dangerous are tarantulas, and are they still popular as a pet? Joining Seán to discuss is Michel Dugnon, Principal Investigator of the Venom System Lab at the University of Galway…

Is Trump really a madman, or is he simply following in the footsteps of Richard Nixon and acting out the Madman Theory in International diplomacy?Joining Seán to discuss this is Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame, Michael Desch.Image: Reuters

There are calls for the government to follow through on the promises made to ensure marine preservation and the protection of our ocean environments.It is vital for marine life to be protected and for more on this, Seán is joined by Ecologist Pádraic Fogarty...

With cars relying more and more on touchscreen technology, is there a growing safety concern, and is it time to return to good old-fashioned buttons?Joining Seán to discuss is Ger Herbert, Motoring Editor and Columnist with the Sunday Independent…

While you might be scared of spiders yourself, you probably don’t want to pass this fear onto your kids, so how do you manage the transfer of phobias?Joining Seán to discuss is Rebecca Quinn, Principal Psychologist at the Tree House Practice in Dublin…

When Seán’s guest moved into his flat in the middle of Temple Bar in 1996, this historic and recently regenerated part of Dublin was a bohemian and cultural mecca. Frank MacDonald has been writing in the Irish Times about how it transformed into a very different beast over the decades, forcing him to sell up and move out of the city altogether.He joins to discuss…

What age are we at our happiest, and does it surprise you that happiness can dip in your mid-forties, especially in women?Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been happily investigating, and joins Seán to discuss.

With most countries’ highest recorded temperatures having occurred in the 21st century, Ireland is very unusual. Ours occurred in the 19th century, a record that still stands 140 years later.Joining Seán to discuss is John O’Sullivan, from the Climate Services Division of Met Éireann...

Almost anyone who grew up in Ireland will have encountered the poetry of WB Yeats at some point in their education. His brother, Jack B Yeats, was an acclaimed painter who took home Ireland’s first ever Olympic medal, winning the silver for art in 1924.But, they weren’t the only siblings in the Yeats family, nor were they the only Yeats children to be highly acclaimed.Lyndsey McDougall is a Singer with New Pagans and Art History lecturer at Ulster University. She joins to discuss.Image: Trinity College Dublin

Filmmaker and Writer Neil Jordan joins Sean ahead of his appearance at the West Cork Literary Festival to talk about his career, memoir, and the ever-changing film industry.Neil Jordan is in conversation on Monday July 14th at 8.30pm in The Maritime Hotel in Bantry. For tickets and more information go to www.westcorkmusic.ie/literary-festival/.

Tennis fans watching Wimbledon in the last week will have been up in arms at the issues with the AI electronic line calling system which was brought in for the first time for this year’s tournament.With players and spectators suitably annoyed after high profile malfunctions in the last number of days, Host of the For Tech’s Sake podcast, Elaine Burke, joins Seán to explain exactly what is going on, and just why new technology is not always reliable…

There has been much discussion about who the next President may be, and who will put their name in the hat, but as part of this year’s Galway International Arts Festival, they have curated an exhibition looking back at current President Michael D Higgins - and all he has done in public life.For more on this, Seán is joined by Artistic Director of the Galway Arts Festival, Paul Fahy…Image: Galway Arts Festival

It’s much more common for people to decide not to have children than it would have been even a few decades ago, but still there are plenty of people who might try to dissuade from such a course of action.A major consideration is loneliness in older age and in something that our next guest addresses in her new book.Helen Taylor is the author of ‘Childless by Choice: The Meaning & Legacy of a Childfree Life’. She joins Seán to discuss.

As the Irish summer is finally here with temperatures reaching a possible 30 degrees, we sent Henry McKean to try and find the best and biggest ice cream. He visited Curran’s Service Station Ross Cross on the Old Dublin to Navan Road, near Tara County Meath, who sell foot-long 99s for €3.30. He sent this report.

Getting a dog is a massive life decision, and while people may go into it with the best of intentions, the reality of providing a good home for a pet can be quite different.One of the so-called stars from Made in Chelsea this week revealed that he had decided to rehome his dog because his lifestyle as an influencer was too busy for the pup he had brought into his life. This raised valid criticism from fans and followers...But, practically speaking, what is the process to rehome a pet given there are situations where it may no longer be possible to keep a dog?Seán is joined by Maciej Trojanowicz, Rehoming Centre Manager with Dog’s Trust, to discuss…

New guidelines that will lift restrictions on apartment sizes and the number of one-bedroom units allowed in a development have been before Cabinet this week, as the Irish government seeks to tackle the housing crisis.Ireland is by no means the only European Government struggling with this issue, but is lowering the cost for developers a good way to solve the problem, and why are we seeing housing crises across the western world? Tim White is Research fellow at Queen Mary University of London and the London School of Economics, and joins Seán to discuss.