Highlights From Moncrieff

Ever get the feeling your relationship is on its last legs?Science says there’s a ‘point of no return’ - a moment when it’s pretty much doomed...Joining Seán to dive into the details is expert Roe McDermott, Sexuality Studies Scholar and Columnist for the Irish Times.

To the best of our scientific knowledge, 70% of our universe is made up of a mysterious force we call ‘Dark Energy’.Since its discovery in the 1990s, it has been assumed that this accelerating force would continue to expand the universe until everything was so far apart that the whole thing would come to a very cold, and very quiet end.However, new findings have called all of that into question.Shane Bergin is a Physicist & Assistant Professor in Science Education at UCD. He joins Seán to discuss.

What was the best gig you were ever at? There have been many iconic gigs on Irish soil, but a new podcast focuses on three in particular that have attained legendary status.Dylan Murphy is the Host of the ‘I Was There’ podcast, and joins Seán to discuss.Image: Ed Sirrs / Camera Press

With homeless figures reaching record highs – the latest statistics revealing that 15,286 individuals are homeless, including 4,603 children…Proposals to further regulate street food kitchens including soup runs have been hit with criticism from the charity sector.The Muslim Sisters of Éire do a weekly soup kitchen at the GPO every Friday evening, feeding up to 675 people – three times as many as they did pre-Covid...Lorraine O’Connor from the Muslim Sisters of Éire joins Seán to discuss.

According to a new finding from the 2025 World Happiness Report, 1 in 4 Americans are eating alone the vast majority of the time. But, how does that compare to here in Ireland?Henry McKean has been asking the public, and joins Seán to share what he’s heard.

Seán’s guest always wanted to be a dad but, being a single man, it took him a while to pluck up the courage to investigate the possibility of becoming a foster carer. Now, he is sharing his journey and has been writing about it in GCN magazine.The foster dad (who will remain anonymous) joins to discuss…

Do you have a drawer in your house containing old mobile phones, maybe a Walkman or a Nokia 3210 from eons ago? Before you ditch them, consider whether or not they might actually have some value…Ciara O’Brien, Tech Correspondent for the Irish Times, has been writing about this, and joins Seán to discuss.

Over the past 14 years, a set of two specialised aircraft have been slowly charting every piece of land in Ireland in order to build a highly detailed geophysical map of the country. There are just two counties left to complete the picture.Joining Seán to discuss is Jim Hodgson, Senior Geologist and Tellus Project Manager…

A parenting idea that is currently trending is called the ‘Let Them’ theory, in which parents essentially refrain from intervening and allow their kids to make mistakes. But, how does it all work?Kirsty Blake Knox, Columnist with the Irish Independent, has been trying it out, and joins Seán to discuss.

From U2 to Johnny Cash, we all know how much talent is required to get an album to number one. But, would these artists have been as successful if it wasn’t for the labour and skill of their Managers?So, what makes a successful Manager?Joining Seán to discuss is Michael Mary Murphy, Author of ‘Pop Music Management: Lessons from the Managers of Number One Albums’...

According to a new poll in the UK, men can multitask as much as women! This shocking revelation has left one question standing: is this really true?Henry McKean has been asking the public, and joins Seán to discuss.

The blobfish, once labeled the world’s ugliest animal, has now been named Fish of the Year in New Zealand.Joining Seán to discuss why is Konrad Kurta, Spokesperson from the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust…Image: Australian Museum

Most treatment for mental illness is delivered on a voluntary basis in the community in Ireland, but a small portion of people are detained under an “involuntary admission”.But, under the Mental Health Bill 2024, which is currently in a committee stage, the ways in which this is being done could be significantly altered.Brendan Kelly is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, and has been writing about this in today’s Irish Times. He joins Seán to discuss.

Just after the lockdown in 2021, Ciaran Gaffney told his friends that he’d like to hold a storytelling event with friends and family.The event was unexpectedly a great success but what was more unexpected was that later events were so popular, that within 2 years, Ciaran was quitting his job to run these now international events full time.Ciaran Gaffney is the Founder of Seanchoíche and joins Seán to discuss.

After 5 years, Artist Dorothy Cross has completed her ambition to repatriate a mummified body from Ireland to Egypt. But, how did it all begin?Dorothy Cross, Artist and Producer of the ‘Kinship: Home’ project joins Seán to discuss.Image: Dorothy Cross

With summer around the corner, you may be getting your arrangements ready for a break away. But, if you are a pet owner, getting them cared for can be a bit of a conundrum. Many choose to put pets in kennels, but what about letting someone house sit your pets while you're away?Joining Seán for more on this is Bray-based Veterinarian, Pete Wedderburn.

How has the pandemic affected babies born during lockdown? With fewer social interactions and a shift in routines, these babies have had unique experiences. A groundbreaking study has been tracking their gut health, allergy rates, and social development.To tell more about this fascinating research, Seán is joined by Professor Jonathan Hourihane, Paediatric Consultant and lead of the ‘Floral Study’.

The resurgence in interest in vinyl isn’t just restricted to the purchase of records. There is now a growing craze for getting custom records cut on a lathe machine. Joining Seán to discuss is Tasha Trigger, owner of Lathe to the Grave…

Anecdotally it seems that girls are getting their period earlier, but is this true and should we be having ‘the talk’ a little earlier?Dr Geraldine Connolly, Co-Founder of ‘My Girls Gynae’ joins Seán to explain what is happening, and why young girls are maturing faster…

A couple in America have announced they have gotten a so-called ‘bathroom divorce’, and that it saved their marriage… but what is this, and is it a good idea? Joining Seán to discuss is Jennifer Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’.