Highlights From Moncrieff

With Christmas creeping up on us all, one of the most told tales around this time of year is Charles Dickens’s ‘A Christmas carol’. Since its publication in 1843, the story of Scrooge and the three ghosts of Christmas has been made into numerous films throughout the years, with all having a different approach to telling the iconic story.Joining Seán to talk through the different renditions of ‘A Christmas Carol’ on screen is Mick Jordan, Writer and Filmmaker.Image: Disney

From supermarket rows to cinematic queue showdowns, how should we respond to everyday rudeness? A witty comeback, or a dose of unexpected kindness?Esther McCarthy, Lifestyle Editor and Weekend Magazine Columnist at the Irish Examiner has found that her attitude to a lack of manners has evolved over time. She joins Seán to discuss.

The Sony PlayStation turns 30 years old today. This video game console sold over 100 million units in its lifetime, being described as a ‘Concorde’ moment in the games industry. With the console loading games via a CD and not cartridges, the perception of games being just for children left, as new generations became hooked. But, aside from its groundbreaking technology, the PlayStation had a significant impact on popular culture, and the role that video games play in our everyday lives…Peter Lynch, Lecturer in Computer Games in TUD joins Seán to discuss.Image: Sony

The race for green energy solutions has forced many countries to consider the potential of geothermal heat. This approach will require the digging of some of the deepest holes on Earth in order to harness that heat.Currently, the deepest mermaid hole on the planet is the Kola Superdeep Borehole at a whopping 12.2km deep, but it has its origin in the cold war era, long before people were seriously considering this sort of power.So, why was it dug?Mark Piesing is a Journalist & Author who has written about the hole. He joins Seán to discuss.

Can a partnership, relationship or marriage thrive without those steamy bedroom antics?Well, to tell us about all of the reasons why a couple might move sex down the priority list of a marriage or relationship, and why there might be other reasons pertaining to life outside of the bedroom is Eithne Bacuzzi, Relationship Counsellor and Psychosexual Therapist…

Thinking about being a tad more sustainable with your gift giving this Christmas? Buying pre-loved clothing could be a thoughtful and unique way to surprise someone special, but how do you know where to start and what you should be looking for?Joining Seán for all her top tips on pre-loved clothing is Laura Mullet, Fashion Expert and Journalist.

Artificial Intelligence is quickly transforming how businesses handle customer service, making it more efficient and personalized. But, as AI improves, how are companies balancing it with human support?Joining Seán to discuss this is Newstalk’s Tech Correspondent, Jess Kelly.

A football coach has found herself in a legal row with a sport governing body over expenses.She claims that spaghetti and chopped tomatoes are “culturally” African ingredients. Is she right? Do foods have a strict nationality?Joining Seán to discuss is Dr Máirtín Mac Con Iomair, Chair of the Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies at TU Dublin and Co-Editor of ‘Irish Food History: A Companion’.

Could you recognize a loved one in a crowd, or would their face be just another blur? Face blindness, or prosopagnosia, affects at least 2% of people and isn’t just forgetfulness - scientists say it’s a standalone medical condition. From struggling to identify friends to mistaking strangers for family, this genetic or injury-related disorder has profound impacts on social interactions and everyday life.To tell more, Seán is joined by Sarah Bate, Professor of Psychology at Bournemouth University.

Are you shivering at work, but your boss won’t turn on the heating? Did you accidentally break equipment, only for it to be deducted from your wages? Are you unsure about what your legal rights are in the workplace?Joining Seán to discuss is Anne Lyne, Partner, Hayes Employment Law Solicitors.

What’s dubbed as the ‘Celtic Curse’ or Haemochromatosis, is an over absorption of iron from the food we eat which can lead to an overload of iron in the blood. But, why is it that there’s such a high amount of Irish at risk of developing the condition?To discuss, Seán is joined by Professor John Ryan, Consultant Hepatologist at Beaumont Hospital and the Irish Liver Foundation.

The long awaited metrolink will not be operational in Dublin until 2035… However, it seems that in the 1970’s, those in charge of planning and design in Dublin Airport thought that an underground metro would be operational in the near future.Joining Seán to discuss is Eoin Burke Kennedy, Economic Correspondent at the Irish Times.Image: PJ Hegarty

What happens when a government controls the size of your family? China's one-child policy changed millions of lives and reshaped society in ways that are still unfolding today.Joining Seán to discuss is Shi Naseer, author of The Cry of the Silkworm, to uncover the personal and global impacts of one of the most controversial social experiments in modern history…

The best travelled mammal in the 18th century wasn’t a human… it was a goat! In fact, this goat was so famous she was eventually given a pension.Joining Seán to tell more is Jackie French, author of ‘The Goat Who Sailed The World’.

If you've ever watched a cooking show and wished you could taste the food on screen, scientists may now have the answer. A lickable VR device has been developed to create ‘adjustable taste’ experiences in virtual worlds.Business and Technology Journalist with the Irish Times, Ciara O’Brien, joins Seán to explain the latest technology.

Have you ever dreamed of staying in The Holiday’s cozy Rosehill Cottage, or imagined Gotham City as the gritty streets of New York? Well, think again! Movie magic often means what you see on screen isn’t filmed where you think it is.Joining Seán to reveal the truth behind iconic movie locations is Ferdia Murphy, Production Director and expert in creating cinematic worlds.

Notre Dame Cathedral has risen from the ashes! Five years after the devastating fire, French President Emmanuel Macron toured the beautifully restored landmark, calling it "more beautiful than ever." With €700 million in donations and the work of over 1,300 artisans, the cathedral is set to reopen on December 7th.To tell more, Seán is joined by Peter Conradi, Europe Editor of The Sunday Times.Image: Britannica

A new book suggests that the craze for tattoos in this part of the world began with the rich upper classes!Joining Seán to discuss is Matt Lodder, an art historian at the University of Essex and author of ‘Tattoos: The Untold History of a Modern Art’...

For the last year or two the international news feeds have been dominated by a number of seemingly intractable armed conflicts.The UN was founded with a view to preventing further wars, so could a restructuring of the institution end our current tragic inertia?Omar Barghouti is co-founder of the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights and a co-recipient of the 2017 Gandhi Peace Award, and joins Seán to discuss.

Scraping fingers down a blackboard, sticking your finger up your nose: there are many things that give people the ick. So, what’s your biggest pet peeve?Henry McKean has been out asking the public what annoys them, and joins Seán to discuss.