Moncrieff

While you might love the precision pressure of a massage, would you surrender your body to the tentacles of a robot masseuse? This is exactly what Seán's guest has done…Madeleine Aggeler, Lifestyle and Wellness Reporter for Guardian US, joins to discuss.

Ireland’s biggest sculpture event, Sculpture in Context, is currently taking place at the Botanic Gardens in north Dublin, with all the pieces located outdoors. But how different is outdoor sculpture to indoor work? Joining me now is artist Roisin de Buitlear, who is exhibiting at the event…

Offices can be notorious places for passive aggressive behaviour, as can people’s homes. But, can this type of action ever be truly effective?Journalist Gwen Loughman has been writing about this in The Journal, and joins Seán to discuss.

It was 160 years ago when President Abraham Lincoln was shot dead in a theatre in Washington DC. However, it took 12 days for this news to arrive in Europe. What is little known is the crucial role that three men in Cork played in the communication of this global news…Joining Seán to discuss is Jo Kerrigan, author of ‘Stories from the Sea’...

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which is currently sailing through international waters towards the shores of Gaza in an attempt to break Israel’s illegal blockade is made up of dozens of boats.One of those boats is the Shireen, a legal support boat,  but what does a legal support boat do exactly?Leigh Brosnan is an Asylum Barrister based in Dublin and a member of Irish Lawyers for Palestine. She is on board the Shireen now, and joins Seán to discuss.Image: Freedom Flotilla

While a garden pond might be something nice to look at, they are also a bountiful source for biodiversity. But, how do you build one, and what assistance is available from local authorities?Joining Seán to discuss is Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather, who is this week marking the one year anniversary of his pond project…Image: @CarlowWeather on Twitter

"Behind every great man is a great woman" - or so goes the old cliché. Historically, the wives behind great men in history end up proving themselves to be even greater, but, because they were women, they didn't get that recognition.Nicola Pierce, author of 'Great Irish Wives: Remarkable Lives from History' has been digging into the history of some of these women, and joins Seán to discuss.

A scheme which offers free party kits for children's birthdays has been rolled out across the country. But, how does it work?Joining Seán to discuss is Sharon Kielthy, Founder of Jiminy Eco Toys, who kickstarted the Party Kit Network in Ireland…Image: Party Kit Network

You might have noticed that most new apartment blocks around the country are covered in balconies. But, are these mandated by councils, and at what cost? Do we really need them in a country where it rains so much?Joining Seán to discuss is Seán O’Neill McPartlin, Director of Housing Policy at Progress Ireland…

Following last night’s shooting down of Russian drones in Polish Airspace, Poland has asked NATO to open consultations under Article 4 of its treaty, which states that members of the Western military alliance will consult together whenever any of them is threatened.The incident is being seen as one of major concerns for ‘The West’.But what is ‘The West’? Why are Poland in it? Are New Zealand and Australia, countries on the extreme east of the map, as we understand it, also part of “The West”?Georgios Varouxakis is Professor in History of Political Thought at Queen Mary University of London and author of ‘The West: The History of an Idea’. He joins Seán to discuss.