

Moncrieff
Newstalk
The daily dose of madness and intrigue from Sean Moncrieff and his rebel radio crew. Listen and subscribe to Moncrieff on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'
Episodes
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Jul 8, 2025 • 11min
How to deal with bored teenagers during the summer!
The summer holidays are long, especially for our teenagers who often sit outside the traditional models of summer camps and the like. What do you do when a lot of options are either too expensive or just non-existent in the first place?Joining Seán to discuss is Journalist Jen Hogan, who has been writing about this for the Irish Times…

Jul 8, 2025 • 14min
Excavation of Tuam mother and baby home to begin
The excavation of the Tuam mother and baby home site has been hailed as “A light at the end of the tunnel” according to the families affected.Anna Corrigan is down in Tuam all week and ahead of a public press statement from the Tuam Babies Families Group this afternoon she spoke to us today...Anna believes her two brothers John and William Dolan may be buried there…She joins Seán to discuss.

Jul 7, 2025 • 9min
Why does cheese give us nightmares?
A new study has examined the link between the consumption of cheese and bad dreams, and more broadly the relationship between problem foods and dreams. Joining Seán to discuss is Tore Nielson, Neuroscientist at the University of Montreal and Director of the Dream and Nightmare Lab.

Jul 7, 2025 • 11min
Are we looking at a future of nuclear armament?
Beginning on June 13th and ending with a ceasefire on the 24th, the recent Israel/Iran conflict may have been relatively short lived, but its consequences will likely be long felt and widespread.Could they even perhaps precipitate the collapse of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?John O'Brennan is Professor of European Politics at Maynooth University, and he has been writing about this in the Irish Examiner. He joins Seán to discuss.

Jul 7, 2025 • 8min
The folklore around animals and the weather
How many times have you looked at your weather app when it’s raining, only for your phone to insist that you’re actually mistaken and the sun is splitting the rocks!This didn’t happen in the past. Back in the good old days, you could be sure of the weather by just taking a look around you.If the hills seemed far away, then the weather would be good. If the cat sat with its back to the fire, then the weather would be bad. Simple!Kelly Fitzgerald is the Head of the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore in UCD. She joins Seán to discuss the origin behind some of these weather phrases.

Jul 7, 2025 • 17min
Is cycling without hands illegal? - Henry McKean Reports
A cyclist has claimed that he was given a ticket by a City of London Police officer under the Human Rights Act for cycling no handed. But, here in Ireland what is the law for cycling without holding onto the handlebars?Henry McKean has been investigating, and joins Seán to discuss.

Jul 7, 2025 • 8min
Why Ireland needs mother and baby psychiatric units
With Ireland remaining an outlier on an EU level when it comes to mother and baby psychiatric units, what efforts need to be made in order to ensure that this issue gets resolved?Joining Seán to discuss is Krysia Lynch, Chair of the Association for Improvements in the Maternity Service Ireland…

Jul 7, 2025 • 11min
Should sunscreen be classified as an ‘essential product’?
With temperatures set to soar to 28 degrees later this week, many listeners will be paying top dollar for expensive suncream products. But, should the VAT be removed from suncream and should it be reclassified as an ‘essential product’?Joining Seán to discuss is Anne Marie Tobin, Consultant Dermatologist…

Jul 4, 2025 • 46min
Movies and Booze
Jean Smullen joins Moncrieff with two wines for the weekend. Chris Wasser reviews Jurassic World and Cronenberg’s The Shrouds, while Fionnuala Jones has the latest showbiz stories.After the sad passing of Michael Madsen and the creative change-up for the next season of The Last Of Us, there's plenty in the news to discuss (and plenty of wine to taste.)Listen here.

Jul 4, 2025 • 8min
Going Grey With Pride
Helen O’Rahilly, Former television executive with the BBC, joined Moncrieff earlier to speak about her decision to ditch the dye and go grey – little did she realise quite how eagerly she would take to it.Listen here