Moncrieff

According to research, the death of the semicolon is near; with its usage in English books plummeting by almost half in two decades. But, what is the appropriate use of the semicolon? What grammatical function does it intend to fill? And, is its increasing rarity a cause for concern?Lisa McLendon is Author of The Perfect English Grammar Workbook and has done research on the semicolon. She joins Seán to discuss.

If you’ve been spending time in nature recently or been going on hikes or walks thanks to the nice weather, you might’ve come across large silk webs covering trees and bushes.Collie Ennis, Biodiversity Officer in Trinity College Dublin, joins Seán to explain exactly what that fascinating silk sheet is, and why you should just admire it rather than be afraid of it.Image: Butterfly Conservation

Have you ever wondered who is behind the knitting needles for Kneecap’s famous tricolour balaclavas?Lewis Kenny joins Seán to discuss how he started off at a knitting class, and now makes balaclavas for Kneecap.Image: @tricolourbalaclava on Instagram

Most of us probably remember getting a pound off your mother or the old man to go down and buy some comics or one hundred penny jellies.It’s probably a treasured memory for some, but was it a beneficial experience? Did it affect how you viewed money as an adult, and should those of us who are parents now give out pocket money at all?Rachel O’Dwyer is Lecturer in Digital Cultures in the National College of Art and Design, Dublin and Author of ‘Tokens: The Future of Money in the Age of the Platform’. She joins Seán to discuss.

Do middle lane hoggers drive you mad?Motorway driving can be stressful at the best of times, but the phenomenon of people sitting in the middle lane instead of moving in and out of the slow lane is something that you see right across the country.So, are Irish drivers worse than others, and why is this a bad and dangerous habit?Geraldine Herbert, Motoring Editor at the Sunday Independent, joins Seán to discuss.

What started off as a once-off community project in 2018 has now turned into a vibrant community performance group for over 65s.To discuss, Seán is joined by Director, Performer and Facilitator of The Elders, Andrea Scott.Image: Mill Theatre

Deciding how to split up your wealth among loved ones and family can be quite daunting and confusing, but creating a will helps to iron out any confusion over how your wealth is divided when you pass away. But, what happens to your estate if you are single when you die?Joining Seán to discuss is John Costello, Solicitor with Noble Law and Specialist in Wills and Administration of Estates.

As the long absence of rain begins to have a serious impact on the country, Seán’s guest has been exploring what the history of droughts can teach us about how to manage current and future ones.Joining to discuss is Michelle McKeown, Lecturer in Environmental Geography at UCC…

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to go back to education in your 50s?Dr Suzanne Crowe recently went back to college to study law after two decades, while still juggling her full-time job and all the other responsibilities that life brings.She joins Seán to discuss.

The BBC has confirmed Gary Lineker will leave his presenting roles sooner than planned.His departure comes after he shared an Instagram post about Zionism that included a drawing of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.Henry McKean has been out and about talking to people about quitting, and joins Seán to discuss.