Moncrieff

Over the past 3 decades, Florida’s oyster population has declined massively. So much so, that there has been a 5-year ban of harvesting oysters in America.On top of this, wild oysters are functionally extinct around the world.Professor Heather O’Leary, a Professor of Anthropology at St. Petersburg's University wanted to bring this to light in a way that everyone could understand: through jazz!She joins Seán to discuss.

Seán’s guest has just put in a beautiful shiny new kitchen in her house, but it has got her questioning the role of ‘performative prosperity’ in modern Ireland. Are we hanging our identities on superficial things too much?Joining Seán to discuss is Orla McAndrew, a zero waste wedding and event caterer based in Cork…

The speed at which we can communicate in the modern world has many benefits for us all. It keeps us in touch with friends and family abroad, and allows us to access information from all around the world in an instant.But, it can be a little overwhelming. Journalist Niamh O’Reilly decided to try to reach out in a different way at the start of this year: a message in a bottle. And now, she’s had a response.She joins Seán to discuss.

While most people are unlikely to associate their job with being fun, is there an argument to be made for approaching work in this way?Joining Seán from New York to discuss is Bree Groff, author of ‘Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously)’...

The 2022 invasion of Ukraine pivoted Germany’s once discrete war machine to a star-studded spectacle.With the glamour of an ‘upmarket car showroom’, a new shell factory (which will produce 350,000 shells annually) was launched using dry ice and a laser show.Is this odd display of German militarism part of the zeitgeist?Derek Scally, Berlin Correspondent for the Irish Times, joins Seán to discuss.

Karen Sugrue is the Co-Chair of Mammies for Trans Rights, and she joins Seán to talk about the struggles and fear she has been facing, as she notices a shift in attitudes about her children…

Seán’s guest is fresh from his recent victory at the World Toe Wrestling Championships in Derbyshire, but how do you win this esteemed competition?Ben “Toe Tal Destruction” Woodroffe joins to discuss!

In late December 1929 four Hungarian women went on trial for murdering their husbands.This was a huge scandal in and of itself, but it turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg of what came to be known as the ‘Nagyrev poisoning crisis’.Hope Reese is the author of ‘The Women Are Not Fine’, and joins Seán to discuss.

With the cost of barista-made coffee rising considerably over the past year or so, more and more people appear to be turning to portable coffee machines. But, what are they and how do they work?Joining Seán to discuss this is Ciara O'Brien, Tech Correspondent for the Irish Times…

According to UNICEF, Irish teens are number one in academic performance, beating all other nations in the rich world. However, we rank only 24th in adolescent mental well-being…In terms of both mental and physical health, we are far outpaced in both mental and physical health by the Dutch, the people who cycle incessantly.So, should we take a leaf out of their book and hop on our bikes more often?Aibhlín O’Leary, Head of Advocacy for UNICEF Ireland, joins Seán to discuss.