

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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Nov 27, 2024 • 8min
The secret to developing good habits
We all have habits, whether they be good or bad. But, what if there was a science-backed blueprint to help us not only break the bad ones but make the good ones stick?Groundbreaking research from Trinity College Dublin has just uncovered exactly that. Led by Dr. Eike Buabang, this study reveals how our brain’s automatic and goal-directed systems work together, and sometimes against us, when it comes to habits.Dr. Eike Buabang joins Seán to discuss.

Nov 27, 2024 • 10min
New project examines old Irish recipes from the National Library collection
Among the thousands of tomes housed in the National Library of Ireland are many cookbooks, stretching back to the 1660s. The recipes inside offer a fascinating glimpse into the lives of our ancestors, particularly women.Two keepers at the NLI have been examining these books for a series of talks called ‘Cooking the Books’. Joining Seán to discuss are Joanne Carroll and Nora Thornton, Assistant Keepers at the National Library of Ireland…Image: National Library of Ireland

Nov 27, 2024 • 8min
How bad is misinformation with influencers?
A new survey carried out by UNESCO casts a stark warning on the absence of fact checking among online influencers. But, what can be done to rectify the situation? Joining Seán to discuss is Adeline Hulin, Head of the Unit for Media and Information Literacy at UNESCO...

Nov 27, 2024 • 8min
What does a ‘Theatre Fight Director’ do?
In recent years there have been calls to include an award for stunts in the Oscars.The idea being that Hollywood should recognise the creative input and the difficulty involved in coordinating and performing these set pieces.Those difficulties are made all the more difficult if what you’re coordinating has to be performed in front of a live audience.That is the role of a Theatre Fight Director. Kate Waters has been a Fight Director for 23 years, working with some of the most famous actors and actresses in the world. She joins Seán to chat.

Nov 27, 2024 • 8min
Should Northern Ireland’s flag change for the Commonwealth Games?
There's increasing debate over Northern Ireland's flag at the Commonwealth Games, with calls for a change to better represent the region's diversity.Joining Seán to discuss this is Conal Heatley, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland.

Nov 27, 2024 • 16min
Experiencing AIDS in Ireland
How far have we come in the fight against HIV in Ireland? To mark World AIDS Day, a powerful new documentary, ‘Memorial – The Story of HIV/AIDS in Ireland’, will be airing this Thursday on RTÉ. This documentary takes a deep dive into the impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis on Irish society, telling the stories of those who lived through it, and the newly unveiled AIDS Memorial at Phoenix Park.To tell more, Seán is joined by Liz Martin, HIV Survivor and Advocate…

Nov 26, 2024 • 5min
Does IQ directly relate to intelligence?
Ten year old Krish Arora has become one of Mensa’s younger members after attaining the maximum score possible.This means that young Krish scored higher than would be expected of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking…But, does that mean that he’s smarter than two of history’s most gifted thinkers? And what exactly does a high IQ indicate?Seán is joined by Brian Marshall, Publicity Officer with Mensa Ireland, to discuss.

Nov 26, 2024 • 9min
What cocaine really does to your body
What really happens to your body when you take cocaine? Dr. Chris Luke, Medical Columnist and Podcaster has seen the harrowing effects of this drug up close, and joins Seán to unpack the science, the history, and the harsh realities of cocaine.

Nov 26, 2024 • 7min
The history of the ‘Shamrock’ car
The ‘Shamrock’ was a car built in Ireland intended for the American market, but after the tenth car was made, production ceased - making it a very rare collector’s item.Alison Healy, Journalist with the Irish Times has been writing about the strange history of the car, and joins Seán to discuss.

Nov 26, 2024 • 0sec
Who has the fairest democratic system?
On Friday many of us here in Ireland will be going to the polls to exercise our democratic franchise. 2024 is a pivotal year for democracies around the world with as many as 2 Billion people world wide taking part in elections.But although these are all taking place in democracies, not all democratic systems are the same.So what is the fairest and how does ours compare?Lee Drutman is a Political Scientist at New America, and joins Seán to discuss.