Highlights From Moncrieff

Today is Friday the 13th a date that, for many, carries an uneasy sense of bad luck and looming misfortune. From religious folklore linking the number 13 to Judas at the Last Supper, to modern horror films that cement its ominous reputation, the superstition has endured for generations.But where does this fear really come from, and why does it still hold power in a country like Ireland, rich in folklore and tradition?  Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Head of the UCD School of Celtic Studies and Folklore, joined Sean to explain

Chef Catherine Fulvio has launched a new Online  cookery course for transition year students. The course aims to equip gen z with basic cooking skills so that they can cook easy and doable meals for themselves later in life. But is teaching Gen Z cooking online the best method? Catherine Fulvio  Owner of Ballyknocken of House & Cookery School in Wicklow, joined Sean to explain why young people are learning the art of cooking online now.  

Church launches marriage-themed computer game for Valentine’s Day aimed at enticing more couples to the altar – What other video games try to encourage human behaviour (social engineering) and the marriages of gamers? Ronan Price, Journalist and games critic at Irish Independent joined Sean to explain all.

There was a time when pubs would close for “holy hour” on Sundays. However, that was abolished in 2000, but what are the other strange things pubs in Ireland did back in the “good old days”Joining Sean to explain all the strange rules and traditions that used to exist in pubs was Mick Clifford from the Irish Examiner  

New research  has discovered that the tricolour is older than previously thought. Joining was joined by John Crotty, Historian and author of ‘The Irish Tricolour: the Truth Behind the Symbols and Struggles that Defined a Nation’ who has been researching the matter

Copper Face Jacks opened its doors 30 years ago this week. The landmark nightclub has had its moments. From 2011 All Ireland Football Champions - Dublin Captain Bryan Cullen's 'See you all in Copper's' speech to George Best having a pint, to guards and nurses finding love. But is the stereotype true, finding your life partner on the dance floor with a vodka and redbull? Last night we sent Copper Face Jacks Goldcard member Henry McKean down memory lane, going back 30 years and he sent us this report. With the people who make Coppers special, the revelers, bouncers and DJs

Sean was joiend by an Jane Howard an arts writer based in Adelaide  who happens to have a particularly loud guffaw, which can sometimes even land her in trouble when she goes to live shows.

Despite having had many in the past, Galway city now has no gays bars left. While some are saddened by this situation,  Galway native Francis Conneely believes that there isn’t really a need for gay bars anymore. He Joined Sean to explain

A US couple is set to buy an abandoned Spanish village, complete with a church, school and bar for €310,000. It’s part of a growing trend across Spain, Portugal and Italy, where depopulated rural villages are being snapped up by foreign investors and transformed into tourism hubs and corporate retreat destinations. As rural “desertification” becomes a political issue in southern Europe, are these buyers breathing new life into forgotten communities or turning them into boutique playgrounds for outsiders? Jason Lee Beckwith joined Sean to explain why he bought the town and what its upkeep is like.

Luca Di Marzio, owner of Rosa Madre restaurant in Dublin. Earlier this week, a BBC reporter went viral after going around Milan, the host city of the winter Olympics, looking for a pizza with pineapple on it. One chef told him it is illegal. But why are Italians up in arms about it? Luca Di Marzio, owner of Rosa Madre restaurant in Dublin, joined Sean to explain

Joanna Fortune joins Sean to discuss listeners' parenting queries...

My next guest wanted to go public with her story so that other women who have undergone plastic surgery might feel empowered to undergo a cosmetic reversal. Joining Sean was Sarah Lavender Smith, a writer and mountain ultra runner from Colorado.

The Palace of Westminster, which houses Big Ben and the House of Commons, is falling apart. With parts of the rodent-infested building complex over a 1000 years old, the troubled iconic UNESCO world heritage site came to light last week when a mouse ran past the Leader of the Opposition during a televised interview. A new report has been published on the path forward. Joining Sean was a man who spends most of his days holed up there  Mark Paul, London correspondent for the Irish Times.

Donald Ewing, Head of Education and Policy with Dyslexia Ireland. Donal is an educational psychologist and does assessments with people with dyslexia, and he joined Sean to explain what Dysgraphia which is often associated with poor handwriting

Where do people start when they need/want to preserve their digital legacy? Who can access your saved songs, your digtial notes, your blog/website, email addresses, can anyone? Subscriptions to netflix, gaming accounts, your Instagram, Dropbox – you might have crypto currency accounts, shopping apps, gambling/lotto apps, your utility bills the list is endlessSomeone is going to need access to these when you pass away, whether its for practical purposes or emotional /sentimental, so how should you plan for it?Jennifer Muldowney, AKA The Glam Reaper from Muldowney Memorials

The Government plans to introduce a three-year ban on family reunification for recognised refugees, along with new financial requirements. Ministers say it’s about tightening the system — but critics argue it risks leaving spouses and children in danger. With just over 2,500 family members reunited since 2022, is this necessary reform or an unfair restriction?  Nasc Chief Executive Fiona Hurley, joined Sean to discuss

An Irishman who travelled to America in the late 18th century has been honoured in Cork with a plaque for coining the term ‘United States of America’. Joining me now with the story is Michelle O’Mahony, a historian based in Cork...Image: National Museum of Ireland

A new study has found that bonobo monkeys can engage in make-believe in a very similar way to children. Joining Sean was Amalia Bastos, Lecturer in Comparative Psychology at the University of St. Andrews.

Jonathan DeBurca Butler joins Seán Moncrieff to take listeners through the week's international stories.

Keith Walsh, Family law solicitor at Keith Walsh Solicitors, joined Sean off the back of the announcement from the Justice Minister that the government is to introduce a ‘child maintenance calculator’ to help couples make DIY agreements. But what does this mean and will it help the often complicated task of try sorting out child maintenance.