Moncrieff

The idea of winning an award like an Oscar for acting is seen by some as a futile attempt to turn art into sport.Some people have argued that comparing disparate performances is inherently unfair, and that a better metric would be to see a group of actors each take on the same part.But the one performance that all of the competing actors must be prepared for is the victory speech. So could good speech win you the award?Jesse Hassenberg is a Writer & Film Critic. He joins me now…Image: Reuters

It’s hard to believe it now, but Mark McCabe’s ‘Maniac’ turns 25 this year.So, let’s wind back the clock!Joining Seán to look back is Mark himself, DJ on 98FM and iRadio…

We have been hearing a lot about ‘untruths’, but is an ‘untruth’ just the same as a lie?Do we have a hard time admitting to lying, and how does our perception of it change depending on the situation?Chartered Behavioural Psychologist with Changeable.ie, Padraig Walsh, joins Seán to discuss.

Just how gross and disgusting is your kitchen sponge?And is your kitchen sink actually dirtier than your toilet seat?Dr Primrose Freestone, Associate Professor in Clinical Microbiology at Leicester University joins Seán to discuss.

Seán’s guest has written a new book about pursuing her life as a committed singleton, and how this led to her having a baby with a gay man, whom she lives with.Joining the show to discuss is Nicola Slawson, author of ‘Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms’…Image: Penguin

Teagasc is recommending that farmers diversify by renting our parcels of their land as allotments to the local community. But, is this a pragmatic idea?Joining Seán to discuss is Mairead Lavery, former Farming Reporter…

Whether it’s a public space - or even a wedding - when a child cries in public, it’s hard to deny that it’s annoying! So, what should be done when it happens? Should kids be banned from certain events?Henry McKean has been asking the public, and joins Seán to discuss.

You may have heard of the female ruler in Celtic Britain, Boudicca, who fought a rebellion against the invading Roman Empire.To the Romans, and perhaps to us, the idea of such a powerful matriarch could be seen as quite a rare thing, but new research from an archaeological site in Dorsets could suggest that women in Britain in this era were often in positions of power.Dr. Lara Cassidy is Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics in Trinity College Dublin and the lead author of the study. She joins Seán to discuss.

As a family in control of one of the most powerful media empires in the world, there has long been a fascination with the Murdochs. But, as Rupert Murdoch’s younger son, James Murdoch, speaks out about the family feuds and secret pacts – the dramatic fall out is even more sordid than a Succession script... Staff Writer with The Atlantic McKay Coppins published his in-depth piece which saw him spend time with James Murdoch and his wife Kathryn as the couple revealed their regrets and just how estranged the relationship is with his father and brother…He joins Seán to discuss.

Susanna Cappellaro was having a tough year in 2016. Having acted in films by Tim Burton and Peter Strickland, work had somewhat dried up.It was a time when something needed to change in her life and it did when her husband Scott announced that he was going to become a cyborg…Susanna Cappellaro is the Director of ‘My Husband The Cyborg’, and joins Seán to discuss.