

Moncrieff
Newstalk
The daily dose of madness and intrigue from Sean Moncrieff and his rebel radio crew.CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and entertainmentListen to Newstalk at http://newstalk.com/listenlive | Download the GoLoud app now, the new home for Newstalk
Episodes
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Sep 19, 2025 • 6min
Why are you not allowed to swim in Venice’s canals?
A couple from the UK have been banned from Venice after they were caught swimming in the Grand Canal. They were spotted by gondoliers and reported to police, for which they were fined €450 and banned from the city for 48 hours.Swimming in the city’s 150 canals is prohibited, but that has not stopped people from doing it. This has reignited anger among locals, who are calling for fines to be higher and measures to be harsher…Joining Seán to discuss is Journalist Josephine McKenna, who is based in Italy…

Sep 19, 2025 • 14min
How parents can benefit from ‘adult-only’ time
Is an adult-only getaway the key to keeping your marriage alive, and where does AI come in? And, how difficult is it for parents of young children to balance friendships along with the rest of the everyday slog?Author Sophie White explores these topics in her Irish Independent columns, as well as her new book ‘Such A Good Couple’. She joins Seán to discuss.

Sep 19, 2025 • 9min
What is ‘Extended Reality’ in film?
‘Extended Reality’ is the new coming of age thing at the Venice Film Festival.The Venice immersive section of the Venice International Film Festival is dedicated entirely to immersive arts and media, but what exactly is it?Michel Reilhac is Founder of Venice Immersive, and joins Seán to discuss.Image: La Biennale di Venezia

Sep 19, 2025 • 10min
How a few drinks can make you speak a language better!
If you've ever been on holiday and found yourself speaking the local language with the waiter a little too well, it may be because of the few drinks you had before that…University of Bath Researcher, Inge Kersbergen, has put to the test the possibility that a little tipple makes you more efficient at speaking a new language, and she’s been awarded the Ig Nobel prize for her work!She joins Seán to discuss.

Sep 18, 2025 • 4min
Rare Saturn celestial event to take place this weekend
This Saturday morning will bear witness to a once in every 15 years celestial event, the passage of Titan in front of Saturn, and will be visible from Ireland.Joining Seán to discuss this is Niall Smyth, Head of Research at Munster Technological University and Head of Blackrock Observatory in Cork…

Sep 18, 2025 • 10min
Are young people afraid of causing offence?
Are young people more consumed with self doubt and a fear of causing offence than other generations? And if so, what can be done to make them more resilient?Joining Seán to discuss is Joe Humphries, Columnist with the Irish Times…

Sep 18, 2025 • 7min
Could electronic conveyancing help the housing crisis?
Electronic conveyancing could cut the time taken to buy a home to as little as four weeks.Secure, paperless and electronic conveyancing processes would save costs, cut red tape and reduce stress of house sales.Right now, it can take up to 6 months, sometimes even more to buy and own a house.Joining Seán to discuss is Mike Stack, a Solicitor with digital conveyancing specialists Beam.

Sep 18, 2025 • 10min
What it’s like travelling with a ‘bad’ passport
Do you dread the hassle of travel?Well, if you’re an Irish passport holder, you may take for granted being able to travel without the panic of a visa. That is not the case if you’re from a country like India, where your passport can often lead to visa issues and airport delays...Azmia Riaz has been writing about her experiences travelling with a ‘bad’ passport and just how inconvenient it really is. She joins Seán to discuss.

Sep 18, 2025 • 13min
Why can’t students cook?
A recent survey in the UK shows that over half of college students admit to only being able to cook up to 5 meals – and these include the likes of instant noodles…Should we be equipping our young people with more efficient cooking skills before they fly the nest?Joining Seán to discuss is Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School, who has written a book on this very topic!

Sep 18, 2025 • 10min
Gender reveal parties - here to stay or a flash in the pram?
Cover your ears, superstitious listener, because this new generation of parents will cause you to toss all the salt and make you bless yourself into oblivion. Not only are they finding out the gender of their babies, they're naming them and throwing a pre-birthday party too!Newstalk's Sarah Madden reports on the stupidest trend to reach our shores so far.


