Highlights From Moncrieff

When you think to relax after a week of work you might think of a nice bottle of wine or a cold beer but, what about a nice cold, refreshing glass of absinthe? The green fairy is being made in Ireland and this time it’s not green. Robert Barrett is co founder of Rebel City Distillery with his wife Bagya Barrett and is the producer of Ireland’s only commercial absinthe

The spaghetti western, a subgenre of movies in the 1960s which were often made by Italian directors and filmed in Spain, are among the most popular movies of the 20th century. The set of one of its most famous examples, Once Upon a Time in the West, has been preserved for the past 4 decades and is now up for sale

He has lived a life in the shadow of one of the world’s most famous people – Bono. Pavel Sfera is a lookalike and the lead singer in a U2 Tribute Band, and I have to say, he’s one of the best doubles I’ve ever encountered.

Cork born bread specialist and founder of the Happy Tummy Company, Karen O’Donoghue, joined Sean to explain how she has developed a special type of bread that helps to rid you of all your digestive woes.

Barbara Scully, Declan Buckley and Sean help tackle listener dilemmas.

Over the past few years we have become accustomed to the relatively new endeavour to name and categorise storms, from Ophelia to Barra. Kathy Baughman McLeod, Director of the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, joined Sean to discuss a new pilot project in Seville, one of Europe’s hottest cities, which aims to classify heatwaves in a similar manner.

Gardaí have announced a full cold case review into Sophie Toscan du Plantier's 1996 murder. In 1996, French producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier was found dead near her holiday home in West Cork. Sean was joined by her son Pierre-Louise Baudey-Vignaud to discuss his hope that this new review will bring closure for the family.

The summer festival season is in full swing and while everyone wants to have a fun and safe time, the HSE are asking you to be careful when taking drugs and to ‘Start Low and Go Slow.’ Prof Eamon Keenan, HSE’s National Clinical Lead-Addiction Services, joined Sean to discuss the HSE’s new drug harm reduction campaign has launched.

Akin to dogs and cats, hamsters are beloved pets to families throughout Ireland and around the world. However unlike their canine and feline friends, very little was known about the general health and lifespan of these furry creatures-until now. Associate professor in companion animal epidemiology at the RVC, Dan O’Neill, joined Sean to discuss the largest ever study on the well being of hamsters carried out by The Royal Veterinary College.

The US has a long history of using different methods of execution for those on death row. The changing of methods stems from the main aim of trying to find the most humane method. Professor Frank Baumgartner, Political Scientist from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, joined Sean to discuss the supreme courts decision to approve death by firing squad in Georgia and, how South Carolina are preparing to use this method more frequently

The biggest ever exhibition exploring the crimes of William Burke and William Hare will be explored in a new exhibition in Edinburgh. 'Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life' curator Tayce Phillipson, joined Sean to discuss the exhibition and Edinburgh's background as a global centre for the study of medical research.

Each week will take a topic and deep dive into it, doing all the research so you don’t have to. This week Barry Benson, managing director of DynoRod Dublin, joined Sean to explain how to unblock a toilet.

Hyperemesis is a condition some women suffer from during pregnancy. There is a drug on the market called Cariban that can alleviate the worst of the symptoms, but it’s expensive and not available on medical card or Drug Payment Scheme. Gary Gannon, Social Democrats TD for Dublin Central, joined Sean and Janine Breslin, who experienced hyperemesis on her pregnancy to explain why it is so important for women to have better access to it.

The term “passing” was first used in 19th-century America to refer to light-skinned slaves who fled to freedom by claiming a white identity, but the phenomenon both pre- and postdates its naming. Lipika Pelham, joined Sean to explain how she looks at this history in her new book “Passing: An Alternative History of Identity.”

Documents submitted to a court in Paris have suggested Jill Dando may have been murdered in a case of mistaken identity, by a Russian hitman hired to kill another BBC journalist. Sean was joined by Matthew Young Reporter with the Daily Mirror, to discuss the background to her death and this new theory.

Last night, Dublin got its new Lord Mayor. Caroline Conroy, joined Sean to discuss her delight at the election result and her political career.

Mike O’Donnell is one of Ireland’s most widely published court artists. He joined Sean to explain how his job was one that requires speed in some cases, an understanding of body language, and looking into the accused eyes.

Alexander Sanger is the grandson of Margaret Sanger, the woman who founded Planned Parenthood. He has dedicated his life to continuing his grandmother’s dedication to reproductive rights. He joined Sean to discuss the undoing of Roe V Wade, and if this just the beginning of something more.

The Government has agreed to a request from Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan for the army to be on standby to help with security at Dublin Airport. Senator Gerard Craughwell joined Sean to discuss what that would mean and if that was the best use of resources.

Ione Gamble, an author of Poor Little Sick Girls: A Love Letter to Unacceptable Women and Guardian columnist, joined Deirdre to discuss why she feels Gen Z is obsessed with the cult of wellness.