Every now and again, Herself will have a bit of a cry. Usually, this isn’t in response to a specific set of circumstances, it’s more like emotional maintenance. She’ll say: “I needed a good cry. I could feel it coming on.” And she’ll feel better for it. I’ve never had that experience. Many times, I’ve … Read more
With last Friday’s confirmation of Rick O’Shea as the full-time presenter of RTÉ Radio 1’s Arena, the most turbulent period in the history of Ireland’s radio schedules has drawn to a close. Over the past six months, virtually every slot in the weekday schedules of both national talk stations has seen a change of personnel. … Read more
Myself and Daughter Number Four had to get her a small whiteboard for class. This isn’t a high-end piece of equipment, so we knew exactly where to go to get it. In the shopping centre near where we live, there are a number of shops that sell this kind of thing, all of which have … Read more
When we visit my sister’s house, there is a comfortingly familiar routine. We go in around the back door (someone is usually dying for the loo), put the bag up in the usual bedroom and then perch around the kitchen island and have tea. More trivial issues are dealt with first. On our last visit, … Read more
When I was a kid, there were occasional TV shows that everyone watched. I would look at Dallas with my parents, my mother tutting in disapproval whenever JR got up to anything sexual. (When he committed fraud or double-crossed people, she wasn’t so bothered.) We watched Roots, which for the first time gave me some … Read more
She has only been on her new show for a few days, but Claire Byrne has settled into the role so effortlessly that she’s already slacking on the job. On Wednesday’s Claire Byrne Show (Newstalk, weekdays), the host is in conspicuously high spirits as she introduces her guest Aisha Tyler, the American actor. “We’re having … Read more
Families can often be defined by singular things. You’ve got your sporty families where much of their time is taken up by devotion to the local GAA club. Outdoorsy families who are always camping or cycling. Intellectual families who like to have heated debates over dinner. Musical families, rich families, farming families. It seems to … Read more
Kieran Cuddihy and I are chatting in Taste cafe near the Newstalk studio. We talk briefly about how I’m neurotically using two different audio recorders. He can relate. “I was interviewing Domhnall Gleeson recently and I forgot to turn the recorder on,” he says. “Halfway through the interview I saw it and he saw me … Read more
One of my most memorable visits to the US was a road trip along the west coast: from Seattle to San Diego. There were areas where the restaurants only took cash and locals had never heard an Irish accent. More than once, we were accused of being Australian. But the further south we travelled, the … Read more
As fans of his show can attest, Seán Moncrieff comes across as a pretty chill guy. Whether covering offbeat curios such as stick-appreciation websites or dealing with contentious topics such as anti-Semitism, the host approaches his brief in a spirit of affably phlegmatic inquiry. But occasionally the on-air persona cracks. During Tuesday’s discussion on Moncrieff … Read more