Seán Moncrieff, the host of a popular show on Newstalk airing weekdays, reliably delivers a wide range of discussions that provoke intellectual stimulation. The content of the Wednesday edition, however, appeared a tad heavy, with featured items ranging from Kenyan carrots to Irish venison and elephant meat from Zimbabwe. A significant amount of information to consume in one episode, even for the habitual audience accustomed to Moncrieff’s eclectic array of topics.
The show nonetheless proved not only manageable but oddly enjoyable, though not without its uncomfortable moments along the way. An instance of this required endurance was during the show’s recurring segment Around the World, where Jonathan deBurca Butler discusses with the host a proposal to control the elephant population as a solution to the food crisis in Zimbabwe. While it seems an unlikely proposition, Moncrieff later hears of a similar home-grown initiative, a cull of 78,000 Irish deer within the year leading up to February 2023.
The figure is a “whopping one,” admits Damien Hannigan of the Irish Deer Commission, even when compared to the number from the previous year at 55,000, which is somewhat shocking to those not familiar with the subject.
Clearly, it is a topic fuelled by emotions, something Hannigan acknowledges. But Moncrieff approaches it with a desire to understand rather than to judge, discovering the potential harm unchecked deer populations could cause to forests and farmlands. While the host implies widespread acceptance of a necessary cull, animal enthusiasts and vegetarians may disagree. Regardless of one’s stance, the presenter sheds enlightening, if somewhat disconcerting light on a previously unexplored issue: the existence of 6,500 licensed deer hunters in Ireland isn’t widely known, is it?
Moncrieff’s show could potentially challenge your sense of national pride yet remains an interesting listen. Breezy romcom Nobody Wants This review is likened to When Harry Met Sally for millennials absorbed in themselves. The programme also pays tribute to an Irish revolutionary, Rónán Mac Aodha Bhuí, a comprehensive tribute that truly honours his contribution to the cause. Rónán Mac Aodha Bhuí: A well-earned salute to the language revolutionary.
Moncrieff’s conversational style is well known, often blending serious inquiry with a touch of humour. For instance, his amusing observations on the lack of affordable venison in markets or the simplicity of carrot cultivation in Ireland. However, Siobhán Walsh from the Irish Farmers Journal, contests the latter, discussing the negative impact of imported vegetables, including carrots, on domestic farmers.
Not just food, Moncrieff’s programme touches upon a myriad of topics including beer sizes and oversized pumpkins. Still, he doesn’t shy away from more contentious questions.
Walsh highlights the struggles faced by vegetable framers because of the cheap imports favoured by supermarkets, which are affecting the profitability of Irish farmers, forcing many of them to abandon their business. The conversation addresses the serious implications of unchecked consumer capitalism. In Walsh’s words, there is “no value placed on the hard work that goes into growing these crops”. The sobering fact that Ireland’s potato self-sufficiency is only at 60% is enough to dent national pride.
Moncrieff’s versatility shines as he tackles non-food topics as well. A conversation with Dr Maurice Casey from Queen’s University Belfast delves deep into the understanding of Irish identity, an issue that has become more significant with the emergence of extreme right-wing ideologies.
Casey advocates an open and diverse view of Irish identity, but Moncrieff warns that this multicultural idealism may not resonate with extremists who have a concrete and narrow view of Irishness. Moncrieff optimistically points to Irish sports teams as examples of inclusive identities. Be it serious discussions about food or nationhood, Moncrieff proves equally adept at handling diverse subjects, whether they be literal or metaphorical.
From the beginning, a sense of kindness and hopefulness permeates the Documentary on One: Heart and Soul Horses (RTÉ Radio 1, Saturday), though the story of Georgia Lillis, a native of Dublin, and her struggle to rescue her cherished horse stables carries a gloomy undertone. The radio show, produced by Nicoline Greer, chronicles not just Lillis’s efforts to preserve her enterprise, which provides therapeutic horse riding for children with neurodivergent conditions, but also the tragic context of her affinity for everything horse-related.
In 2008, Lillis’s mother, Celine Cawley, was murdered by her father, Eamonn, while she was still a schoolgirl. Amidst poignant reminders of her mother, Lillis narrates the distressing circumstances of her loss in a discreet yet moving way and the grim consequences that followed. She, among other things, stayed with her father in their Howth home for a year before his trial began, recounting, “He left €50 on the table and went to jail.”
Such traumatic experiences had enduring impacts, with Lillis reflecting: “I believe my entire body has gotten used to survival mode.” Yet, against all odds, Lillis maintains a positive attitude. Her passion for horses served as a coping mechanism for her trauma, motivating her to create the business she endeavours to maintain, driven by the same can-do spirit she says she got from her mother, proclaiming, “My 20s were quite bleak, so I just want one good thing.” In the latest episode of Documentary on One’s new season, Greer effectively recounts Lillis’s story, transition between different narrative elements without losing pace or concentration, culminating in an unexpectedly uplifting conclusion.
During Wednesday’s Drivetime (RTÉ Radio 1, weekdays), presenter Cormac Ó hEadhra serves more stimulating radio content, asking listeners: “Would you be able to recognise an aubergine or a mint plant or celery or chives?” This intriguing question arises from a research determining that two-thirds of London’s primary school kids don’t recognise common vegetables like courgettes or beetroot.
Chef JP McMahon takes part in the conversation, stressing the deficit in culinary knowledge in his own country and the UK as well. Sarah McInerney, Ó hEadhra’s fellow presenter, however, has a different perspective on the deficiency of affection for greens. She posits that perhaps the issue lies in the fact that grown-ups don’t often consume them either. It’s a sentiment shared by most, even though convincing children to eat the healthy green vegetables remains a constant challenge. In a somewhat regretful tone, McMahon admits that his Bolognese recipe has been tampered with to remove carrots. The silver lining though, is that these vegetables are not being imported.