Seán O'Rourke“Seán! Seán! I thought you were one of the good guys, but you brought up the hair, Seán, and that’s not good!”

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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It’s not the kind of leaving party that he might have anticipated even a few months ago: no hugs, no post-show knees-up, no large gathering of colleagues, but Friday was Seán O’Rourke’s last day presenting the Today programme and his team ensured it was a suitably impressive occasion. Seán was joined in studio by Marie Louise O’Donnell, Diarmaid Ferriter and …

Flour Shortage“Right now at the moment, the Odlums plant is at 110% capacity. They’re working 24/7 for the first time in their history.”

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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For anyone who bakes regularly or for anyone who was thinking of taking up baking during lockdown, one vital ingredient has been harder to come by these days than toilet roll: flour. You want to make some bread? A birthday cake? Pizza with the kids? Not so fast. Everywhere you look, there’s only a dusting of white powder on the …

Nazi Hunter Philippe Sands“He’d been in service for the Waffen SS in Yugoslavia, in Italy, killing partisans and communists and other anti-Nazis, so he knew how to survive.”

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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When The Ratline author Philippe Sands asked Horst Wächter how his Nazi father managed to escape justice after World War II, the conversation went in a surprising direction. As he told Seán O’Rourke today, Philippe had come to know Horst, whose father Otto ordered the deaths of thousands of Jews, including several members of Philippe Sands’ family. “One day, I …

Assessing Roger Casement“I think we would describe him in the modern era as being bipolar.”

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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Later this year – pandemic permitting – a statue of Roger Casement is to be unveiled in Dún Laoghaire, as part of a planned upgrade of the old Baths site. Professor of Modern History at UCD, Diarmuid Ferriter joined Seán O’Rourke on Wednesday to talk about the complicated legacy of the 1916 leader and he started by telling Seán that …

Learning Music during Lockdown“You can pick up any instrument and realise some music out of it at some stage.”

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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As the sun shines on our mass incarceration, web pages are full of suggestions and admonishments about what we should or shouldn’t be doing with all the time we allegedly have at our disposal. And when we finish watching our twelfth full-body workout video on Instagram, we might ask ourselves how we could possibly find something else to do that …

Éanna Ní Lamhna“People are out clipping their hedges and trimming their lawns because there’s nothing else to do. Stop!”

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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If you’re a reluctant gardener in this time of lockdown and distancing, good news comes your way today, courtesy of environmentalist, author and broadcaster, Éanna Ní Lamhna. Éanna spoke to Seán O’Rourke on Tuesday about the wonders of nature and the natural world in Springtime within two kilometres of most people’s homes. And one of the key tips she delivered …

Making a Will during Lockdown“The practical difficulties of it are enormous.”

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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No-one likes to think about their final testament, but the prospect of illness and even death due to the coronavirus makes wills suddenly seem more relevant. Social distancing and cocooning raise particular problems for the making of a will, according to barrister Tim Bracken. The wills expert and author of The Probate Handbook laid out the implications of making your wishes known …

Oisín McConville on Problem Gambling“We are talking about people who are gambling their last cent.” 

As heard on Today with Sean O'Rourke

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Oisín McConville, former Armagh footballer and recovering gambling addict told Seán O’Rourke on Thursday that he doesn’t blame the gambling industry for his past behaviour, but he thinks they could do better under current circumstances. With sporting fixtures cancelled, McConville is critical of what he sees as attempts by the industry to entice people to gamble on manufactured events like …