Seán Moncrieff facts for kids

Seán Moncrieff is a well-known Irish broadcaster, journalist, and writer. He hosts a popular radio show called Moncrieff on Newstalk every weekday afternoon. He also writes a regular column for The Irish Times newspaper.

You might know him from TV shows like his chat show Good Grief Moncrieff!, the funny show Don't Feed the Gondolas, or as the voice of The Restaurant. Seán has also written several books, including both story books (novels) and factual books.

Where Did Seán Moncrieff Grow Up?

Seán Moncrieff was born in London, England. His mother was from County Mayo, Ireland, and his father was from Edinburgh, Scotland.

When Seán was twelve years old, his family moved to Ballinasloe, a town in County Galway, Ireland. He went to school at Garbally College there. After finishing school, he studied journalism in Dublin. Later, he earned a degree in English and Philosophy from University College Dublin (UCD).

Seán Moncrieff's Career in Media

Seán Moncrieff started his career as a freelance journalist in Dublin. This means he wrote articles for different newspapers and magazines without working for just one company. He wrote about many different topics, from flower shows to big world events.

He then moved to London, where he worked for a TV magazine called Broadcast. After that, he became a researcher for Channel 4, a TV channel.

Working in Irish Broadcasting

When Seán came back to Ireland, he continued to work as a freelance journalist. But he also began working for Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), which is Ireland's national broadcaster.

He started on radio with a daily show called It Says In the Papers. Then he moved to television, presenting shows like The End, Good Grief Moncrieff!, Black Box, and the comedy show Don't Feed the Gondolas.

On RTÉ Radio, he hosted the Saturday morning show The Right Side. He also often contributed to other popular shows like The Arts Show and The Marian Finucane Show.

Seán's Work in the UK and Beyond

Seán Moncrieff has also worked for major broadcasters in the United Kingdom. He has written scripts and presented shows for the BBC, Channel 4, and Channel 5.

Back on RTÉ, Seán presented special shows like The Big 40, which celebrated forty years of Irish television. He also hosted Ireland Undercover, HQ, and The Holiday Quiz. Many people know him as the voice of the popular cooking show The Restaurant. In 2014, he hosted a quiz show on TV3 called "Crossfire".

The Moncrieff Radio Show

Currently, Seán Moncrieff hosts The Moncrieff Show every weekday afternoon on Newstalk. Newstalk is an independent radio station in Ireland. His show runs from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Since it first started in 2004, The Moncrieff Show has won many awards. It has received eleven PPI Radio Awards, which are important awards for radio in Ireland. In 2016, Seán Moncrieff was named the best speech broadcaster of the year.

Books Written by Seán Moncrieff

Seán Moncrieff is also a successful author. His first novel, a story book called Dublin, was published in May 2001. It became a bestseller in Ireland, meaning many people bought it.

He has also written non-fiction books, which are factual books. Stark Raving Rulers: twenty minor despots of the twenty-first century was published in October 2004. This was followed by God, A Users' Guide in 2006.

His second novel, The History of Things, came out in September 2007. The Irish Independent newspaper praised it, calling it "arguably the best Irish novel of the year." His third novel, The Angel of the Streetlamps, was published in December 2012. His sixth book overall, "The Irish Paradox," was published in 2015.

Awards and Recognition

The Moncrieff Show on Newstalk has won a total of twelve PPI/IMRO radio awards in various categories. These awards recognize excellence in Irish radio. The show has also won two awards at the New York Radio Awards, showing its international recognition.