Nights

The Booker Prize was announced earlier this week - it went to Irish writer Paul Lynch for his dystopian novel "Prophet Song" - but Paul Lynch wasn't the only Irish writer shortlisted for the award. In fact, he wasn't even the only Irish writer named Paul to make the shortlist - The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray, was also on there. Two other Irish writers made the Booker LONG-list. And that's quite apart from other writers like Sally Rooney, who's pulling up trees wherever she goes Of course, Ireland has an incredibly rich literary tradition - from George Bernard Shaw to James Joyce, to Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and WB Yeats, to name but a few. So what is it about this little island nation north-west of Europe that allows it to produce such lyrical, erudite authors? Matthew Ryan is an expert in Irish Literature at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.

There are, I'd venture to say, two types of people in the mornings: those who snooze through alarms, and those who don't. And it's probably fair to say that society is a bit rough on snoozers. They are often characterised as lazy and undisciplined - bad sleep hygiene, if you will. But is that UNFAIR? Could hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock in fact be beneficial? A new study published in the Journal of Sleep Research suggests just that - the study's lead author is Tina Sundelin, a sleep researcher from Stockholm University.

What should you do if you find an abandoned turtle? No, don't name it after a renaissance painter and throw it down the sewer with a slice of pizza.... I promise you it won't turn into a crime fighting ninja... Instead call the SPCA who are likely to send it to Turtle Rescue. Turtle Rescue is run and funded by just one woman - Donna Moot. She operates it out of her Christchurch home. Donna explains to explain why we're about to hit peak season for abandoned turtles, and how you can get your hands on one.

The BBC's Rob Hugh-Jones runs through the latest world news, including: COP28, Green Aviation, Flight MH370 compensation, Ukraine & Sudan.

Teo Reo Maori has become a normal part of our everyday interactions here in Aotearoa/New Zealand. But one of our native languages, Ta re Moriori, has no native speakers and could face possible extinction without an effort to revive it. A project between the University of Auckland and the Hokeotehi Moriori Trust hopes to be part of that effort. Linguist John Middleton is part of the project to revitalise the language, both on the Chatham Islands and here on the mainland.

Invercargill cyclist Hannah Pascoe has become the first blind woman to cycle the length of the country. The 19 day trip started at Cape Reinga on November the 8th, and wound up yesterday afternoon in Bluff. Along the way Hannah also raised a huge $25,000 which is going to support other blind athletes. She joins Mark Leishman on Nights...

While most of the major tournaments New Zealand were competing in have come and gone there's still plenty of sport around. Bryan Waddle joins Mark Leishman to discuss the young driver making a splash this Supercar season, transfer moves at the Warriors, the Blackcaps, and the Olympic climbing squad.

Finn Johansson has four records for us from: Francisca Griffin and the Bus Shelter Boys, Pink Pantheress, Memory Foam, Andre 3000.

It's been a huge 2023 for Trade Aid. They celebrate their 50th birthday, and last night they won the 'Good Food' category at the Sustainable Business Awards. You probably know their distinctive red shops... But that's a relatively small part of their business.... Almost a side hustle! Like the rest of us their mostly powered by caffeine... Over the last 20 years they've grown from a tiny importer of green coffee beans, to dominating over 20% of the market. All while remaining committed to the principals of Fair Trade There's a good chance you've drunk their beans today... Chief Executive Geoff White joins Mark...

This week Dan's got 3 movies for us including a dystopian future comedy, a focused on the biggest star on television in the 1970s and the the original documentary that inspired Taika Waititi's new feature comedy.