The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Actor Frank Blake is the latest guest to be inducted into the Culture Club!He joins The Last Word to discuss his favourite music, movies, TV and more.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joined Matt to discuss life after politics, her hopes for an independent Scotland, her meetings with Queen Elizabeth and her new book, Frankly.To catch the full conversation press the 'play' button on this page.

New figures have shown that people aged over 50 are the biggest group seeking personal insolvency solutions in Ireland.Mitchell O’Brien of IRS Ireland found that most of his insolvent clients are over 50, and many are nearing retirement age.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, spoke to The Last Word on Wednesday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Ireland didn't make the cut for the annual ranking of the world's richest countries published by The Economist magazine because it is not "truly rich".Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss whether Ireland’s wealth ranking is a true measure and more of the latest business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

European leaders went on the charm offensive in their visit to the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they sought to ensure that US President Donald Trump's doesn't bow to Russia in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine.On The Last Word, Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas are joined by Edward Burke, lecturer in war studies at UCD, to discuss where things stand between Trump, Ukraine, Europe and Russia after the White House summit.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Award-winning Irish author Sally Rooney has said she would donate her earnings from her books to support Palestine Action, with Downing Street warning that she risks facing a terrorist offence if she does so.The group was recently proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.Mark Paul, London Correspondent with the Irish Times, spoke to Frank Greaney on Tuesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

With incredible wildlife, mesmerising culture and stunning white sand beaches, Sri Lanka has so much to offer. Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to give her guide to visiting the beautiful island in the Indian Ocean.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The lineup for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing has been revealed, which features former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn and reality star Vicky Pattison.Elsewhere, the Rose of Tralee kicks off on Monday night and Ryan Tubridy is set to return to Irish television screens.Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke joined Frank Greaney for The Last Word on TV & Streaming.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Oasis brought the house down over the weekend with two unforgettable gigs at Croke Park.Fans basked in the sunshine on Saturday and Sunday as the Gallagher brothers rolled back the years with over two hours of hits.Frank Greaney and Alison Healy both attended Sunday night’s show, and they discussed what made the weekend so special.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

The new season of the Premier League kicks off on Friday night as current holders Liverpool play host to Bournemouth at Anfield.Can Arne Slot's side win back to back titles, will Man City recover after a disappointing season last year, or could Mikel Arteta's Arsenal finally get over the line?Daniel McConnell was joined by former Republic of Ireland international Tony Cascarino, Sportswriter with The42.ie, Gavin Cooney, & The Independent's Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney, to preview the new season.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear their chat.

Tennis star Emma Raducanu's request for a crying child to be removed during her match sparks debate about child free zones; Sylvanian toymaker drops its lawsuit against Irish social media creator; and should the president of Ireland have more than a cúpla focal?Sarah McGuinness, political correspondent with Irish Daily Mail, and Cathal O’Sullivan, assistant producer on 98FM, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Andy O'Donoghue was back to give his rundown of the very best in back to school tech, from laptops, to iPads, and reusable notebooks.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

An explosive new book about the House of York includes revelations about Prince Andrew's links to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and physical fights amongst members of the royal family.Historian and author Andrew Lownie joins The Last Word to discuss his book 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York'.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The biggest gigs of 2025 are almost here as thousands of fans look set to descend on Croke Park to see Oasis.It will be the first time Noel & Liam Gallagher play Ireland since they headlined Slane Castle in 2009, and excitement has been building all summer.Today FM’s news and sport anchors, Ben Finnegan and Stephen Doyle, are two Oasis superfans and will be attending the concerts across the weekend.They spoke to Daniel McConnell on The Last Word about what they’re expecting from the performances.

Temperatures have continued to soar across Europe, with parts of Paris experiencing 39 degrees Celsius this week.Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said that she would deploy a “major air conditioning equipment plan” around the country if her party came to power. She accused the French government of “forcing ordinary citizens to endure unbearable heat”.Sadhbh O’Neill, Environmental and Climate Change Researcher and Contributor to the Irish Times, spoke to Daniel McConnell on Thursday’s The Last Word.

Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has made a longshot €34.5 billion bid for the world's most popular web browser, Google Chrome.Brian Carey, business editor of the Sunday Times, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest business news, Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Ahead of the Gaiety production of The Secrets of Primrose Square, actor Marion O'Dwyer was our latest inductee in the Culture Club where she discussed all the cultural influences in her lifeTo catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

According to the latest Irish Independent Doddl.ie Mortgage Switching Index, up to 100,000 mortgage holders in Ireland are overpaying on their home loans.While fixed rates have reduced significantly over the last 18 months, the same cannot be said for variable rates.Martina Hennessy of Doddl.ie said that “unless more borrowers actively review their rates and switch, there’s no pressure to bring these uncompetitive rates down and we will struggle with pricing discipline in the Irish market.”Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, spoke to Ian Guider on Wednesday's The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.

US National Guard troops are arriving in Washington DC on the order of President Donald Trump who has declared a "public safety emergency" in the city.Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas join The Last Word to discuss this and more as Trump also prepares to sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Many have described Israel's offensive in Gaza over the last 22 months as genocide, something which the Israeli government has strenuously pushed back on.Omer Bartov has a unique perspective on this, not only as professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University in the United States, but also as a former member of the Israeli Defence Forces.He joins The Last Word to explain why he believes Israel's actions in Gaza amount to genocide.Hear the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

In June, Sinn Féin tabled a motion which sought extend presidential voting rights to Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and abroad.At the moment, only citizens living in Ireland can vote in the presidential election. Why is this the case, and does it alienate those residing abroad?TV Producer Paddy Duffy, who is originally from Donegal but now lives in the UK, and Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government in DCU, spoke to Ian Guider on Tuesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

The new Pension Automatic Enrolment (AE), which is now called the ‘My Future Fund’, is due to arrive in January 2026. So, what’s the criteria for it, and will it actually benefit workers?Paul Kenny, former Pensions Ombudsman and Programme Leader of the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland, joined Ian Guider on The Last Word to answer your questions.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Turquoise water, white sand beaches and incredible sea life - Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to discuss travel to the Maldives.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A recent survey carried out on behalf of Pure Telecom has found that almost 10% of adults in Ireland have had a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot in the last 12 months.Mental health charity Turn2Me has said that such figures highlight a loneliness pandemic in this country.CEO of Turn2Me, Fiona O’Malley, and author and broadcaster, Aoife Barry, spoke to Ian Guider on The Last Word about this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Broadcaster Ryan Tubridy repays €150,000 sum that was at the centre of the RTÉ payments scandal, Fox News reports on 'dangerous' Dublin but the stats don't add up, and a new study says that 10% of adults in Ireland have pursued a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot.Aoife Barry and Joe O'Shea join The Last Word to discuss these stories and more in The Week Trending.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Israel's political security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, marking a further escalation in the almost two-year offensive in the strip.Bel Trew, international correspondent with the Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss Israel's decision to expand its military operations in Gaza despite intensifying criticism at home and abroad.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

US President Donald Trump has called for Lip-Bu Tan, the newly appointed Chief Executive of Intel, to resign.Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, he said "The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately”.Mr. Trump did not specify what he thought the conflicts of interest were.Ian Guider, Columnist with the Business Post, spoke to Matt on Thursday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

From smart desks to wireless charging mats and docking stations, Andy O’Donoghue ran through the best tech for maximising your home office space.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

Research conducted by the United Nations has shown that indirect carbon emissions from some of the world’s biggest tech firms rose dramatically between 2020 and 2023.This is due to the significant energy that is needed to operate data centres.Environmental commentator, John Gibbons, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.

Gary O’Hanlon, Executive Chef at the K Club and co-host of the ‘Dishing It Out’ podcast was the latest entry into The Last Word’s Culture Club.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all his choices in music, TV, literature and film.

Today marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of 'The Liberator' Daniel O'Connell, perhaps Ireland's greatest ever politician.Mick Clifford, special correspondent with the Irish Examiner, certainly thinks so. He joins The Last Word to discuss the legacy of Daniel O'Connell.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Revenue has contacted 68,000 pensioners over their tax obligations in relation to their occupational pension.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Independent, explained why some pensioners are being asked to file a tax return.He also explained why many renters believe the Government should support intergenerational living arrangements. This is where younger people live with older adults for lower rent in exchange for companionship and support.To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Professor Brian Caulfield from the Department of Civil Engineering in Trinity College Dublin and tech journalist Elaine Burke join The Last Word to discuss the future of driverless vehicles. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

US President Donald Trump has fired the head of the main agency for producing American jobs figures claiming she "rigged" weaker-than-expected employment data for political reasons.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the United States. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may authorise a complete occupation of Gaza, according to reports. Chief International Correspondent at The Independent Bel Trew and Professor of Law, Queens University Aoife O’Donoghue join Matt to discuss the latest news and the aid situation in Gaza.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

More changes could be on the way for Gaelic football following an entertaining inter-county season marked by a number of new rules.Michael Foley, sportswriter with the Sunday Times, and Ray Silke, former Galway captain, join The Last Word to discuss the effect the changes had on this year's championship and what more can be done to improve the game.Catch the full chat by pressing 'Play' button on this page!

Out-going Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said he plans to publish The Crowe Report into roads policing. The report was commissioned following the receipt of anonymous correspondence from a Garda member working in the area.The report found that a number of gardaí assigned to roads policing were ‘openly hostile’ to doing their jobs. It further found senior garda members were afraid to ‘intervene’.Pat Leahy, Former Assistant Garda Commissioner and Leo Lieghio, Vice President Irish Road Victims Association joined Matt to discuss the revelations.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

This Tech Thursday, Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss how you can upgrade and optimise your home WiFi. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

There have been calls for several streets in Dublin city to be pedestrianised over the last number of years, but does that lead to certain parts of the city being quieter – and therefore more dangerous – come nightfall?Architect and urban designer, Fedirico Minieri, and Janet Horner, Green Party Dublin City Councillor for Dublin North Inner City, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

On Thursday, Conor McGregor lost his appeal against a High Court jury’s finding that he raped Nikita Hand in Dublin in 2018.In November 2024, the jury in a civil trial found he raped Ms. Hand in a hotel room. She was awarded just under €250,000 in damages.Frank Greaney, Today FM’s Courts Correspondent, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Actor, broadcaster and entrepreneur Jennifer Zamparelli spoke to Matt about her upcoming role as narrator of the iconic Rocky Horror Show with Jason Donovan at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.From early influences, to recent releases, Jennifer also discussed her favourite music, books, movies and TV series.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

The number of foreign visitors to Ireland in June fell by 2% compared to last year, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office.The decline continues a worrying trend of falling visitor numbers between January and May compared with the same months in 2024.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Five men who tortured a woman for three hours in Dublin last year have been jailed for between 8 and a half and 14 years.Natalie Ennis was abducted due to a row over missing drugs, despite not knowing anything about it.Braxton Rice (21), Mark McMahon (55), Mark Keogh (33), Sean Conroy (21), and Kian Walshe (22) were handed down sentences for using what Judge Pauline Codd called “sadistic” and “medieval” torture methods on Ms. Ennis.Frank Greaney, Today FM’s Courts Correspondent, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.Warning: Some details in this piece may be distressing for listeners.

All Together Now 2025 takes place at the Curraghmore Estate in Co. Waterford this weekend, with a host of huge acts set to take to the stage across the August Bank Holiday.Among the big names are Fontaines DC, CMAT, Bicep, Primal Scream and Wet Leg.Dee Reddy and John Caddell joined Matt on The Last Word for Tuesday's music slot.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the chat.

Donald Trump has acknowledged for the first time that there is “real starvation” in Gaza and has told Israel to allow “every ounce of food” into the region. But how likely is Benjamin Netanyahu to listen? The Israeli Prime Minister has previously said that it is "bold faced lies" to say that his country is fuelling starvation in the region.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the United States. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The will of the man believed to be Britain’s top agent inside the IRA will not be made public after the British High Court ruled that it should be sealed for 70 years.Freddie Scappaticci, also known as Stakeknife, denied the claims until his death in 2023.Richard O’Rawe, author of Stakeknife’s Dirty War, spoke to Matt to discuss the decision.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Elaine Burke and Joe O'Shea join The Last Word to discuss the latest news in TV and streaming including South Park's Donald Trump episode and the death of former wrestling star Hulk Hogan.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Marc O Sé, Eamonn McGee, Ray Silke and Will O'Callaghan review the All-Ireland football final which saw Kerry dominate from the start and beat Donegal.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Travel journalist Ed Finn joins The Last Word to discuss the appeal of train travel and the best routes in Europe. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

New analysis has found that a nurse and a garda with a combined salary of €107,000 would be unable to afford a 3-bed semi-detached house in a number of Ireland's main commuter towns.Niall Hodgins, vice president of the Garda Representative Association, and Phil Ní Sheaghdha, general secretary of the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation, join The Last Word to discuss what this means for essential workers.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!