The Last Word with Matt Cooper

On Sunday, Donegal will face Kerry in the All-Ireland Senior Football Football Final at Croke Park.After such an exciting Gaelic football season under the new rules, are we set for a final for the ages? Could Jim McGuinness or Jack O'Connor spring any surprises to counter the attacking threat posed by their opposition?Former All-Ireland winners Marc Ó'Sé, Eamon Mc Gee and Ray Silke gave their predictions on Friday's The Last Word.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

Riverdance star Michael Flatley is to seek nomination to become Ireland's next president, Hollywood's Irish stereotypes, and the BBC says it did not edit the Irish-language out of a portion of CMAT's latest single.Lorcan Nyhan, head of training at the Communications clinic, and broadcaster Fionnuala Jones join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

On Thursday, Matt spoke to CNN anchor and Chief National Correspondent John King ahead of his appearance in Dublin’s National Concert Hall and the Town Hall Theatre in Galway in September.Matt asked him about US President Donald Trump’s second term in office, how the Epstein files may impact his popularity and the challenges facing journalists in an era where misinformation is a significant issue.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

A decision by AIB to require staff eligible for hybrid working to return to the office at least three days a week has sparked outrage amongst many of the bank's employees.This follows a trend of companies rolling back on remote working allowances which were implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic.John O’Connell, general secretary with the Financial Services Union, and Peter Cosgrove, managing director of Futurewise, join The Last Word to debate whether companies are right to insist on a return to the office.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

From power bars, to water bottles and anti-theft backpacks, Andy O’Donoghue continues his run down of the best gadgets to make travel at home or abroad as smooth as possible.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

Rossa Ó Snodaigh, multi-instrumentalist with KÍLA talks to Matt about the new album, Raise The Road, and all his cultural influences from music, to movies, to TV and literature.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has died aged 76.John Caddell joins The Last Word to pay tribute to a man who was at the forefront of the heavy metal scene but, in his later years, perhaps became better known for his family's reality show 'The Osbournes'.Catch the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

New research from Outsurance has found that the average Irish driver will spend €10,373 to keep their car on the road this year. This can include fuel, maintenance, parking or unexpected costs such as repairs.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, spoke to Matt on Wednesday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

The Financial Services Union has said that the changes to AIB’s hybrid working policy are “regressive” and “shortsighted”.The company has told its employees that they will be required to come into the office for a minimum of 3 days a week.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joined Matt for the business news on Tuesday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

The US House of Representatives will begin its summer recess early to avoid votes related to the Jeffrey Epstein files and late-night host Stephen Colbert had some choice words for Donald Trump as he addressed rumours that 'The Late Show' was axed to please the president.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss these stories and more of the latest news from the United States.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Jack Chambers joins The Last Word to discuss the Government's revised National Development Plan which aims to address the country's gaps in housing, utilities infrastructure, transport and more.Catch the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Tipperary were crowned All-Ireland senior hurling champions on Sunday after a stunning second half display against Cork.Liam Cahill's side held Cork to just two points after half time and ran out 15-point winners.Former Tipp manager, Michael Ryan, and Off the Ball's Will O'Callaghan spoke to Matt about the result on Monday.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the chat.

A recent newspaper report claims that US President Donald Trump wrote a 'bawdy' letter to his one-time-friend Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday.The report comes as Trump's failure to publish documents from the criminal investigation into paedophile Epstein, who died in 2019, is causing a significant divide between the US president and his MAGA base.In a bonus US slot, Marion McKeone joins The Last Word to discuss this and also the shock news that 'The Late Show' hosted by Trump critic Stephen Colbert will come to an end next year.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Only 6,235 commencement notices were issued in the first six months of this year, according to Department of Housing figures.This is compared to 34,581 in the first half of 2024 and marks the worst June for housing starts since 2020 - a time when the construction industry was greatly restricted due to the Covid pandemic.Conor O’Connell from the Construction Industry Federation and Eoin Ó Broin, Sinn Fein housing spokesperson, join The Last Word to discuss why there has been a massive fall off and what can be done to reverse the trend.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

'The Salt Path' is a memoir that captured the hearts of millions before being adapted into a movie starring Gillian Andrews and Jason Isaacs.But questions are now being raised about the truth behind the story following a bombshell investigation by The Observer newspaper in the UK.Chloe Hadjimatheou, reporter with The Observer, joins The Last Word to discuss why she decided to dig deeper into the 'The Salt Path' and what she found.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A Dublin restauranteur has said that the cost of living is the reason for a noticeable drop in the number of people dining in Dublin restaurants.Renowned chef Oliver Dunne and economist Austin Hughes spoke to Matt about how more people are feeling the pinch when deciding to eat out in Ireland.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

From smart backpacks to portable steamers, Andy O’Donoghue joined Matt on Thursday to run through the best tech for you to bring on your travels this summer.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.

Comedian Aoife Dunne is the latest inductee into The Last Word’s Culture Club.Aoife’s show, Good Grief, will be at the Ambassador on Saturday, September 20th.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all of her choices!

The Open Championship, one of golf's four major tournaments, kicks off in Portrush tomorrow with five Irish golfers in the field. Gavin Cooney, sportswriter with The42.ie, joins The Last Word to preview the weekend's action. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

On Wednesday, the Irish Daily Mail reported that An Post faces a “dire financial situation” and that cash reserves in had dropped below €1m.However, speaking on The Last Word, Chief Executive David McRedmond refuted those claims, stating that the company made over €1billion in revenue for the first time in its history.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear his chat with Matt.

Ian Guider, Business Columnist with the Business Post, spoke to Matt about the sale of Dalata Hotel Group and the potential for aircraft and whiskey to be added to the EU's retaliatory tariff list.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Is Dáil Eireann serving the Irish public or is it too often a forum for performative antics? Are elected representatives serious about tackling the key issues facing young people?Three first-time TDs - Albert Dolan, Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, Kiera Keogh, Fine Gael TD for Mayo, and Paul Lawless, Aontú TD for Mayo, - join The Last Word to reflect on their first Dáil term and discuss what more needs to be done to create a better future for those in their 20s and 30s in Ireland.Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

US President Donald Trump has told Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days or face severe tariffs.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!

Writer Lisa Tierney-Keogh spoke to Matt about her experience living with endometriosis and why it took 28 years to get a diagnosis.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

New figures have shown that RTE’s The Late Late Show lost approximately 47,000 viewers during Patrick Kielty’s second season as host.The programme had an average consolidated audience of 390,000 across 30 episodes.Joe O’Shea & Elaine Burke joined Matt for Monday’s TV & Streaming slot.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Looking to head away for a few days and see somewhere new without breaking the bank?Kaitlin Murphy from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to chat about some of the best value city breaks in Europe.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Ireland may ban sunbeds amid reports that they are being used by children as young as 10; Australian woman is convicted for murdering family with poisonous mushrooms; & Taoiseach Micheál Martin denies his flight was changed for Cork hurling semi-final.Ben Finnegan, Today FM news anchor, and Sarah McGuiness, political correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A major new report suggests that Artificial intelligence (AI) is already starting to replace graduate jobs in Irish firms. Adrian Weckler, tech editor with the Irish and Sunday Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss the five Irish jobs that are most exposed to AI.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Supermarkets have denied accusations of price gouging, despite the price of meat increasing by 22% in the last year. The cost of a pound of butter has seen a 30% surge in the same time period.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor at the Irish Independent and Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, spoke to Matt on Friday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

A €1.3bn sewage and drainage scheme, which will service north Dublin and parts of Meath and Kildare, has been given the go ahead by An Comisiún Pleanála.The project has been deemed essential as it will ease pressure on the wastewater treatment plant in Ringsend.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, spoke to Matt on Thursday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly is the latest to rule himself out of running in the forthcoming presidential election.Daniel McConnell, editor of the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss who the runners and riders may be.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

This Tech Thursday Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss the Nothing phone, a new phone competitor looking to tap into a demand for minimalist tech.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Climate change has been cited as the reason for recent European heatwaves being more extreme than seen previously.Western Europe had its warmest June on record, with many experiencing conditions of over 40 degrees Celsius.Environment commentator John Gibbons spoke to Matt on Thursday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Stuart Braithwaite, guitarist with Mogwai, joins The Last Word for the Culture Club. Listen to all of his cultural picks by pressing the 'play' button on this page!

There was a 42 per cent rise in divorce applications involving assets of more than €3 million last year, despite a fall in the overall number of couples splitting.Keith Walsh, family law solicitor, and Michelle Browne, family mediator and author of Scars of Divorce, join The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Averil Power, CEO Irish Cancer Society and Muireann McColgan, co-founder of Too Young To Be Heard group, discuss the latest Irish Cancer Society data highlighting the delays in cancer care and what regions have longest delays.To listen to the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

A recent report from Unio Wealth Management found that Ireland is among the richest countries in Europe, ranking higher than Germany and France.The average net wealth per adult in Ireland is €323,000, behind only Luxembourg.So why, despite these figures, are so many of us feeling the pinch?Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

On Monday, Donald Trump hosted Benjamin Netanyahu for dinner at the White House and the Israeli prime minister told the US President that he nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.Meanwhile, the death toll from extreme flooding in Texas has now exceeded 100 people, with survivors questioning the authorities’ planning and safety response.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone spoke to Matt on Tuesday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

A new report from Irish Music Rights Organisation has found that Irish adults spent €757 on music events in 2024, while two thirds of respondents said that the main barrier to attending gigs is the cost of tickets.Matt spoke to Eleanor McEvoy, Chair of IMRO, about this.Elsewhere, Live Aid will be 40 years old on Sunday and Apple Music has released its top 500 streamed songs of the past decade.Dee Reddy and Dave Hanratty joined Matt for Tuesday’s music slot.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

The Government has been accused of "showing complete disdain" for the heritage of the GPO on Dublin's O'Connell Street amid calls for the building to be redeveloped into a significant cultural quarter.Peadar Toibin, TD for Meath-West and Leader of Aontú, and James Geoghegan, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Bay South, join The Last Word to debate what should be done to revamp the historic site.Catch the full chat pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to discuss all the best things to see and do when visiting Chicago in the US. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Cabinet is to consider reducing the size of studio apartments in order to encourage developers to build more of them.Is this the most effective way to solve the housing crisis?Orla Hegarty, Architect & Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at UCD and Kate English, Chief Economist at Deloitte, spoke to Matt on Monday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Croke Park will host a bumper weekend of senior hurling championship action as we reach the All-Ireland  semi-final stage.On Saturday, Dublin will face Cork while on Sunday, old rivals Tipperary and Kilkenny go head to head.Matt spoke to Jamesie O’Connor, Aidan ‘Taggy’ Fogarty and John McIntyre about what we can look forward to over the coming days.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

A tearful moment from UK chancellor Rachel Reeves in the House of Commons attracts criticism and solidarity, calls for Electric Picnic to be televised and Dublin city gets a new mobile unit to help late night revelers.Alison Healy and Dave Hanratty join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Do you want to encourage your kids to spend more time outdoors this summer? Or are you looking for ways to keep them learning over the break?Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to run through the best tech to keep kids busy during the summer holidays.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

BirdWatch Ireland has released a map highlighting over 70 of the most vital areas for seabirds around the country.Under EU legislation, Ireland must designate areas to protect the lifecycle of birds.Environment commentator John Gibbons spoke to Matt on Thursday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

A new study from the Economic and Social Research Institute has found that offers like free bets and money-back guarantees from gambling companies convince people to place more bets, leaving punters at risk of gambling addiction.Dr Diarmaid Ó Ceallaigh, Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the ESRI Behavioural Research Unit and Professor Colin O’Gara, Head of Addiction Services at St. John Of God Hospital spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Streaming giants Netflix and Spotify are in talks to team up and bring live concerts and award shows to audiences worldwide.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!

Writer Ciara Geraghty is the latest inductee into the Culture Club. The author of ten novels for adults has now written her first children's book 'Wanda Broom' and she joins The Last Word to chat through her favourite music, books, movies and more. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey has pleaded guilty to ten charges of deception by falsely claiming he needed money for cancer treatment.Mr. Carey, who won 5 All-Irelands with his county, was due to stand trial today on 21 fraud and forgery charges.Today FM’s Courts Correspondent, Frank Greaney, joined Matt to explain what happened in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.