The Last Word with Matt Cooper

DJ and producer Mark McCabe is the latest inductee into the Culture Club.He joined Matt to talk about ‘Maniac 2000 (25th Anniversary Edition)’, which was released last Friday.Hit the ‘Play’ button to hear his choices.

RTÉ has asked the European Broadcasting Union for a discussion on Israel's inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest that takes place later this month due to the ongoing war in Gaza.Johnny Fallon, strategy director at Carr Communications and Eurovision enthusiast, joins The Last Word to discuss the likelihood of Israel being excluded from the contest.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

On Saturday, the Dublin and Kilkenny camogie teams took to the field wearing shorts ahead of their Leinster semi-final fixture, in protest against a rule which requires them to wear skorts during matches. Having been told by the referee that the game wouldn’t go ahead if they didn’t comply with the rules, they subsequently changed into skorts.The move followed research published by the GPA which found that 70% of 650 intercounty players said they experienced discomfort wearing skorts, while 83% said they should be given the option to choose.Sinead O’Carroll, Editor of TheJournal.ie, spoke to Matt about the issue.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their conversation.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap 100% tariffs on movies coming into the US that are "produced in foreign lands" in a statement that has alarmed the industry.Brian Carey, Sunday Times' business editor, joins The Last Word to discuss how this could impact Ireland's significant film industry.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has met with United States President Donald Trump at the White House as he looks to reset the US-Canada relationship following months of turmoil between the neighbouring countries.Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this significant meeting and more of the latest news from the US.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Government's plan to set up a new office to speed up home delivery has snowballed into a major issue, all while it is still scrambling to find ways to address Ireland's housing crisis.Tabitha Monahan, political reporter with the Irish Independent, and Daniel McConnell, editor of the Business Post, join The Last Word to explain this latest controversy and discuss whether it has exposed cracks in coalition relationships.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The number of women emigrating from Ireland has jumped 56% since the pandemic, according to a report by the Department of Enterprise.The figures also show that young women are emigrating at a much higher level than young menSarah McGuinness, political correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, and Labour Senator Laura Harmon join The Last Word to discuss why so many are making the decision to leave Ireland. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Sunday and Irish Independent sports columnist Eamonn Sweeney has released his latest book “The Last Ditch: How One GAA Championship Gave A Sportswriter Back His Life”.It details how, in 2000, Eamonn developed a crippling phobia of travelling, which led to extreme panic attacks and resulted him living a solitary life in West Cork.However, he was given the opportunity to write about the 2024 GAA championship and knew that if he were to take on the project, he would have to overcome his fears once and for all.Eamonn joined Matt in studio to talk about his experience and his road to recovery.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to talk through all the best new tech for outdoor activities. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Writer Louise Hegarty is the latest inductee to the Culture Club. Following the release of the her debut novel Fair Play, a classic murder mystery with a twist, Louise joins The Last Word to discuss her favourite music, books and more. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The government has defended plans which could see chief executives of commercial semi-state bodies in line for pay increases worth tens of thousands of euro.This decision has come under criticism from members of the opposition, with the Social Democrats’ Cian O’Callaghan saying there was a “double standard” when compared with lower-paid workers.Brian Carey, Business Editor at The Sunday Times explained the significance of this on Wednesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.

Charlie Weston, personal finance editor, Irish Independent, spoke to Matt about the implications of the carbon tax increases and also how a higher BER adds value to second-hand homes, and the cost of upgrading homes.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

Kneecap continue to face backlash after videos from their shows resurfaced where members of the group appear to call for Conservative MPs to be killed and shout “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.Dee Reddy and John Caddell join The Last Word to discuss the Irish language rap trio’s track record of courting controversy and more of the latest music news.Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play’ button on this page!

Global tariffs, negotiating peace in Ukraine and an immigration crackdown are just some of the many moves made by US President Donald Trump since he returned to the White House.Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at University of Galway & columnist with The Journal join The Last Word to assess Trump's first 100 days in office.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Meath and Louth will contest this year’s Leinster Senior Football Final after the Royals beat Dublin at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise on Sunday.This will be the first time since 2010 that Dublin are not in the decider. Instead, Meath will face Louth after they beat Kildare on Saturday.Former Kildare footballer Johnny Doyle and Will O’Callaghan from Off The Ball spoke to Matt about the weekend’s results.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Seville is a city of incredible architecture, amazing food and colourful flamenco dancing. Sinead Kennedy, host of wellness activity breaks and travel expert, joins The Last Word to talk about the best sites and activities in the southern Spanish city.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Tom Fitzgerald, Unite Regional Coordinating officer, and Neil McDonnell, ISME Chief Executive join Matt to discuss trade union Unite's call for Climate Leave in the event of extreme weather.Unite is seeking a meeting with the Minister for Enterprise to bring their requests into the conversation for future legislation.Listen here.

Michael Dowling, managing director of Michael Dowling Mortgage and Financial Services, and Brendan Burgess, founder of askaboutmoney.com, speculate on the new mortgage product from Revolut and how it might impact the market.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

Belfast/Derry trio Kneecap have been criticised for pro-Palestinian chants during their Coachella sets, with TV personality Sharon Osbourne urging US authorities to revoke their visas.Given how outspoken they’ve been about political issues in the past, should we be surprised by the move? Furthermore, should we be more encouraging to artists and celebrities to express their views on world events?Dave Hanratty, host of the No Encore podcast, joined Matt to discuss this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Tributes have been paid to Pope Francis, whose death was announced on Monday morning.UN climate official Simon Stiell said that the Pope was “a towering figure of human dignity, and an unflinching global champion of climate action as a vital means to deliver it”.Environmental commentator John Gibbons spoke to Matt about this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Andy Donoghue has his top garden gadget picks from watering systems, to lawnmowers, plant sensors, outdoor lighting and outdoor sockets.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

Will Sliney, comic book artist and creator of Draw With Will, talks to Matt about his favourite music, film, TV, books and other cultural touchstones that have influenced his life and work.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

Intel will announce plans to cut more than 20 per cent of its staff this week as part of a bid to streamline operations, according to Bloomberg news. The global tech giant employs over 5,000 people across Ireland.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss the future of Intel and to run through more of the latest business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Insurers are cutting benefits on health plans as they hike the price of premiums, meaning that customers are now getting less value for their money.Meanwhile, the government’s take from taxes on home energy and motor fuels has topped €4bn for the first time, with Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD accusing the government of “cashing in” on the cost-of-living crisis.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor at the Irish Independent spoke to Matt on Wednesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, will attend Pope Francis’s funeral at The Vatican on Saturday.Pope Francis had previously been critical of President Trump’s views on immigration, describing the program of mass deportations as a “major crisis”.Nationally syndicated columnist, Cal Thomas, and Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer at University of Galway & Columnist with TheJournal.ie spoke to Matt about this on Tuesday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Following the death of Pope Francis, Redemptorist priest Tony Flannery, theologian Gina Menzies and catholic commentator Breda O'Brien join The Last Word to discuss the legacy he has left behind.Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Dublin's four local authorities are developing plans for a new tourist tax in the capital which they say could help fund the upkeep of the city.A working group is due to be set up later this year to consider the proposal.Sinn Féin councillor on Dublin City Council Séamus McGrattan and Paul Gallagher, chief executive of the Irish Hotels Federation, join The Last Word to discuss the potential for an additional charge for tourists staying in Dublin.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Andy O'Donoghue reviews the best and more affordable smartphones on the market from Google, Samsung and Oneplus.

A new report from the Mental Health Commission has said that there is an urgent need to improve mental health services at emergency departments and that steps should be taken to make access to care easier.Professor Jim Lucey, Inspector of Mental Health Services at the Mental Health Commission, spoke to Matt on The Last Word about this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Saxophonist, member of Moving Hearts, and author of Music and Mayhem, Keith Donald talks to Matt about the culture that made him, from his early music influences and his time playing with Van Morrison and Christy Moore.To catch the full chat, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

Pharmaceutical companies are calling for 'radical policy change' from the European Union in order to limit a potential 'exodus' of future investment in Ireland and other EU member states.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss the warning issued by pharma executives to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and more of the latest business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Easter eggs appear to be the latest products to be impacted by inflation, with a 200g egg now costing approximately €7.50. That’s more than double the price of five years ago.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent spoke to Matt about this, and also about how the introduction of the auto-enrolment scheme is facing further delays.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky started the war with Russia, saying "you don't start a war with someone 20 times your size and then hope people give you some missiles."Cal Thomas, nationally US syndicated columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss Trump's comments on Ukraine and more of the latest news from the US.Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Union of Students in Ireland has urged students travelling to the US on a J1 visa this summer to be "cautious and informed" about the potential risks of "activism", as US authorities continue to clamp down on university protests.Jenny Maguire, president of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union, and Fiona McEntee, US immigration attorney, join The Last Word to discuss the possible threats faced by Irish students in the US if they are outspoken on certain issues.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Kaitlin Murphy, Travel Writer with TravelExpert.ie joined Matt for the travel slot on The Last Word, where this week’s destination was Japan.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all her recommendations.

Rory McIlroy won his first major tournament in 11 years when he was crowned Masters Champion at Augusta on Sunday night.After so much heartbreak over the last decade, McIlroy finally completed the career Grand Slam, which has only been done by five other players in history.Lawrence Donegan, Founder & Editor of McKellar Magazine, The42.ie’s Gavin Cooney and Will O’Callaghan from Off The Ball spoke to Matt about an incredible weekend of drama.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.

Mick Mulvaney, former chief of staff to Donald Trump, joins The Last Word to discuss the US President's attitude to Russia, the motive behind his tariff plan and what Trump and his administration really think of Ireland.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Amanda Knox, podcaster, writer and exoneree, talks about rebuilding her life following her acquittal for murder in Italy, and reintegrating into life following infamy and trauma.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

Shop owners push back against outdoor drinking on a popular Dublin city street, record-high house prices push young people to ditch their dream of owning a home, and could pets be bad for the environment?Sarah McGuinness, political correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, and Ben Finnegan, Today FM news anchor, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Pat Marry and Robin Schiller, authors of The Ice House Murder, detail the investigation into the murder of mother of three Irene White, at Ice House in Dundalk.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

As the United States and China continue to exchange tariff jibes, what will happen to the Chinese owned social media platform TikTok, which was already facing a US ban, and how expensive could Apple's iPhone become?Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss the impact that US President Donald Trump's escalating trade war is having on tech.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A study released by DCU has found that teachers at both primary and secondary level in Ireland are experiencing burnout and poor mental health.The report says that better support is needed to help teachers who face serious challenges in their jobs.Dr. Pia O’Farrell, from the School of Policy and Practice in DCU and co-author of this report and Jennifer Horgan, Irish Examiner columnist & secondary school teacher, spoke to Matt about the findings on Thursday’s programme.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump announced he would be pausing plans to introduce tariffs on goods from most countries for 90 days.Explaining why he did so, the US President said “People were jumping a little bit out of line. They were getting yippy”.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone spoke to Matt about this on Thursday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their conversation.

To celebrate the release of his eighth novel “The Bureau”, author Eoin McNamee joined Matt for this week’s Culture Club.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all of his choices.

RTÉ staff have been told that the organisation's redundancy scheme will open later this month with payments capped at €300,000.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!

Rory McIlroy is once again looking to complete a career Grand Slam at The Masters, but can he finally pull it off?Lawrence Donegan, founder and editor of McKellar Magazine, joins The Last Word to discuss McIlroy's chances of winning the 2025 Masters.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor, Irish Independent, discussed where tariffs might hit consumers in terms of fuel prices, pensions and energy prices.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

On the Easter bank holiday weekend, Today FM will be counting down the best 500 songs of the last 25 years, and you the listeners can get involved by voting for your favourites via https://vote.todayfm.com/big500.Matt, Dee Reddy and John Caddell got involved on Tuesday’s music slot by picking some of their standout tracks.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their choices.

China has vowed to "fight to the end" as President Donald Trump threatens to impose further tariffs on Chinese goods.Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss Trump's escalating global trade war and more of the latest news from the United States.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Munster recorded an impressive win against Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle on Saturday in the Investec Champions Cup last 16, setting up a mouthwatering tie against Bordeaux Bègles.Meanwhile, Leinster kept Harlequins scoreless at Croke Park which saw Leo Cullen’s side safely through to the quarter-finals.Former Munster player Alan Quinlan and Off The Ball’s Will O’Callaghan spoke to Matt about the weekend’s results.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.