The Last Word with Matt Cooper

US President Donald Trump has said that "the day of reckoning and retribution is coming" for Minnesota as the state is suing his administration over its immigration crackdown following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.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!

On Tuesday, Diageo confirmed that it will increase the price of its pints from February 2nd.The cost will increase by 7 cent per pint (excluding VAT), which is the 5th time the company has done so in three years.Pat Crotty, CEO Vintners Federation expressed his disappointment to Matt on The Last Word, saying that publicans are “being hit from all sides” and that they “cannot continue to absorb these hits year after year”.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear what he had to say.

Judge James O’Donohoe reduced a €50,000 damages award by 80% to a cyclist who suffered a brain injury when he collided with a motorbike, saying that cyclists in Dublin have become a “nightmare”.Dr Damien O’Tuama, National Cycling Co-Ordinator at the Irish Cycling Campaign and Tony Toner, freelance motoring journalist and advanced driving instructor, reacted to these comments on Tuesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Brighton’s 2-1 defeat of Manchester United in Sunday’s FA Cup third round fixture at Old Trafford means United will play just 40 games in the 2025-26 campaign. It will be their shortest season since 1914-15.Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer with The Independent and former Ireland International Tony Cascarino speak to Matt about the weekend’s results.Plus, they reacted to the news that Real Madrid parted ways with manager Xabi Alonso after they lost to Barcelona in Sunday’s Supercopa de Espana final.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Douglas Farah, President of IBI Consultants, a national security consulting firm based in Washington DC and former Washington Post journalist, was a participant in US war games in the Pentagon for the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations.Having worked in South America as a Washington Post reporter for many years, he was asked to take part with other experts to 'game out' how the end of the Maduro regime might come about and what would happen in the aftermath. A 2019 Pentagon report concluded that all scenarios would end in chaos. So why did the US intervene in Venezuela?Douglas Farah joins Matt to outline how war games are carried out and how the second Trump administration seems to be doing things very differently.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

The Traitors Ireland stormed into the top 10 most-watched TV shows in Ireland last year, with The Late Late Toy Show once again claiming top spot with an audience of over 1.5m people.Elsewhere, Jessie Buckley picked up the Best Actress award at the Golden Globes on Sunday night for her performance in the widely acclaimed Hamnet. On Monday’s The Last Word, Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke look at Buckley’s TV career, which included roles in Chernobyl and Taboo.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to run through some of the best travel deals to be found in the January sales. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

This week on The Week Trending Matt is joined by Broadcaster and Author Aoife Barry and Sports Broadcaster Cathal Mullaney to discuss the week's biggest trending stories. This week they discuss controversy over AI 'Nudification' tools, Scotland getting a new bank holiday for their World Cup campaign and more Hit Play on this page to listen now

Ireland has a great reputation for its hospitality both at home and abroad, and part of it is built on the appeal of the Irish pub.So, what appeals to us the most about going to the pub? Is the future of the pub – particularly in rural Ireland – under threat due to the increase in the cost of a drink?Donal Fallon, Historian, Presenter of the Three Castles Burning podcast & author of ‘The Dublin Pub’ and Dr. Perry Share, Head of the School of Business and Social Sciences at Atlantic Technological University, and Co-editor of ‘The Irish Pub’ speak to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

This week on The Last Word on the Environment John Gibbons joins Matt to discuss Ireland's decision not to back the EU's Mercosur trade deal with South America. They also discuss the Taoiseach's promise to remove the passenger cap at Dublin AirportHit Play on this page to listen now

Protests have taken place across the US after a 37-year-old woman was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Wednesday.Reacting to the incident, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said “We’ve been warning for weeks that the Trump administration’s dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to our public safety, that someone was going to get hurt.”Larry Donnelly, lecturer in law at the University of Galway, who is originally from Boston, speaks to Matt on The Last Word.

In the New Year many of us may be making lifestyle changes to improve our health, for some of us that may be taking supplementsTo find out the pros, cons and whether we should be taking these supplements at all Matt is joined by GP Dr Illona Duffy and Registered Dietician and Founder of Eat well Sarah KeoghHit Play on this page to listen now

Andy O'Donoghue has been researching foldable phones, the latest of which is the Samsung Galaxy Z tri-fold phone, with a price tag of almost €3,000.Andy runs through all it's features, and the pros and cons of other foldable phones on the market, which are phones, tablets and laptops all in one.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Architect and Room To Improve presenter Dermot Bannon is the latest inductee into the Culture Club.In this longer version of the interview, Dermot talks to Matt about his favourite music, TV, films and why walking around cities without a plan is one of his favourite things to do.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

With the news that the world's leading chip maker Nvidia is unveiling a new tech platform for self-driving cars and London set to introduce self driving taxis the Last Word looks at where Ireland is at with this technology Matt is joined by Professor in Transportation at the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin Brian Caulfield, Motoring Editor with the Irish and Sunday Independent Geraldine Herbert and CEO of the Future Mobility Campus in Shannon Russell Vickers to discuss Hit Play on this page to listen now

Matt is joined by Professor of Law at Queens University Belfast Aoife O'Donoghue to discuss the current state and future of international law in the wake of US intervention in Venezuela and ongoing threats to Greenland .They discuss what international law means in 2026, whether what the US is doing is against it and and more Hit Play on this page to listen now

Research conducted by insurance company Royal London Ireland has found that quitting smoking – and vaping – can reduce the cost of your life insurance by half.Ireland has seen a rise in e-cigarette use, with 8% of the population now using them daily in comparison to just 3% in 2016. However, there are concerns that many people don’t realise they’re considered a smoker when using e-cigarettes and thus don't include it when applying for insurance.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, speaks to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

From Confessions On A Dance Floor Part 2 to Charli XCX's Wuthering Heights inspired release, Dee Reddy and John Caddell run through the most anticipated albums of 2026.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

A new study from AIB shows that women disproportionately lack confidence in their long term financial planning and most do not feel confident enough to investMatt is joined by Financial Planner and Founder of Life Planning Kelly-Anne Quinn and Founder of paygap.ie Jennifer Keane to find out why this confidence is lacking and how we should be doing our financial planningHit Play on this page to listen now

This week on The Last Word on the US Matt is joined by syndicated columnist Cal Thomas and Journalist Marion McKeone to discuss the fallout from US intervention in Venezuela and what Trump may do nextThey also discuss Trump Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller's refusal to rule out US military intervention in Greenland and more Hit Play on this page to listen now

Coimisiún na Meán has raised concerned with the European Commission about social media site X’s AI tool Grok being used to create sexually explicit images of women and children online.The watchdog has also encouraged users to report illegal content to the site, as social media companies are required to act on such instances.Cormac O’Keeffe, Security Correspondent at the Irish Examiner and Ruth Breslin, Director at the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute speak to Matt about this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

On Monday, Manchester United announced that Ruben Amorim had been sacked as head coach of the club after 14 months in charge.The 40-year-old’s final game was a 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road which left Man United sixth in the Premier League table after 20 games.Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer with the Independent and Will O’Callaghan from Off The Ball speak to Matt about how Amorim’s relationship with the club reached breaking point and where United go from here.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Sarah Slattery from TheTravelExpert.ie speaks to Matt about what trends we can expect to see from Irish holidaymakers this year.Are peak summer months like July and August becoming less appealing due to prices, heat and crowd sizes? Do you get more bang for your buck travelling early in the year, and what exactly is luxe-scaping?Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear Sarah’s predictions.

Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke join Matt to preview what programmes we can look forward to in 2026.Meanwhile, The Traitors returned to BBC One on New Year’s Day and viewers were left surprised at an early twist in the format of the show.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the chat.

On Monday, deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges against him including drug terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone speak to Matt about the White House’s actions over the weekend and the wider, long term implications of the move.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Matt is joined by Will O'Callaghan to discuss the biggest sporting moments of 2025.From athletics to rugby, from Troy Parrott to Rory McIlroy they discuss a massive year for Irish sport Hit Play on this page to listen now

As 2025 comes to a close, The Last Word pays tribute to all of those who have passed away throughout the year.That includes movie legends Robert Redford and Diane Keaton; musicians Ozzy Osbourne and Chris Rea; beloved Irish figures Manchán Magan and Hugh Wallace; and many more.Press 'Play' to hear The Last Word's legacies reel.

This week on the Last Word on TV & Streaming, Joe O'Shea and Elaine Burke join Matt to give you the best recommendations for what to watch over Christmas.From Stranger Things to Amadeus and more you won't be stuck for things to watch over the festive season Hit Play on this page to listen now.

This week on The Last Word on The US Matt is joined by Journalist Marion McKeone and Law Lecturer and Columnist Larry Donnelly to look back on the biggest American stories from the year.They chat about all things Donald Trump, the death of Charlie Kirk and more Hit Play on this page to listen now

With news that Driving Home For Christmas singer Chris Rea has died age 74, John Caddell joins Matt to talk about his career and some of his biggest hitsWe also some memories of Chris Rea from listenersHit Play on this page to listen now

Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director of the World Bank and journalist Lise Hand return to give their non-fiction recommendations of the year. Their choices are below. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.Lise's choices1. Careless People: Sarah Wynn-Williams2. The Secret Life of Leinster House: Gavan Reilly3. I’m Glad You Asked Me That: Terry Prone 4. When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines: Graydon Carter5. Kitchen Confidential: Anthony Bourdain (25th anniversary ed.) Paschal's choices1 A Short History of America by Simon Jenkins.2 The World’s Worst Bet: How the Globalization Gamble Went Wrong.3 Breakneck by Dan Wang4 The Thinking Machine by Stephen Witt5 Speaking My Mind by Leo Varadkar6. Love in a Time of Politics by Katherine Zaponne

Ambulance services are being abused by late night revellers who call 999 to get them home due to taxi shortages, according to paramedics; a primary school was forced to ask students to bring in their own toilet roll due to funding shortages; and the woman caught up in the viral Coldplay kiss cam has broken her silence. Fionnuala Jones 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!

Irish Times columnist and 'An Irish Diary' writer, Frank McNally talks to Matt about his early career in the civil service and how he got into journalism. In his new book, he turns his attention inwards and reflects on his unusual life.Frank's book is called Not Making Hay, The Life And Times Of A 'Diary' Farmer. To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Brian Lloyd and Cara O'Doherty join The Last Word to recommend some great movies to watch over the Christmas period.From 'Saipan' and a brand new 'Knives Out' to Christmas classics like 'The Muppets Christmas Carol', there are so many great movies to playing in cinemas and on TV and streaming.Hear all of their recommendations by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

For The Last Word on the Environment this week John Gibbons joins Matt to give us some reasons to be cheerful in the fight against climate changeThey discuss Ireland's move towards renewable energy like wind and solar Hit Play on this page to listen now

Matt is joined by Ian Guider for the annual business review for 2025They look back on some of the biggest business news of the year Hit Play on this page to listen now

On this week's Tech Thursday Andy O'Donoghue give us suggestions for some last minute Christmas presentsAndy has suggestions for power banks, smart home tech and more Hit Play on this page to listen now

Fresh from winning the Popular Book of the year at this year's An Post Irish Book Awards for her latest book Paper Heart, Cecelia Ahern joins Matt in the culture club to run through the music, movies, TV, books and plays that have been the soundtrack and influences in her life.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

The European Union is proposing a crackdown on Airbnbs and other short term rentals as part of a major plan to tackle the shortage of affordable homes in the EU.Máire Ní Mhurchu, chief executive of Irish Self Catering Federation, and Kathleen Funchion, Sinn Fein MEP, join The Last Word to discuss the EU's plan. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

This week on The Last Word on Personal Finance Charlie Weston gives give advice on how to minimise the cost of your family food shop this Christmas.We also hear about the difference between men and women's Christmas shopping habits Hit Play on this page to listen now

From Rosalia to the return of Pulp, John Caddell, Dee Reddy and Dave Hanratty join The Last Word to run through their picks for the best albums of 2025.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

US President Donald Trump has been condemned for a social media post in which claimed that director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were killed due to the filmmaker's criticism of the president.Cal Thomas and Larry Donnelly 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 big politics story of the day is storm that continues to swirl around Michael Martins leadership of his party as questions still remain over the handling of Jim Gavin's disastrous Presidential bid.Matt is joined by Political Correspondent at the Irish Examiner Louise Burne and Editor at the Business Post Daniel McConnell to discuss Martin's positionHit Play on this page to listen now

Edel Coffey, novelist and columnist, and Kevin Power, author and assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin, join The Last Word to discuss their picks for the best fiction of 2025.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Matt is joined by Joe O'Shea and Elaine Burke to discuss the best tv and streaming of 2025.Joe and Elaine give a rundown of the finest tv of this year that you may have missed to give you inspiration for some Christmas viewing Hit Play on this page to listen now

In the wake of the horrific attacks at a Hannukah event at Bondi beach, questions are being raised about the growth of antisemitism in Ireland and around the world.Matt is joined by founder of Holocaust Remembrance Ireland Oliver Sears to discussHit Play on this page to listen now

The Irish Farmers Association, including President Francie Gorman and his 11 year old son, are travelling to Brussels to protest the EU- Mercosur trade deal which would see Europe's trading partnerships with South America grow.Francie Gorman joins Matt to explain the farmers' concerns Hit Play on this page to listen now

The Department of Housing this week deleted a video that offered advice for adults who find themselves moving back in with their parents; a second Irish swimmer has joined the Enhanced Games; and the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has claimed that Calibri font is 'woke'.All of these stories and more are up for discussion on The Last Word's Week Trending with Dion Fanning, co-host of The Irish Free State podcast, and Edel Coffey, author and columnist.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Brigid O'Hora, wine expert and author of the Home Sommelier, joins Matt in studio for her seasonal wine tasting, whether for Christmas dinner pairing recommendations, or gifts for the wine lovers in your life.Brigid's sparkling choice is Pannier, Brut, Champagne AOP, France. Her white wine choices are San Leonardo Vette di San Leonardo Sauvignon Blanc, Trentino IGT, Italy 2024 and Domaine Gautheron Chablis Vielles Vigne, Chablis AOP, France 2022.For red wine recommendations, Brigid suggests Maison George Vigouroux, Chateau de Haut Serre, Malbec ‘Lucter’ France 2022, and Bodegas Muriel Rioja, Gran Reserva DOCa, Spain 2016.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Brian Lloyd and Cara O'Doherty join The Last Word to chat about their top movies from 2025.From the Oscar winning film The Brutalist to the classic comedy The Naked Gun, they have it all!Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!