The Pat Kenny Show

 It is argued that price tags are poor predictors of a garment’s actual longevity, and expensive pieces aren’t automatically more durable. Durability should be evaluated by design intelligence and how a product is made, not just where it sits in the market. Laura Jordan, Image and Brand Consultant and Owner of Style, joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

 Is staying in education causing our housing crisis? Should young people just be going straight into the world of work to make buying houses easier? Pat Kenny was joined by Ray Cooke, CEO of Ray Cooke Auctioneers and Conor Sheehan, Labour TD for Limerick City and Spokesperson on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, to debate.

Last night, twenty-six-year-old Brooklyn Beckham broke his silence over his ongoing feud with his parents, David and Victoria. In a series of posts on Instagram, the eldest Beckham son claimed his parents have “been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship” with his wife Nicola Peltz. So how much has this tarnished the Beckham brand?Enda Brady, TRT World presenter and Stephanie Regan, Host of Tough Love Podcast and clinical psychotherapist both joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

Ask the Expert. When you’re listening to the radio, music or a podcast do you opt for earbuds or headphones but which is better for your hearing? Dr Sandra Cummings, Consultant Audiologist at the Beacon hospital joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

Thinking of a winter sun break? Cancún is a sunny option in the Caribbean, and Aer Lingus’s newest route out of Dublin. Pól Ó Conghaile, Travel Editor with The Irish Independent joined Pat Kenny to discuss.

In 2023, Martin Lynn was on his way home from town and had just gotten out of a taxi near his home when he was fatally punched in the head by Christopher O’Neill.O’Neill drove past and stopped his motorbike before approaching Martin. The attack was carried out without warning or provocation and while Mr Lynn had his hands in his pockets.Last week, criminal Christopher O’Neill of Larkhill Road in Whitehall, Santry, was jailed for six years for the manslaughter of Martin Lynn. In an interview with The Sun, Martin’s sister Sharon is calling for the State to appeal the leniency of the killer’s sentence, and she joined Pat Kenny on the show this morning.

Thousands of new homes are planned for North Dublin. One particular area is Dunsink, a location many Dubliners will know as formerly being home to the capital’s largest dump. What’s being described as a major new urban quarter has raised some concerns among travellers who have lived in the area for many years. Our reporter, Josh Crosbie has been meeting with those who support the development and also those who have some reservations…

100 Million Trees Project is about to hit its first million and maybe add another by end of 2026. Project Founder Richard Mulcahy joined Pat Kenny on the show.

 The European Union yesterday decided against immediate retaliatory measures to Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs against countries who have defended Greenland against the increasing takeover rhetoric from the US Administration. Suzanne Lynch, Brussels Bureau Chief with Bloomberg joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

It was a day that will go down in history for Kerry Football Club, Daingean Uí Chúis, who were crowned All-Ireland champions yesterday. Meanwhile, Man United’s new head coach, Michael Carrick, led his side to victory against Manchester City at Old Trafford. And Leinster keep the hopes for an Irish win alight as they advance to the next round of the Champions Cup.Colm Boohig, Broadcaster with OTB joined Pat Kenny to review all he weekends sporting action.

Ireland was largely on the outskirts of World War two but the reality of the war hit home on 31st May 1941. At 2.05 am, a five-hundred-pound bomb exploded in Dublin's North Strand, and the shock was felt throughout the city. The damage and devastation were horrific. Twenty-eight people died, forty-five were seriously injured and hundreds more suffered minor injuries. Now over eighty years later, one Dublin councillor is calling for the names of those who died to be included on the memorial.Pat Kenny was joined by Alison Field Labour Councillor for Dublin Bay North, Clontarf to discuss.

Declining construction, a shortage of workers, a lack of infrastructure are all some of the many issues that we hear are contributing to our housing crisis. But how do we get over these roadblocks? Andrew Brownlee, CEO, Construction Industry Federation joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.  

At least 39 people have died in a train collision in southern Spain and dozens more have been injured in the country's worst rail crash in more than a decade. Richard Fitzpatrick, Spain based journalist joined Pat Kenny on the show with the latest.

We look back on the news stories of the week on the Friday Forum. Joining Pat in studio today was Shay Brennan, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Rathdown, Darren O’Rourke, Sinn Féin spokesperson on education and youth and TD for Meath East and Brenda Power, Columnist with the Sunday Times.

CBS news, the home of Walter Cronkite in the 1960s and 1970s when he brought the evening news to millions of viewers across America, including commentating on the historic moon landing in 1969. But in the past number of months, the face of CBS news has changed. Now headed by former opinion editor Bari Weiss and with changes to the personalities fronting coverage, the once venerable CBS News appears in decline. All to chat about with Lorcan Nyhan, Head of Training at the Communications Clinic.

Is sleeping in on weekends healthy self-care… or does it set you up for a rough Monday? For people who wake early all week, days off can feel like a chance to catch up. But shifting your sleep schedule too much can confuse your body clock kind of like a mini time-zone jump. With tips on managing your sleep Pat spoke to Lucy Wolfe, Sleep Expert.

One pan Cod with tomato, red pepper, olives and potato, Spanish Baked eggs with Tomato, ST chorizo and parsley and a Sweet potato, spinach and goats cheese frittata. One pan meals to try this weekend and Gareth Mullins talks us through these recipes.

World’s first research-backed intervention reduces harmful engagement with AI-generated explicit imagery. As the Grok AI-undressing controversy grows, researchers say user education must complement regulation and legislation. All to discuss with Dr Gillian Murphy, UCC School of Applied Psychology and research project Principal Investigator.

After nearly seven years of uncertainty, Kerry man Seán Binder has been acquitted on charges of people smuggling avoiding twenty years in a Greek prison. Binder was one of twenty-three defendants set to face trial after volunteering to save refugees from drowning in the sea off Lesvos in Greece back in 2018. 

The Premier League is back this weekend and all eyes will be on Michael Carrick and Man United. The 44 year old was confirmed as head coach for the remainder of the season ahead of the Manchester derby this weekend. Back home, the All-Ireland Club senior football final takes place as Dingle hopes to secure their first title.  Colm Boohig, Broadcaster with Off the Ball looks ahead to a busy weekend of sport.

The April 5 deadline is approaching for people living outside the UK to benefit from new rules for UK State Pension entitlements. If you have between 1 and 10 years of work in the UK, this is your last chance ever to get or top up a UK state pension.To bring us the details and information was John Ring Operations Director of XtraPension.

With Ireland two must win matches away from World Cup qualification, should pubs be allowed to stay open late to accommodate the late start of any potential Ireland matches? Pat discusses this with Barry Heneghan TD, Independent, Dublin Bay North

Researchers at the University of Limerick are currently looking into the effectiveness of ‘super spike’ running shoes for Ireland’s elite sprinters ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Technology has been at the forefront of athletics since the Ancient Olympic Games. But even the simplest of inventions have received pushback from the conservative powers that be. Off The Ball’s Cameron Hill can tell us more

Joining Pat this morning was the globally renowned, award-winning physician, Dr. Patrick Treacy. He joined Pat to chat about his new book 'Destinations, Medical Stories From Around The World. With a career spanning diverse roles across continents, the book shares captivating stories of vibrant cultures in both bustling cities and remote corners of the globe. 

Married people are better off financially due to tax breaks. But what are your options if you are co-habiting and something goes wrong. We get tips and advice from Paul Merriman CEO of Fairstone Ireland. 

A recent survey showed that never cleaning your phone and scrolling while on the loo were amongst the top ten phone habits people want to kick. But how unhygienic is a dirty phone in the bathroom? and what other germs are lurking around our everyday household items?  To tell us was Dr Orla Cahill, Lecturer in Microbiology and Allergen Management in Technological University Dublin. 

Everybody hates going to the dentist. So might it be possible instead to regrow teeth in your own mouth? Recent advances say yes. And also there’s a new toothpaste coming that is really effective at killing the bacteria in your mouth that cause gum disease.All to chat about with Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin.

A new report from the ESRI shows that many people believe immigration is happening in Ireland on a larger scale than it really. People also misjudged why migrants come to Ireland and the focus on asylum-seekers in media coverage and public discourse “may contribute to these biases”. So how much does this stem from migration.Pat discusses this further with Dr Umar Al Qadri, Chairperson Irish Muslim Council.

Many of us will declutter and dump unused and unloved items this January. But many do not know where to recycle and donate post Christmas. With all the advice was Jo Linehan, Sustainability Journalist. 

With rising anxiety among people currently due to the alarming actions of Trump, Putin and other world leaders. It is more important now than ever we facilitate ways in which positive societal and political change can be actively brought about at a grassroots level. All to discuss further with Stephen Donnelly, Melbourne based community organising specialist and Host of the Socially Democratic podcast.

In 2023, 13 local authorities did not issue any derelict site levies despite having the power to do so. Almost €20.5m remains unpaid in derelict site levies ahead of a new derelict site tax in coming into effect in 2027. Pat discusses this further with Thomas Gould TD, Spokesperson on Urban Regeneration & Renewal, Planning, Public Realm & Local Government, Cork North-Central, Sinn Féin.

Diarmuid Gavin, award winning gardener joined Pat Kenny on the show to dicuss the gardens of Bournville in Birmingham.

As part of the Pat Kenny Show's focus on crime we are going to turn to Cork. A shoplifting gang has been caught by Gardaí following a raid on a home in Cork. €10,000 worth of stolen goods, including shoes, spirits, drills, hoovers and toothpaste were recovered. But does Cork have a shoplifting problem like Dublin and do people in Cork feel safe? Henry McKean met people on the streets of Cork and sent us this report…

Oil prices are shaped as much by politics as by supply and demand, and so events thousands of kilometres away can still hit close to home. In recent weeks, renewed action by U.S. president Donald Trump against Venezuela has once again put the country’s vast oil reserves at the centre of global attention.While Ireland doesn’t buy Venezuelan oil directly, moves in Washington can still ripple through European energy markets, influencing prices, volatility and fuel costs. So how could political decisions in the United States affect what drivers, households and businesses here in Ireland end up paying?CEO of Henderson Risk Group, Duncan Bullivant joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

Yesterday TDs descended onto the Dáil after the winter recess, and issues surrounding Merscour and migration were all on the table. Today, the hot lunch meal scheme and Uisce Éireann are set to be addressed.Pat was joined by Harry McGee, political correspondent with The Irish Times to discuss all things politics.

Pat Kenny was joined by Conor Faughnan, Transport Commentator and Independent Motoring expert for carzone to discuss all things mororing and answers your motoring questions.

Greenland and Denmark will hold high-stakes talks in Washington today over US ambitions to annex the arctic island. US President Donald Trump insists his country will take over Greenland “the easy way or the hard way”, citing security concerns and mineral interests, and his administration has not ruled out the use of force to do so. Greenland's Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen insisted on Tuesday his island, a largely autonomous part of the three-country kingdom of Denmark, “cannot be bought” and its future will be decided only by its people. Scott Lucas, Professor and Political Analyst Clinton institute UCD joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

On this week’s Green Scene Dr Ruth Freeman Director of Research for Society For Research Ireland joined Pat Kenny to discuss the surprising evolutionary origins of sleep, and how time is running out for the world’s glaciers.All with thanks to Repak.

Next Tuesday, 20th of January, is the reduced application fee deadline for students applying to the CAO. If registered before then, students will only be charged €35. That increases to €50 before the traditional 1st of February deadline.These deadlines in the coming weeks will give students and guidance counsellors a chance to get first choices out of the way before turning their focus to the mock exams. For advice on the upcoming deadline and making choices, Brian Mooney, guidance counsellor and columnist with The Irish Times joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

Niamh Smyth, Minister of State with special responsibility for trade promotion, artificial intelligence and digitalization, has said social media platform X should be banned if it won’t comply with online safety laws.Niamh Smyth, Minister of State with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digitalisation and TD for Cavan–Monaghan joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss. 

Jess Kelly Newstalk's Technology Correspondent answers all your tech questions.

Has the tipping culture in Ireland become more like the US? Is that a good thing? What is the average tipping rate, and how important are your maths skills when deciding what to tip?Tanya Sweeney, journalist and author, and Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland both joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

Vincent Durac, Associate Professor, School of Politics and International Relations at UCD, joined Pat on the show to take a deeper look at what sparked the deadly protests in Iran. 

Ireland's recent exchequer returns showed that, despite concerns surrounding Trump’s tariffs, the State was unaffected - and you can thank the corporation tax for that. Corporate tax receipts, excluding the Apple tax money, amounted to a record €32.9 billion last year.  But are we too reliant on it to fund the state and what happens if it collapses? Pat Kenny was joined by economist Colm McCarthy to discuss.

Construction activity continued to decrease in December, according to the AIB Purchasing Managers’ Index. It marked the eighth straight month of decline, despite a slightly slower fall for the final month of the year. However, there were some brighter signs looking into 2026, as new orders increased for the first time in five months. Peter Finn, better known as Pete the Builder, joined us on the show to explain the figures further.

The past week stories of surrounding X and Grok AI have dominated the airwaves both in Ireland and abroad. Degrading images of children and women with their clothes digitally removed by Grok AI continue to be shared on Elon Musk’s X, despite the platform’s commitment to suspend users who generate them. A number of countries are now banning the AI Chabot to protect users and children, but can these heinous artificial images of children actually reach a prosecution?   Mick Moran, CEO of the Irish Internet Hotline and a former Garda, joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

January is usually the time when many of us decide to embrace a healthier lifestyle, whether it's cutting out the booze, joining the gym or even going for a sauna.  Saunas have become increasingly popular over the last yea,r with more people trying to make healthier choices, but do they actually boost your health?  Pat was joined by Dr Heather Massey, associate professor of extreme environments and physiology at the University of Portsmouth, to discuss.

 It’s been over nine years since the UK voted to leave the EU, yet both parties are still working on various trade agreements. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in the midst of negotiating an agricultural deal and while some see it as the UK edging closer to the EU, politicians worry what a Farage premiership will do to the already fraught relations between the two blocs.  Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary, University of London, joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

: Dermatologist Dr Rosemary Coleman is our Monday Expert and tells us all about microneedling. T he procedure that involves creating multiple, controlled micro-injuries in the skin with devices embedded with fine needles.

On Saturday, 20 December 2025, Garmin’s emergency autoland was used for the first time in a real-world emergency situation. The emergency autoland system is designed to take control of an aircraft in the event of pilot incapacitation and safely land at a nearby airfield. We discuss further with Kevin Byrne, Retired Lieutenant Colonel and Airport Safety and Security Expert.