The Pat Kenny Show

Here’s one for you: which relatively niche sport may be responsible for one of the greatest scientific discoveries in human history? Off The Ball’s Cameron Hill can reveal all.

When somebody is arrested on suspicion of committing a crime, how much should we, the public, be told about the suspect before the formal charge. In the absence of concrete information about the alleged perpetrator, rumours can spread suggesting the suspect may have a particular background and this can, and has, led to public unrest.To discuss this further Pat spoke to David Robert Grimes, Author of ‘The Irrational Ape, How Flawed Logic Puts Us All At Risk’

Ireland has long been a veritable backwater when it comes fashion - never touching the likes of London or Paris in terms of local style, creativity or trends.  But with Irishman Jonathan Anderson now at the helm of Dior, and homegrown fashionistas like Verona Farrell gaining more than 700,000 followers online, is Ireland's time to shine nigh? Is Irish fashion now in vogue? 

The Christmas season brings with it lots of merrymaking and in spite of less drinking happening overall  and the availability of many zero alcohol products, many of us will be getting drunk. And soon afterwards, many of us will regret it. Surely the answer is simple: to avoid a hangover, just drink less? Alas, that is easier said than done. Alcohol’s inhibition-reducing effects can undermine the steeliest resolve.All to discuss with Professor Luke O Neill , Professor of Biochemistry at the school of Immunology, Trinity College.   

Taxi drivers are set to bring Dublin to a standstill at rush hour today as part of an ongoing protest against a new feature introduced by uber, which they say will decimate their income. Pat spoke to David Mitchell, Taxi driver and protest coordinator and also Richard Boyd-Barrett, People Before Profit Leader ahead of the protest today.

Black Friday is the annual online shopping event that sees almost every brand and business offer promotions and tantalising incentives to spur pre-Christmas purchasing. But a so-called unmissable deal isn't a win if that item sits on the shelf or, worse, ends up in landfill.But what is the environmental impact of Black Friday? Pat discussed with Climate Journalist Jo Linehan.

Over the next few weeks as you buy presents for loved ones, you are going to be presented with endless amounts of packaging when purchasing and more when you begin wrapping the gifts. But have you become more conscious when purchasing Christmas gifts? And are you aware of all the ways to reduce the impact of potential Christmas waste?Joining Pat on the show this morning was Zoe Kavanagh, CEO at Repak.

What is ‘Microshifting’? How can it improve our work-life balance? Is it the future of work? Microshifting is the practice of breaking up the workday into short, flexible blocks rather than adhering to a continuous eight-hour stretch. But is it the future of work?All to discuss with Damien McCarthy, Founder and MD of HR Buddy.

A new campaign called ‘Project Aware’ is being launched this morning by E.Y which aims to raise awareness on human trafficking in Ireland. But what are the signs we should be looking out for, what industries is it happening in and what is the link to financial services? To discuss further Pat spoke to EY Ireland Financial Services Partner Jenny Pattwell and also Detective Superintendent - Derek Maguire - from An Garda Síochána.

Presenter and author Richard Osman is the mind behind the record-breaking ‘Thursday Murder Club’ series. Off the back of this year’s Netflix film adaptation, he’s released the newest installment in the series - ‘The Impossible Fortune’. Which debuted at no.1 on the Sunday Times best seller list. 

In Hollywood, we often imagine actors chasing roles, clawing their way toward the perfect character or the perfect script. But the Golden Age of Hollywood and even much of modern Hollywood is full of stories where actors didn’t choose their iconic roles they endured them.All to chat with Lisa Cannon, Head of Studio, DMG Media.

On the agenda for cabinet today is a ban on electro-convulsive therapy for under –18's, a reform of migration procedures and they will seek approval to allow people affected by defective concrete blocks to apply for increased grants. But the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council have warned that the government are spending the budget “like there’s no tomorrow”.  All to discuss with Newstalk’s Political Correspondent, Sean Defoe.

As the evenings are colder and darker more people are opting for the car to travel. But why does it become so tedious in the winter months? With big HGVs taking up space and other motorists slowing down on motorways are drivers not following driver etiquette? Also why are there so many roadworks in the month of November.

US President Donald Trump has said he will send his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the Kremlin next week to hold talks as work continues on a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. We get the latest on this with Sean Bell, Former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Host of The Red Matrix Podcast.

There are over 300 different dog breeds across the world, through ancient fossils and DNA sequences, scientists have now discovered this diversity in breed dates to thousands of years ago. Also scientists have observed chimpanzees weighing up evidence in to make decisions and then changing that decision when presented with new clues. This level of rational thinking was thought to be reserved for humans.All to discuss on this week's Green Scene with Director of Research for Society For Research Ireland.With thanks to Repak.

Something as simple as walking can be incredibly effective for losing weight, improving your mental health, and building strength. In his new book, The Walking Effect, health and fitness expert Karl Henry reveals how walking can transform your life and shares his guide to Ireland's best walking trails. Karl joins us now, you're very welcome to the show. 

Lack of public transport, derelict buildings, the growing housing crisis and now another delay to Dublin's Metro Link. The list of issues facing Irish cities seems to be getting longer every day. Pat discusses this and more with Alice Charles Director for Cities, Planning & Design Arup. 

Today Jess will review: PIXIE 10.1" Digital Photo Frame from 3. Also dozens of high-engagement accounts on X have been accused of misleading users following the roll-out of a new transparency feature that shows user locations.All with thanks to Renault.

The psychology of parenting older teens. What does this mean in day-to-day family life? Autonomy versus supervision: Your teenager wants more freedom, expects to be treated more as an adult. But because their decision-making systems are still developing, they still benefit from structure and guidance.Jonathan discusses all with Stephanie Regan, Clinical Psychotherapist.

How many subscriptions do you have? Or is that a question you even know the answer to? A survey last week found that over half of Irish adults admit to paying for a subscription service but never using it. So do we need to become much more disciplined in how we manage all the number of subscriptions we have? All to chat with Kel Galavan, Mrs Smart Money.

Portugal has said Ryanair passengers must be able to board using physical boarding passes despite a new rule implemented by the airline that only digital passes could be accepted. Australia is also banning the use of powerbanks aboard flights. All to discuss with Eoghan Corry, Editor, TravelExtra.

Dublin City Council last night voted by a margin of just one vote to pass its budget and, included in it, a provision to increase rents for tenants living in social housing. To discuss this we heard from Cllr Daryl Barron, Group Leader, Fianna Fáil and also Cllr Conor Reddy, Group Leader, People Before Profit Solidarity.

Female farmers are central to food security and climate resilience - So wrote President Mary Robinson ahead the COP 30 summit. So, who  are Ireland's growing number of women farmers. Is the future of Irish farming female? Newstalk's Sarah Madden reports.

It’s parent-teacher meeting season and while the experience can be a joy for some parents and teachers, that’s not quite the case for everyone. So, what’s the most annoying thing about parent-teacher meetings? Is it parents who hog teachers?Jonathan asked Jen Hogan, Irish Times journalist and Host of Conversations with parents' podcast and Simon Lewis, Primary School principal & Host of If I were the Minister for Education podcast.

At the Everton match last night, midfielder Idrissa Gueye has sparked huge discourse after he slapped his teammate, Michael Keane. He got sent off with a red card, but some are arguing that the punishment was far too harsh. But should violence on the pitch be normalised? Joining Jonothan to discuss this is Business and Life Coach Mark Fennell.

Our expert today was The tooth fairy Dr Bronagh Keane. Bronagh gave our listeners advice on dental care and answered our dental queries.

From its Grand bazaar to Blue Mosque, and street food to street cats, Istanbul is one of the great global cities. So what’s it like to visit? To tell us more was Irish Independent Travel Editor Pol Ó Conghaile.

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O'Callaghan is due to meet the European Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner today. The meeting comes as reports of immigration rule changes may mean some refugees claiming social welfare payments might not be able to get citizenship.Jonothan discusses this in more detail with Sean Defoe Newstalk Political Correspondent and Host of Let Me Explain podcast.  

There has been outrage from communities over the new BusConnects routes. Locals in Chapelizod in Dublin say they've been completely cut off since the new 80 route replaced their 26 bus. The crowd for a public meeting was so large that it was split into two sessions in order to hear all the complaints raised. For more on this Jonoathan spoke to Social Democrat TD for Dublin South-Central Jen Cummins and Chapelizod Local Sabrina Mendes.

A new flu strain has started to circulate with six people having died this winter from the flu already. EU health experts are saying the strain has arrived much earlier this year than usual, with the number of cases increasing by over 40% last week.Dr Éamonn O’Moore, Director of National Health Protection from the HSE explains how we can protect ourselves from the new subclade k flu strain.

There was disappointment for rugby fans this weekend as Ireland were beaten by South Africa in the Aviva stadium. The 11 point win by the Springboks ended their 13-year wait to claim victory in Dublin.   Meanwhile it was another big weekend for Arsenal in the Premier League. The Gunners’ came up trumps in its game against Tottenham to put the team back in the hot seat. Eberechi Eze scored his first hat-trick in senior football the first in a north London Derby since 1978 and trashed Tottenham 4-1.Colm Boohig from Off The Ball takes a look back on the weekend of sport.   

The US and Ukraine are to continue working on the proposed 28 point peace plan following a meeting in Geneva yesterday. We get the latest with Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies, Bradford University.

Reforms must tackle judicial and public procurement processes to deliver infrastructure. When political will and technical expertise align, Ireland can achieve anything. But we need to tackle the roadblocks first. All to discuss with Shane Dempsey, Director General of the Association of Consulting Engineers Ireland.

Dublin isn’t a ‘bargain bucket’ tourism destination. That’s according to the founder of the Little Museum. However, Trevor White is concerned about Ireland’s over reliance on the North American market. Trevor explained all to Jonathan this morning.

Doctors are warning that there has been a rise in the number of teens opting for weight loss jabs. An investigation by the Irish Daily Mail found over a six hundred percent increase in the seizure of unauthorised weight loss drugs entering Ireland within the last year. One of those concerned about this is Professor Donal O’Shea, HSE National Clinical Lead for Obesity.

A look back on the new stories of the week on the Friday Forum. Joining Pat today was James Geoghegan TD, Fine Gael, Dublin Bay South, Senator Laura Harmon, Spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Disability, Labour, Cork South-Central, Cork City South West and Rose Conway-Walsh, Sinn Féin TD for Mayo.

The UK government acted “too little, too late”, according to a damning official report on the handling of Covid 19. We get the details of the report findings with The UK government acted “too little, too late”, according to a damning official report on the handling of Covid 19.

Executive Chef of The Anantara Marker Hotel Gareth Mullins talks through a classic Irish stew as the cold nights set in.

Enoch Burke is still at large after the High Court ordered him to return to prison for the fourth time. Gardai believe he’s hiding in his family home in Castlebar and have made multiple calls to the house, but Enoch still hasn’t presented himself. We get the latest on this with Legal Affairs Editor for the Irish Independent Shane Phelan.

Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor Politics, School of Law and Government, DCU and Author of Unfinished Empire joined Pat this morning to dissect Trump’s twenty eight point peace plan for Ukraine.

You’re likely to have frequently heard of the cryptocurrency bitcoin in the past number of years…but what about ‘stablecoins’? Aave is the world’s largest decentralised finance lending network and has just received a license from the central bank to trade here and across Europe. Tech Editor with The Irish Independent Adrian Weckler explains.

The Premier League returns as Arsenal remains top of the leaderboard.  While Ireland face a tough game against South Africa in this weekend's international test match this Saturday. And in Formula One all eyes will be on Lando Norris who could run away with the driver's championship in Las Vegas this weekend? Colm Boohig from Off The Ball brings us all the sport to look forward to this weekend.

In light of Trump's alarming increase in personal attacks on journalists. Newstalk's Simon Tierney takes a look at the tense relationship between American Presidents and the press...

One person has died after a small plane crash near Tramore in Co Waterford yesterday. A garda spokesperson said the victim was the sole occupant of the light aircraft. We discuss this further with Kevin Byrne, Lieutenant Colonel Retired and Airport Safety and Security Auditor   

Adapted from the best-selling novel by Irish Author Andrea Mara, new thriller series "All Her Fault" opens on a terrifying situation that eventually unearths the deep secrets of a community. We hear more in Boxed with John Fardy.

“Before Amelia Earhart’s famous exploits and her infamous disappearance. A Limerick woman was the first true female trailblazer in aviation. The life of Mary, Lady Heath was both extraordinary and tragic, but her efforts to further the cause of female pilots, and women in sport, mark her as a true pioneer. Off The Ball’s Cameron Hill can tell us more:

Exit Strategy is the thirtieth thriller in the Jack Reacher novels and once again this addictive series continues. Some of us, just cannot get enough of Reacher, the all-American hero created and written by a bloke from Coventry. Guests Lee and Andrew Child chatted to Pat about the new book.

Are kids better off being looked after at home or in afterschool care? Research from the ESRI shows that kids in afterschool are more likely to partake in sport and have better reading scores.

A recent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US suggests that using AI makes students less smart. Pat discuss these findings with Professor Luke O Neill , Professor of Biochemistry at the school of Immunology, Trinity College.

We hear about the new digital product passport that’s going to help consumers check where a product is made. We ask will this effort help people shop more sustainably? All to chat with Jo Linehan Climate Journalist.