The Pat Kenny Show

Following a reduction in grade inflation in leaving cert results, the CAO was released yesterday. Guidance Counsellor and Columnist with the Irish Times Brian Mooney joins to provide CAO advice. 

Picture the walled gardens of a great estate, dew still clinging to the glass panes of the hothouse. Inside there is warmth, a breath of tropics coaxed into an Waterford dawn.  Diarmuid Gavin, award winning garden designer tell us about a Downton Abbey moment in fruit.

As students all across the country are set move away for college, what impact does it have on their parents? Children leaving the household brings unexpected challenges for parents. Stephanie Regan looks at how children leaving the home can effect parents.

According to CSO statistics from 2023 four in ten adults report experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, clearly it is an issue that needs to continue to be highlighted. But is how rape is depicted on tv and in movies reinforcing myths around sexual violence? Pat discusses this further with Rachel Murrough Chief Executive Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

AI has significantly increased the cybercrime risk to all businesses. Smarttech247 have estimated that over 70% of businesses in Ireland are vulnerable to AI powered cybercrime. We discussed this further with Raluca Saceanu  CEO of cybersecurity firm Smarttech247.

This week on Inside Hollywood, we take a look at one of most iconic films in cinematic history .Gone with the Wind. Lisa Cannon, TV Host and Head of Studio at DMG Media tell us all about the stars and the making of this treasured movie.

This week on the Green Scene, how the horseshoe crab is breaking free from the pharma industry, and a new superfood for bees. All to chat about with Dr Ruth Freeman Director of Research for Society For Research Ireland. All with thanks to Repak.

There is growing demand for the European Union to act against Israel since the latest attack on a Gaza hospital. For more on this Pat was joined on the show by Naomi O’Leary, Irish Times Europe Correspondent and also Paul Rodgers, Professor Emeritus of Peace Studies at Bradford University.

Local authorities are continuing to pause the Tenant-in-Situ Scheme. the scheme allows councils to buy property from landlords when a tenant is at risk of homelessness.   However, because of a lack of funding, councils are being forced to pause the scheme. What does this mean for people facing eviction? Pat discusses this further with Mary Conway, Chairperson of the Irish Property Owner Association and Owner of Janus Estates.

This week on the commuter slot with Conor Faughnan, he discusses the return of the school traffic and the concern about age profile of road deaths with 30% under 30 years old. 

Independent candidate Nick Delahanty launched his presidential bid yesterday, claiming if he gets on the ballot he won’t come last. Fianna Fail still haven’t put a candidate forward, Jim Gavin in the frame for them but does he want it? Billy Kelleher won’t rule himself out of the race to the Áras continues. Sean Defoe, Host of the 'Let Me Explain' podcast. Political Correspondent for Newstalk brings us the latest on the race.

From its wild peninsulas to its wonderful food, West Cork can be a wildly beautiful destination. Beyond the likes of Kinsale and Clonakilty, however, why does so much of it still feel like a secret? Pól Ó Conghaile, Irish Independent travel editor, is just back. All with thanks to Ryanair.

As pupils all across the country return to school and university, Jess Kelly is here to provide a list of gadgets for back to school. So whether its a reliable laptop bag, a subscription for Grammrly or even just a wireless mouse Jess gives us the best gadgets for returning back to school.

‘This is likely the largest child abduction since world war two comparable to the Germanification of Polish children by the Nazis.’  This is what Nathaniel Raymond Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director, Humanitarian Research Lab Yale  has to say about the mass abduction of Ukrainian children into Russia. Pat discussed the ongoing war with Nathaniel and also Emmanuelle Chaze, Ukraine Correspondent for RFI (Radio France Internationale) And France24.

VHI have announced an average price release of 3% from 1st October 2025.  The increase follows as the cost of delivering healthcare also continues to rise. What does this mean for customers and how can they shop around for the best deal. Speaking to Pat this morning was Dermot Goode from Health Insurance Ireland.  

There comes a time in every dog’s life when a walk in the park doesn’t cut it anymore and the dog only wants one thing to do – get pregnant or more commonly known as entering heat! Now anyone who has a dog know the trials and tribulations when a female dog enters heat, so what should when your dog is in heat and what can you expect during it?  For advice Pat spoke to Elise O' Byrne White, Veterinary Director at the DSPCA.

As traditional banks consolidate their market share, digital-first global players, known as neobanks, are taking over the Irish market. neobanks are said to provide more accessible, more innovative and faster financial services. But what are neobanks, and why are they gaining more popularity?  All to discuss with Robert Whelan, Managing Director of Rockwell Financial. 

Construction Industry Federation are expected to meet with the government today. They are urging the government to prioritise funding in water and electricity infrastructure in Budget 2026. Speaking to Pat this morning was Conor O’Connell, Director of Housing and Planning at the Construction Industry Federation.

A new campaign at UCC aims to make health research more inclusive, to include under-served groups like women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, older adults, and people with disabilities. Pat hears about it with Frances Shiely, Director of Education and a Professor in patient focused research at the HRB Clinical Research Facility at UCC and a Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology in the School of Public Health.

It's twenty years since Starbucks arrived here in Ireland, sounding the death knell for local coffee shops nationwide. But just when we thought every corner cafe was done for, the independent coffee shops began to rise and rise. Newstalk’s Sarah Madden went on a coffee crawl around the capital to find out: 

The average waiting time for the driving test has hit its 10-week target but in some centres the waiting time is still higher and the number of no-shows for the test is increasing. All to discuss with Geraldine Herbert, Motoring Editor and Columnist for the Sunday Independent,

If you’re exhausted and having trouble getting your child to bed, then you might be desperate for a solution. A simple Google search will turn up hundreds of sleep gimmicks, but how do you know what will actually be effective?  All to chat with our expert this morning Lucy Wolfe sleep consultant and author.

The new aviation service, operated by Bristow Ireland under a 10-year contract and includes six purpose-built AW189 helicopters based at Sligo, Waterford, Dublin, and Shannon. The Coast Guard will also deploy a 24-hour fixed wing service, provided by two Beechcraft B200 King Air aircraft, also based at Shannon. All to discuss with Kevin Byrne Kevin Byrne, Retired Lieutenant Colonel, & Airport Safety and Security Expert .

Houses are crumbling due to the presence of pyrite or mica in concrete blocks from certain quarries. The Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme is meant to help homeowners repair or rebuild, but only 7% of the nearly 2,900 applicants have had their homes fixed since the scheme began in 2020. To discuss this further Pat was joined on the show by Founder of the Clare Pyrite Action Group and a lecturer at the Technological University of the Shannon and grant recipient. 

After weeks of political pressure over Donald Trump’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein, the US Justice department has released a transcript of an interview with Ghislaine Maxwell. We discuss this and more with Terry Sheridan, Senior Director of News Public Radio and also Greg Swenson, Chair of Republicans Overseas UK and Ireland.  

The weekend was packed full of action, It was a successful opening game for Ireland in the women’s rugby world cup. Co-captain Edel McMahon's return from injury helped with Ireland's impressive 42-14 win against Japan.  As the Premier League continues, Everton fans enjoyed a first win in their brand-new stadium with the help of former man city star Jack Grealish. However, Man United continued with a winless game in a draw against Fulham. Cathal Mullaney, Broadcaster with Off the Ball looks back on the busy weekend of sport.

Many young farmers are feeling forgotten as the IFA and the ICMSA call for the reopening of the long established Young Farmers Scheme. To discuss this with Pat was Dennis Drennan, President of the ICMSA.

Some small primary schools could remain closed from Thursday this week as caretakers and secretaries are set to begin an indefinite strike for parity in public sector pensions and employment conditions. Andy Pike, Head of Education at Fórsa

Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to “to push Russia to peace” as Kyiv marked its Independence Day yesterday.  Barry Ward, FG TD and Chair of EU Affairs Committee is currently in Kyiv at the invitation of Verhova Rada, the speaker of the parliament, he is due to meet president Zelensky later today. Barry Ward spoke to Pat ahead of this meeting.

Gary Gannon, Social Democrats TD and Spokesperson for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Tabitha Monahan, Political reporter for Irish Independent and Presenter on The Indo Daily Podcast and Neale Richmond, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora all joined Pat for this week's Friday Forum.

Today over 65,000 students got their Leaving Cert Result. Henry McKean visited St Mary's Girls Secondary School Baldoyle Dublin as students got their results.

Gareth Mullins talks through multi seeds flapjack, banana bread and carrot and walnut cake. A great lunch box fillers just in time for the kids heading back to school.

The anticipation of receiving your leaving cert results is stressful, and the results themselves can be disappointing, especially if you hold yourself to a high standard.  Adding to the pressure is the fact that grades have been “deflated” post-Covid, which will impact deferrals. We get all the detail and advice from Brian Mooney Guidance counsellor and columnist with The Irish Times.

Molly Martens and her father made international headlines when they beat Molly’s Irish husband Jason Corbett to death in his own home. 'A Deadly Marriage' the true story of Corbett’s killing and the aftermath. It's Author Brian Carroll joined Pat this morning.

Dating in your 30s is a brave new world from online and apps, to ghosting and meeting someone in a bar. Never mind those, but maybe you have a kid, a mortgage and any of the other regular pressures of being an adult. All to chat with comedian Stephen Mullan.

The UN-backed agency responsible for monitoring world hunger is today expected to declare a famine in Gaza City. The declaration comes as the Israeli cabinet approves a full offensive on the city. We get the latest on the situation there with Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at London School of Economics.

Bus Eireann have been urged to relax its retirement age limit for drivers to accommodate more children on school buses.  Bus Eireann have mandated that all drivers must retire by 70. Pat discusses this further with Sean Canney, Minister of state with responsibility for international and road transport, logistics, rail and ports.

According to a new survey, more than one third of Irish employees have actively looked for private information about their colleagues or customers in the last year including information about their salary, home address and age. All to discuss with Mary Connaughton, Director of CIPD.

Labour Party grandee Fergus Finlay asked permission to run for president from the party’s leader Ivana Bacik. Instead, his party has chosen to support Catherine Connolly. It isn’t the first time he’s lost out on the nomination. Fergus spoke to Pat this morning on the show.

Windfarms, microwaves, and electric lights, we hear weird history of technological conspiracy theories. David Robert Grimes author and disinformation expert tells us all.

“The final tennis Grand Slam of the year, the US Open, is getting underway this week at Flushing Meadows in New York. This year marked the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe for whom the main tennis stadium in Flushing is named winning the Wimbledon men’s singles title. But it’s also 75 years this very week since the first African-American player was allowed enter the US Open Althea Gibson. To tell us more about this pioneering tennis star, is Cameron Hill from Off The Ball.

Apple TV+  American sports comedy TV series Stick starring Owen Wilson as a former professional golfer features in this weeks Boxed with John Fardy. 

With the recent F1 success of Alex Dunne, the Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’ and the Formula One movie with Brad Pitt. Motor racing is even back in Vogue. So we decided to send Henry McKean to Mondello Park.

Israel gives final approval for a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that would effectively cut the territory in two. We get reaction to this with Paul Kearns, Irish journalist based in Tel Aviv and also Zahra Legris, Mental Health Activity Manager for Médecins Sans Frontières.

 A new survey had found that 85% of Irish professionals say they would consider a job that contributes to climate in the future. Sustainability journalist  Jo Linehan looks at the findings and explains how people can train, upskill and more into a green sector in the coming years as the market for climate jobs grows.

The government is under pressure from investigators after new forensic evidence identifies two suspects in the Guilford pub attack and other IRA bombings. The suspects are now in their 70s and 80s. But what does this new evidence mean and what will happen now? Pat discusses this with John Ware, Journalist, Author, and Investigative Reporter, former BBC Panorama Reporter.

Nearly two-thirds of students questioned in an educational program believed that using contraception can cause infertility. Much of the misinformation that they’re exposed to comes from online sources, like social media and Chat GPT.  Debunking the Myths, a sexual education programme based at The Rotunda Hospital, provides accurate and reliable sex education without judgement. Pat was joined on the show by Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Rotunda Hospital and Lead doctor on the new programme.

Debt can come in many forms from a credit card repayment, a car loan or a long-term loan. Unfortunately, for many, debt problems can cause substantial distress and worry. This financial worry may be unavoidable, but how can we best deal with it? And just why do we overspend on what we can’t afford to repay? Paul Merriman, Financial Advisor and Founder of ASKPAUL.ie.

An Irish company has designed a next-generation luminous paint that could be shining on a road near you soon if a trial in Co. Sligo is successful. Luminous paint isn’t a new idea but with modern materials and manufacturing it does look as if it might now be useful for road markings. The Irish company behind this one is called called LuminousFlux. Conor Faughnan Transport Commentator tell us more.

A Swedish church weighing 672 tonnes is being moved five kilometers over two days so that Europe’s biggest underground mine can expand.  It’s taken eight years of planning and more than €45 million to get to this point, which is part of a larger multi-decade process to move the entire Arctic town of Kiruna. We more on this fascinating story with Philip O'Connor a freelance journalist based in Sweden.