The Pat Kenny Show

It has been a year of quickly evolving and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Syria. In the weeks and months ahead, how are these conflicts likely to play out? To discuss Pat was joined by John Simpson, BBC World Affairs Editor.

Lisa Cannon has rounded up the top 10 old-fashioned Christmas movies for this week’s ‘Inside Hollywood’

As Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael continue to drive Government formation talks, there is some turmoil on the opposition benches among the smaller parties. Seán Defoe Newstalk's Political Correspondent brings us up to speed.

What do we know about the mystery disease killing people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? To give us more information Pat spoke to Kingston Mills Professor of Experimental Immunology at Trinity College Dublin.

Despite not meeting value formoney benchmarks, the government is moving forward with awarding a significant construction contract to ‘Invesis’, a BAM-controlled subsidiary. BAM is the main contractor for the National Children’s Hospital. So will the gamble pay off for the government. Pat speaks to Jack Horgan Jones who has the story on the front of The Irish Times today.

Businesses in Ireland can now register their accounts to sell on Amazon to customers around the world, ahead of the launch of Amazon.ie in 2025. Newstalk Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly brings us the details.

A major Survey of electric car owners and non owners reveals positive attitudes towards electric cars with 85% of EV drivers planning to stay electric for their next car, while nearly half of non-EV drivers say they could be convinced to make the switch.To discuss further Pat was joined on the show by Pierre Boutin, CEO of Volkswagon Ireland.

With Al Assad gone what does the future of Syria look like? In one of the most ethnically diverse and fragmented nations on earth can peace and stability ever become the norm in the war-torn country?  Pat discusses this and more with Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist. 

Number of students going on to university stalls as young people face unpredictable future. At the same time, record numbers of students from disadvantaged areas are attending college. Experts call for reform of Leaving Cert and say a degree isn’t always the right choice. Pat chats to Cecelia Munro about what she sees as a principal in a college of further education. 

The Irish Hospice Foundation have advice for those who may struggle with grief over the festive period. Speaking to Pat this morning was Orla Keegan Head of Bereavement at the Irish Hospice Foundation. 

A number of talks with a view to forming a Government took place yesterday with more scheduled today…but has there been any progress? Fionnán Sheehan of the Irish Independent joins us to discuss.

Chef Derry Clarke and his wife Sallyanne are supporting An Post’s Send Love campaign this Christmas which celebrates the joy and tradition of staying connected through sending handwritten cards and letters. Derry and Sally joined Pat in studio this morning.

Fear of the dentist. Many of us might have anxiety, or even a phobia, when visiting the dentist but how can we tackle it? Our expert, dentist Dr Niall Neeson, is here to answer all your dental anxiety queries.

We hear from a Jesuit recently returned from Syria about what life is like there on the ground and the hopes of the people following the fall of the Assad regime. Speaking to Pat this morning was Tony O’Riordan SJ, Jesuit, returned from Syria in June.

Tourists in Italy will no longer be able to access short-term rentals using key boxes after the country's police chief said owners must verify the identity of guests in person. We get the details of this change with Nick Squires, Itay Correspondent for Daily Telegraph.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are meeting with different parties to secure a solid coalition but who will it be? Harry McGee breaks down the latest meetings and prospects for a new government.

We hear from the theatre company of the year ‘Glass Mask Theatre’ and their exciting plans for 2025. Joining Pat this morning was Founder of ‘Glass Mask Theatre’  Rex Ryan. 

Just twelve days since rebels launched their surprise offensive in Syria, rebels have captured the capital Damascus. Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, has resigned and fled to Moscow. We get the latest and analysis from Fawaz Gerges from the London School of Economics.

Gareth Mullins will be talking us through some Christmas party food ideas that are suitable for freezing for any seasonal last minute entertaining.

A look back on the stories of the week on our Friday Forum. Joining Pat on the panel today was Thomas Byrne TD, Meath East and Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Richard Boyd-Barrett TD, Dún Laoghaire along with Orla Ryan, News Correspondent, The Journal and Alice Leahy, Director of Alice Leahy Trust. 

Irish racehorse trainer Willie Mullins has list of accolades to his name. This year, he became the first trainer to surpass one hundred wins at Cheltenham. He has over four thousand race wins to his name and is the most winning Irish trainer of all time. He joins us to talk about his life and career.

Hundreds of people have been detained in Northern Ireland for attempting to enter Britain having crossed the border into the north. Gangs are offering packages that they term as ‘safer’ than crossing the English channel and charging high prices for it. Lisa O’Carroll of The Guardian joined Pat to discuss this.

The European Champion Cup returns as Munster host Stade Francois at Thomond Park, and plenty of Premier League action, including a London derby, is coming up on this weekend’s sports.

Who’s paying what? Frank Greaney breaks down the fees involved in the civil case against Conor McGregor.

As talks and negotiations are set to continue over the formation of the 34th Dáil. Economist and Writer for The Currency Colm McCarthy discusses the predicted economics of our next government and its financial implications.

A retired professor gets a new lease on life when a private investigator hires him to go undercover inside a San Francisco retirement home. Screentime’s John Fardy talks to us about the new Netflix comedy series, ‘A Man on the Inside’.

Éadaoin Fitzmaurice, Travel and Food content creator brings us some great ideas of things to do this weekend.

Cameron Hill takes a look at the English Football Association’s 50-year ban on women’s football, the anniversary of which is today. Football was an official sport for women, but it was officially banned with women not allowed to compete for 50 years. Cameron talks to Pat about why women weren’t allowed to participate at a time when the feminist revolution was growing.

Author and disinformation expert David Robert Grimes joined Pat on the show today to talk about the arla milk debacle and other heath scares caused by disinformation.

Professor Luke O'Neill tells Pat about two medical breakthroughs this week. New CRISPR system pauses genes, rather than turning them off permanently and the first breakthrough in 50 years in severe asthma and COPD. 

This morning Pat was joined by retired actuary and a past president of Society of Actuaries in Ireland Colm Fagan, a retired actuary, who is campaigning for a different approach to auto-enrolled pensions than is proposed by the government. 

French government has collapsed after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote. Barnier is expected to submit his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron this morning. We get the latest from France with Lara Marlowe, Paris-based journalist and author. 

Sustainable Irish Food and Drink Companies. More than half of European consumers say they consider the climate impact of products when purchasing food or beverages, and 30% say they already make sustainable choices when it comes to these purchases. Climate Supplement at the Sunday Times Ireland  Jo Linehan talks to Pat about the Irish companies who come out on top when it comes to these delicious yet sustainable food and drink products.

Why did people vote in this election the way they did? Despite much talk of change, we’ve ended up with a very similar Dáil to that of the previous. So why? We asked Harry McGee, Political Correspondent, The Irish Times.

Last year we had one of the biggest increases in STIs in Ireland in recent times.  As we near the end of 2024, have we made progress in reducing transmissions? We discuss with Dr Aisling Loy Consultant in Sexual Health at St James's Hospital and Himerus Health Clinic. 

Should the private sector increase salaries by 7%? We hear from the Irish Congress of Trade Union. Speaking to Pat this morning was Owen Reidy General Secretary of ICTU.  

Award winning Garden designer Diarmuid Gavin shares some Christmas gardening advice.

TikTok have released a Year on TikTok 2024, which is a complete review underlying different countries’ most engaging trends, top creators, and most-watched videos from the past year on the platform.Newstalk's own Emily Keegan provides us with a guide to TikTok trends of 2024.

Christmas movies are supposed to fill us with warmth and joy, but some classics have stirred up plenty of drama behind the scenes! From casting conflicts to polarising themes, these six Christmas movies come with a healthy dose of controversy. Let’s uncover the stories that make these holiday films unforgettable and maybe even a little scandalous! All to chat about with Podcaster and Cultural Commentator Lisa Cannon.

The Seven Summits , the highest peaks on each of the seven continents is one of the most difficult challenges in mountaineering. Irishman Derek Mahon is hoping to become just the fifteenth Irishman to complete the seven summits when he climbs Mount Vision Massif in Antarctica.

Today on Green Scene how human children are better than great apes at anticipating others’ food choices, and rats that love to drive. All to discuss with Dr Ruth Freeman, Director of Science for Society at Science Foundation Ireland.All with thanks to AIB Ireland.

The Instagram account 'Model Strangers' has grown to over 1 million followers in the last 18 months. Today is one of the most famous on-street interview accounts in Ireland and the UK. The photographer behind the hugely successful Instagram account, Model Strangers Christopher Ward joined Pat this morning in studio.

Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin parliamentary parties meet today as efforts to form a Government continue. It appears to be more and more likely that Independents will join Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael but plenty of details are yet to be ironed out. For more on this we heard fromGabija Gataveckaite, Political Correspondent, Irish Independent.

Blue Ireland was formed to protect Ireland's marine ecosystems as the country accelerates offshore wind energy developments.  Blue Ireland supports renewable energy development, but they advocate for the projects to be undertaken with environmental and biodiversity awareness in mind. Joining Pat today was Bill Emmott, Journalist and Former Editor of the Economist, and who also shares blue Ireland's concerns about the coastal environment. 

We hear about obsolete car features millennials have never heard of and identify safety fears as a €10 permit allows some trucks to use Dublin streets despite ban  in this weeks commuter slot with Conor Faughnan.

Late yesterday evening, the president of South Korea declared martial law, only to reverse his decision some hours later. The opposition is now calling for his impeachment. What can we expect to happen next?Kiri Paramore Professor of Asian Studies at the Institute of Korean Studies in University College Cork  talks to Pat about the latest updates, but also reminds us South Korea wasn’t always the democratic power we see it as today.

Joseph Ataman Journalist with CNN Paris, joined Pat with the latest stories in France as the government is on the brink of collapse, and a gruesome trial is ongoing in the country.

Omniplex will soon open the first cinema Rathfarnham has seen in 60 years. And this, when we've long heard the death of movie theatres was / is nigh. So, how has "going to the pictures" survived into 2024, and what can we expect from our cinemas in the future? Newstalk's Sarah Madden reports: 

Jess Kelly talks to Pat about the Galaxy Ring, Samsung’s newest fitness wearable, which works seamlessly with Galaxy smartphones and Galaxy Watches. 

Speed cameras, car sales, electric vehicle policies, and Volkswagen strikes. Motoring Editor of Sunday Independent Geraldine Herbert breaks down the biggest motoring stories.