Highlights from The Pat Kenny Show

Andy Burnham is set to walk into Number 10 tomorrow, becoming the UK's new Prime Minister without a general election. What does that mean for democratic legitimacy, and how unusual is it in the British system? Pat is joined by leading polling expert Sir John Curtis of Strathclyde University to unpack the turbulent state of UK politics..

Joining Pat to run through the main stories in the Sunday papers is Gina London, Sunday Independent columnist & Emmy-winning former CNN anchor.

With the All-Ireland hurling final at Croke Park, the World Cup final this evening as Spain take on Argentina, the final round of The Open, and a look back at Ireland's defeat to New Zealand yesterday, Pat is joined by Off the Ball's John Duggan & Tommy Rooney.

Pat is joined by Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford, to assess the eighth consecutive night of US strikes against Iran and the risk that the conflict becomes a “forever war”.

Joining Pat to discuss the latest developments in the fight against Alzheimer's disease is Dr Luke O'Neill.

Donald trump has never been one to let an election go quietly, and now, in a primetime address from the White House, he has once again claimed that America's voting system is fundamentally broken - alleging Chinese interference in the 2020 election despite officials, intelligence agencies and even members of his own former administration saying there's no evidence votes were changed. With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, critics say he's laying the groundwork to challenge the result if republicans fall short. So, what is the political strategy here, and what does it mean for confidence in American democracy? Caroline Vakil, Campaign Reporter at The Hill, joins Pat to discuss.

E-scooters have become a familiar sight on streets across Europe, offering a quick and convenient way to travel around cities but they have also brought a new set of challenges, from pedestrian safety and reckless riding to illegal parking and questions around enforcement. Here in Ireland, the debate continues over how best to regulate their use, with calls for stronger controls and clearer rules but other European cities have already been navigating these waters and putting measures in place to manage their impact. Joining Pat to discuss is: Philip O'Connor, freelance journalist living and working in Stockholm Elaine Cobbe, Paris-based journalist

Visiting Ireland's islands, especially those in a Gaeltacht area, is a great way to imagine how our recent ancestors lived. Diarmuid Ó Drisceoil was born in Cork City, but spent a lot of time on Oileán Cléire, where his grandparents and extended family lived. Now he has compiled an eclectic record of items, places, and events into a beautiful book that paints a vivid picture of island life over time. Diarmuid joins Pat to discuss.

Pat is joined by Lina Gautam from Monty's of Kathmandu, a stalwart Nepalese restaurant in the Temple Bar where they talk through two dishes to get your tastebuds going for the coming weekend.

A few days ago, Palm Beach Airport in Florida was officially renamed Donald J Trump International Airport, adding to the growing list of buildings that now bear the president's name. While a tradition exists in the states of naming airports after former presidents, the naming of one after a sitting leader is unprecedented. Our reporter Simon Tierney has been investigating and he joins Pat to discuss.

This weekend on The Pat Kenny Show: Pat finds out how Washington has responded to Trump's cynical speech;We get a brief history of the naming of American airports with Simon Tierney;Prof Luke O'Neill has good news about Alzheimer's from the WHO; The NHS doctor who has admitted to shortening the lives of his patients; We get some delicious Nepalese recipes from the owner of Monty's of Kathmandu;Pat asks if a PR voting system could make the UK great again;All that and more, plus the latest in all the weekend's sports and news headlines;That's The Pat Kenny Show, on Saturday and Sunday mornings, from 10am

Jane Casey has garnered millions of fans for her detective fiction series of books featuring the character Meave Kerrigan but her new novel ‘Everything She Didn't Say', which hits the bookshops on July 16th, steps away from Meave's world. Jane joins Pat to discuss.

Joining Pat to run through the main stories in the Sunday papers is Mark Hennessy, Ireland and Britain Editor for ⁠The Irish Times.

It's July 12th, the highlight of Northern Ireland's marching season. Traditionally it is a day of celebration for the loyalist community, but following a tumultuous couple of years, culminating in last month's conviction of former DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson for the gravest of sex offences, many unionists feel they have little reason this year to bang the drum. To consider what this all means for the future of unionism, and for politics more broadly in Northern Ireland, Pat is joined by Deirdre Heenan, Professor of Social Policy at Ulster University and political commentator.

The World Cup semi-finals are now set after a weekend packed with drama, Mayo are through to the All-Ireland Football Final with Dublin and Kerry still to battle for the other spot this afternoon, and Ireland continue their Nations Championship campaign with another bonus-point win. To look back on another packed sporting weekend, Pat is joined by Off the Ball's John Duggan.

Russian advances on the battlefield are slowing, casualties are mounting, Ukrainian drones are striking deep inside Russia, and even Moscow's ability to sustain the war effort is being questioned. So, is the momentum beginning to shift against Putin, or is this simply another chapter in a long and brutal war of attrition? Joining Pat to discuss is Emmanuelle Chaze, Ukraine Correspondent for France 24.

Newstalk reporter Alex Rowley reports from the UN “Green Line”, the buffer zone that still separates the Greek Cypriot south from the Turkish-controlled north, and explains how the crossing points work and what life is like along the line.

Water is central to life in Ireland but keeping it clean is proving a growing challenge. Pat speaks to Cliona Mhic Giolla Chuda, general manager of Waterford Oysters in Dungarvan & Caroline Doherty, Irish Times Science and Climate Correspondent, as the industry faces possible ruin after three catastrophic die-offs in the last seven years.

The ceasefire that ended the U.S.-Iran war now appears to be hanging by a thread after fresh American strikes, Iranian retaliation, and president Trump's suggestion that the peace agreement may be dead, all of which comes as Washington also faces a political battle over funding the conflict and questions about whether the United States can avoid being drawn into another prolonged Middle East crisis. To help Pat make sense of these fast-moving developments, he is joined by Professor Scott Lucas of UCD's Clinton institute.

Joining Pat to discuss the auto-immune disease ‘Gastritis' is Dr Luke O'Neill.

What began as a routine Ryanair flight from Greece to Germany turned into a mid-air emergency when a cabin window was dislodged after an apparent engine failure, causing rapid decompression and leaving one passenger partially sucked out of the aircraft before fellow travellers pulled him back to safety. The incident has raised fresh questions about aircraft safety, maintenance, and just how close this came to being a major aviation disaster. Joining Pat to get the latest is Kevin Byrne, retired lieutenant colonel & airport safety and security expert.

John Ware's introduction to the Troubles in Northern Ireland was as a local newspaper reporter from Worcester in the 70s, sent to report on the ‘local lads' stationed in Ulster. Over the years his reports on BBC's Panorama delved into the darker side of the war. His new book 'Neither Confirm Nor Deny: British Intelligence, Lawless Agent Running and the Suppression of Truth' focuses on the murky world of intelligence gathering by UK agencies and the use of high level informers within both republican and loyalist groupings. John Ware, joins Pat to discuss.

From a wonderfully simple lemon posset that's perfect for feeding a crowd at a garden party to a beautifully light and zesty lemon cake that's always guaranteed to go down well, Gareth Mullins, Executive Chef at the Anantara Hotel joins Pat with some beautiful lemon-inspired recipes.

Screentime's John Fardy joins Pat to talk about the new comedy series, Alice & Steve.

The shocking death of former Conservative cabinet minister, broadcaster, and Reform UK figure Ann Whitticombe has sent shockwaves through British politics, with police treating the case as murder while stressing there's no evidence of a terrorist or political motive. Pat is joined by Financial Times political editor George Parker with the latest on what's known so far.

This weekend on the Pat Kenny Show: Scott Lucas makes sense of events in Washington, Ankara, and IranWhat is killing millions of euros' worth of oysters in Dungarvan? What was British intelligence really up to in the north? On the 12th of July, what is the future for Unionism following the Donaldson conviction?Luke O'Neill on the billionaire trying to cure his own fatal autoimmune diseaseAlex Rowley has been to Cyprus to meet Garda peacekeepersAuthor Jane Casey tells us about her latest novelPlus the latest sports and news headlinesThat's the Pat Kenny show, on Saturday and Sunday mornings, from 10am

This week the US Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court ruled that babies born in the US have a constitutional right to citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump's bid to end the 150-year-old policy. With America being built on immigration what does this all mean for average American families celebrating the 4th of July? Henry McKean joins Pat from New York to discuss.

Europe has barely emerged from one of the most intense heatwaves ever recorded, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees and thousands of excess deaths now being counted with forecasters already warning another spell of extreme heat is on the way. Pat is joined from Spain by Naomi O'Leary, Europe Correspondent with The Irish Times, to unpack what's happening on the ground.

The 262 registration period has begun and there is a lot of activity in the car-buying market. New car registrations are falling, EV sales are booming and the number of used imports is soaring. Joining Pat to make sense of it all is Sunday Independent motoring editor, Geraldine Herbert.

From VAR controversy and England facing a hostile atmosphere at the Azteca tonight to Paraguay's ill-tempered treatment of France and the opening weekend of rugby's new Nations Championship, not to mention Galway's stunning demolition of Cork to book an All-Ireland Hurling Final spot, it's been another packed sporting weekend. Joining Pat to discuss is Off the Ball's John Duggan.

Joining Pat to run through the main stories in the Sunday papers is Brenda Power, Columnist with The Irish Independent & The Daily Mail

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory released its report on June 23, 2026, titled "The essence of childhood has been destroyed: Israel's deliberate targeting of Palestinian children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 7 October 2023" Speaking at a press conference, United Nations Commissioner, Chris Sidoti, summarised the report's findings, saying ‘every international legal norm has been violated by the actions of the Israeli authorities towards Palestinian children and they need to be held accountable.' Chris joins Pat to discuss.

Joining Pat to discuss the benefits that listening to music can have on the brain is Dr Luke O'Neill.

As Americans celebrate the 4th of July and the many events marking the 250th anniversary of creation of the United States, the country's founding ideals of liberty, democracy, and freedom are once again taking centre stage. But there's another story running through America's history - one not of peace interrupted by war, but of a nation shaped by almost continuous conflict. David Vine, author of the United States of War, argues that war has become deeply embedded not only in American foreign policy, but in its politics, economy, and national identity. So, as the US reflects on 250 years of independence, we ask whether the culture of perpetual war has become one of the defining features of the American experience. He joins Pat to discuss.

Taylor Swift married Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in New York last night but did it hold up to all the hype and did the ‘wedding of the century' overshadow America turning 250 today? Henry McKean reports from New York.

During the summer months, many people gravitate towards ordering salads when out, but they are actually dishes that can easily be made at home and with choosing good quality ingredients can make a delicious and filling meal. Gareth Mullins, Executive Chef at the Anantara Hotel joins Pat with some fabulous salad suggestions for the summer months ahead.

When it comes to preventing heart disease, one of the most important factors is cholesterol and new international guidelines are rewriting how we think about it. Experts now say the focus should be on lifetime exposure to ldl cholesterol (the “Bad” cholesterol) and on lowering it earlier, for longer. That shift has led to a major update in global guidelines, including new risk calculators, lower target levels, and greater use of earlier screening and preventive medication in some patients. Joining Pat to explain what this means for patients in Ireland is Dr Roisin Colleran, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Mater Private Network.

UK politics has entered a new phase of volatility following Keir Starmer's resignation, leaving Labour in a leadership contest and raising immediate questions about direction and stability. Andy Burnham has quickly become a focal point in the realignment, while Nigel Farage continues to reshape and upend the traditional two-party duopoly. What emerges is a political landscape that remains institutionally intact, but increasingly fragmented in authority, narrative, and purpose. To explore that wider sense of unease, Pat is joined by novelist & satirist, Jonathan Coe.

This weekend on the Pat Kenny Show: As the US celebrates 250 years, Pat asks why so many of them have been spent at war Dr Roisin Colleran answers your heart health questionsMotoring correspondent Ger Herbert on the best EV for youPaul Harrington is here with a stone-cold Elton John classicProfessor Luke O'Neill on how music changes our brainsA UN commissioner on its latest report into Israel's targeting of Palestinian childrenAs the World Cup heats up, John duggan gives a roundupPlus, we look at the top stories in the Sunday papers That's the Pat Kenny Show this Saturday and Sunday morning from 10am.

Pat is joined by broadcaster and author John Suchet, who looks back on his years reporting for ITN and News at Ten, covering stories from Iran to Afghanistan, and how television news has been transformed by satellites, 24-hour rolling coverage, and the mobile phone.

As relations between the US, China and Europe keep shifting, Pat Kenny asks what it means for the EU's balance between security ties with Washington and economic links to Beijing. He is joined by George Yin, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China Studies at National Taiwan University, to unpack China's strategy for Europe, the race for dominance in key technologies like AI, and why “reliability” matters when you're choosing partners.

The group stages of the FIFA World Cup are complete and the knockout picture is finally taking shape, with the last 32 promising some fascinating ties and potential heavyweight clashes further down the road. Joining Pat to look back on a busy sporting weekend and ahead to what's coming next is Off the Ball's John Duggan.