The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Donal Ryan joins The Last Word to discuss his writing process, character development, and how he tackles themes of grief presented in his latest novel, Where Are The Kings.To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

Alison Chawke and her brother were jailed last month for a serious assault in a Limerick hotel in November 2023.Yesterday she was released after spending just four weeks behind bars.Daniel McConnell is joined by lecturer at the School of Law in the University of Galway Dr Conor Hanly and Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Matt Carthy TD to discuss.Hit Play on this page to listen now.

After weeks of silence Ireland's Football Association has publicly withdrawn its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino.Sports Journalist with the Irish Times Gavin Cooney joins Daniel McConnell to discuss this and more.Hit Play on this page to listen now

With students returning to college in the coming weeks, Andy O'Donoghue looks at the best tech available to students on the market and what features to look out for when investing in a laptop or tablet.He speaks to Daniel McConnell on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

Peadar Tóibín, leader of Aontú, joins The Last Word for the Culture Club. He chats about the music, movies, TV shows and other cultural influences that have shaped his life.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Irish man Dan O'Toole is a close advisor to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and was supposedly at the heart of the plan to sell a stake in the World Cup.Irish Times Sport Correspondent Gavin Cooney joins Daniel McConnell to explain who he is Hit Play on this page to listen now

The Government is expected to rake in €1.67bn in Vat on fuel this year, amid rising energy prices caused by the war in Iran.To discuss, The Last Word is joined by Charlie Weston, the Irish Intendent's Personal Finance Editor.To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

Kenny's bookshop in Galway have said they received an order for thousands of books, which has raised concerns about its potential use for AI.While it's not unusual for bookstores to receive large orders from places like libraries, this time the identity of the purchaser wasn't revealed and a lot of the books were out of date.Tomás Kenny of Kenny's Bookshop and Elaine Burke, host of the For Tech's Sake podcast, speak to Danny McConnell on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the discussion.

Opposition parties have urged the Government to postpone plans to return fuel excise duty costs to their full price due to ongoing concerns over the cost-of-living crisis.Vat charged on electricity, gas, petrol and diesel is expected to be €238m higher this year due to the worsening energy crisis.Louise Burne, Political Correspondent at the Irish Examiner, and Kevin McPartlan, Chief Executive of Fuels For Ireland, join The Last Word to discuss.To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

While many of us have enjoyed the warm and dry conditions experienced across the country throughout the summer months, Irish farmers say that working conditions have become increasingly difficult due to water shortages and increased costs.Francie Gorman, President of the Irish Farmers Association, speaks to Will O'Callaghan on The Last Word to explain the challenges facing the agriculture industry over the last number of weeks.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

Sinead Kennedy, travel expert, host of Wellness Activity Breaks, has the lowdown on Madeira. An archipelago of four islands off the northwest cost of Africa, Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal. Famed for it's cooler climate and mountainous terrain, Madeira is becoming more popular with tourists.Sinead has all you need to know from highlights, where to stay, what to eat and drink, when to go and how to get there.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Daniel Kinahan woke up on Monday morning in Portlaoise Prison after his high security extradition from Dubai.The alleged crime boss landed in Dublin on Sunday evening on the Government jet.Conor Lally, crime and security editor with the Irish Times, joins The Last Word to outline what happened upon Kinahan's return to Ireland.Later, criminologist Trina O'Connor, Dr Pat Leahy, former assistant garda commissioner, and Greg Gatjanis, former associate director of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, discuss the significance of Kinahan's arrest both at home and abroad.Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play' button on this page!

Last month, Limerick were crowned All-Ireland senior hurling champions for the sixth time since 2018.However, despite their remarkable achievement, fans were largely left disappointed with the season as a whole.Is there a way to level the playing field and help the chasing pack become genuine All-Ireland contenders?Jamesie O'Connor, Seamus Hickey and John McIntyre speak to Will O'Callaghan on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

The new government jet, Dassault Falcon X6, will need to travel abroad for maintenance this month, but Micheál Martin assures that the jet has been "very effective" and they have "no concerns".Niall O'Connor of The Journal joins The Last Word to give us the full round up on why this jet has been making headlines this week.To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

The Government could consider further curbs on climate legislation if it is found to be harming infrastructure delivery.John Gibbons, environmental journalist, joins The Last Word to warn of the impact this decision could have on Ireland's climate targets. To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

Ahead of the new school year, Andy O'Donoghue is back with a comprehensive rundown of laptops and tablets, both new and refurbed.For secondary school students, Andy also recommends some gadgets to help with concentration and productivity.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Jo Spain, author of 'Never To Be Found', joins The Last Word to discuss her favourite albums, films, and writing habits. To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

Gianni Infantino called an emergency meeting of senior FIFA staff on Wednesday as he fights for survival in the wake of his now abandoned plan to seek private investment in a company to run the World Cup.Gavin Cooney, sports correspondent with the Irish Times, joins The Last Word to discuss whether this is the end of the road for the FIFA President.Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play' button on this page!

Speaking at The White House on Monday, Trump told the Iranian leadership they had one "last chance" to sign a "good deal". Marion McKeone, Cal Thomas, and Scott Lucas join The Last Word to discuss the current state of play. To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

Amid the ongoing debate over whether social media should be banned for under 16s, parents have been criticised both for not monitoring their child's social media but also for giving their young kids smartphones Frank Greaney was joined by Irish Times features journalist and host of the Conversations with Parents podcast Jen Hogan and CEO of the Irish Internet Hotline Mick Moran to discuss Hit Play on this page to listen now

Sports writer Kieran Cunningham and Irish Times columnist Roe McDermott join Matt to look back on the biggest stories of the week.The week started with celebrations and joy as Mayo beat Kerry to take home Sam and captured not only the hearts of the country, but gained legions of new fans across the globe.They discuss tourism protests in Spain and why a small Spanish outpost in North Africa has become the site of mass migration.Kieran and Roe also remember musician, actor and activist Glen Hansard who died tragically on Wednesday.To catch the full conversation, press 'play' on this page.

60 published novels & over 150 million copies sold later; David Baldacci joins The Last Word to tell us about his love for writing, and his concerns over the rise of AI.To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

Edel Coffey, journalist and author of In Glass Houses runs through the best of the summer reads to get you through August.Her choices are; YesterYear by Caro Claire Burke, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, Transcription by Ben Lerner, A Beautiful Loan by Mary Costello, A Plot To Die For by Ardal O'Hanlon and The Keeper by Tana French.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Climate change is heating Irish seas so quickly that it's forcing fish north and away from our coastlines, thus causing a threat to the industry.Commentator John Gibbons joins The Last Word's environment slot to discuss the significance of the situation.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

Doctors are under-resourced and face unprecedented levels of stress. What if AI could step in?Charlotte Blease, researcher and author of Dr. Bot, joins The Last Word to discuss her study on AI and how it could emerge as one of the most reliable physicians in history. To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

This week on Tech Thursday Andy O'Donoghue gives us the latest on foldable phones including prices and the best models Hit Play on this page to listen now

On Wednesday news broke of the tragic death of musician and Oscar winner Glen Hansard.To pay tribute to him Matt spoke to his friends Victoria Mary Clarke, founding member of Kíla Rónán Ó Snodaigh, Philip King of Other Voices, writer and former manager of Sin É in New York Karl Geary, activist and trade unionist Brendan Ogle and singer-songwriter MundyHit Play on this page to listen now

GP shortages are leaving some patients waiting up to two weeks to see their doctor, according to the Irish College of GPs.The representative body for Irish GPs has warned of three ‘emerging pressure points' across the country.Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, medical director of the Irish College of GPs, joins The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Greenhouse gas emissions from residential buildings around Ireland have fallen by 5%, with commercials buildings emissions falling by 3.5%. Dr Peter Thorne, Chair of the Adaptation Committee of the Climate Change Advisory Council, joins The Last Word to tell us why these figures may not be as impactful as they seem. To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

The European Central Bank is expected to raise rates again in September in a bid to contain energy-induced inflation. Charlie Westin, Personal Finance Editor of The Irish Independent, joins us on The Last Word to discuss.To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

As the funeral ceremonies of Republican senator Lyndsey Graham commence in Washington D.C, Trump is set to meet with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to explore what may be discussed at these closed meetings.To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' anywhere on this page now!

Estate agents expect house prices to increase by 5% on average in the next 12 months, according to a new survey from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). However, the SCSI report also indicates that the price of a new build property in the Dublin commuter belt is already out of reach for average earners.John O'Sullivan, member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors and Dublin based estate agent, and Michael Dowling from Irish Mortgage Brokers join The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Irish author Djamel White has been longlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize for his debut novel 'All Them Dogs'.The 28-year-old writer from Dublin is the youngest of the 13 writers longlisted for this year's prize.Djamel joins The Last Word to discuss what this achievement means to him.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Mayo have ended their 75-year wait for an All-Ireland football title!Former Mayo footballer Martin Carney, Keith Duggan, Irish Times journalist and author of 'House Of Pain', Will O'Callaghan and Ray Silke all join The Last Word to discuss Mayo's momentous win against Kerry.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

This week on The Last Word on Travel Sarah Slattery of the travelexpert.ie gives us her guide a cruise holiday.She also reviews the world's largest cruise ship Hit Play on This Page to listen now

This week on The Last Word on TV & Streaming Matt is joined by Padraic Wilson McCarthy, Elaine Burke and Joe O'Shea discuss whether Love Island was entertaining this yearThey also discuss picks of the week and more Hit Play on this page to listen now

Over 300,000 people have evacuated their homes in France and Spain, with a European council official stating the wildfires could last until early November.Naomi O'Leary, European Correspondent at The Irish Times, and Dr Claire Bergin, Climate Researcher at Maynooth University, join The Last Word to discuss the devastation the wildfires have caused so far. To hear the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

On Monday, the death was announced of former English footballer and Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan. He was 75.Keegan, who twice won the Ballon d'Or, had been battle stage four cancer.Dion Fanning, co-host of the Free State podcast, speaks to The Last Word to remember him.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

Paddy Duffy and Elaine Burke join The Last Word to run through the week's trending stories including Elon Musk's pledge to create a ‘historically accurate' AI version of The Odyssey. They also discuss the announcement that the famous fashion house Dior, which is led by Derry-born designer Jonathan Anderson, will hold its Fall/Winter 2027 runway show in Trinity College Dublin and how some UK millionaires are urging Andy Burnham to introduce a wealth tax.Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play' button on this page!

Will Kerry lift the Sam Maguire Cup for the 40th time? Or will Mayo make their comeback 75 years later?David Brady, Colm Keys, and Ray Silke join The Last Word to have a look ahead at the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!

Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Independent, has the details of the Central Bank investigation looking at potential overcharging of domestic life insurance companies for pensions and investment products. According to Charlie, depending on the outcome of the probe, it could prove to be one of the biggest overcharging scandals since the tracker debacle.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Tech Journalist, Andy O'Donoghue, joins The Last Word to give his recommendations for both the tech savvy and the old school gardeners. To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page.