The Last Word with Matt Cooper
On Ireland's most cutting edge current affairs show, Matt and his guests provide a running stream of intelligent opinions and heated debates on the issues that matter most to Irish listeners. You might not always agree, but you'll never want to miss a Word.
United Rugby Championship 2026/27 Season Preview
Brendan Fanning and Alan Quinlan speak to Matt on The Last Word to preview the new URC season which kicks off this weekend.
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The Week Trending: U2 At 50, Oz Visa Crackdown, & Pints In Stands
U2 mark fifty years together with a series of surprise gigs.
What do Australia's new visa rules mean for young people looking to emigrate?
And British Prime Minister Andy Burnham signals that he may lift a ban on drinking alcohol in the stands during football matches.
Fionnuala Jones and Eoghan Tómas McDermott join The Last Word to discuss all of these stories and more in The Week Trending.
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Director Frank Berry On Making 'The Lost Children Of Tuam'
'The Lost Children of Tuam', is a powerful new film based on Catherine Corless’s investigation into the former St Mary’s mother-and-baby home in Tuam, Co Galway and the harrowing truth she uncovered.
The film's director Frank Berry joins The Last Word to discuss how he brought Corless's extraordinary investigation to the big screen.
Hear the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.
El Niño Projected To Cause Nearly Half A Million Deaths In Next Six Months
Climate experts have predicted that more than 450,000 could die over the next six months due to the additional heat caused by El Niño.
It’s estimated to impact regions around the world and that deaths could be caused by droughts, extreme flooding and wildfires.
Commentator John Gibbons speaks to Matt on The Last Word.
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The Last Word On Tech: High Tech Home Cleaning Gadgets
This week on The Last Word on Tech, Andy O'Donoghue runs through the best high tech home cleaning gadgets to help you keep your house spotless.
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Culture Club: Andrew Hendy
Andrew Hendy of The Mary Wallopers joins Matt for The Last Word's Culture Club, ahead of the band's concert in Dublin's 3Arena on Thursday, December 10th.
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Will The Irish Football Players Protest Before Game With Israel?
Will the Republic of Ireland football players make some kind of protest against the genocide in Gaza in advance of the game against Israel?
Stephen Doyle, Today FM sport's anchor, joins The Last Word from Kosovo where the Republic of Ireland team will play on Thursday just day's before they face off against Israel in Hungary.
He outlines what the Irish team and its manager Heimir Hallgrimsson had to say about Sunday's controversial game during a press conference at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Kosovo.
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Personal Finance: Grocery Price Hikes On The Way
Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Independent, talks about grocery price inflation and the increases in fuel pushing up prices elsewhere.
He also talks to Matt about the plan to stop supermarkets allowing customers to avail of discounts on alcohol when using loyalty cards.
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The Last Word On Music: 50 Years Of U2
This Friday marks fifty years since Bono, the Edge, Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton came together to form U2.
John Caddell and Dee Reddy join The Last Word to look back on five decades of the band.
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The Last Word On US: Trump Warns He Could 'Annihilate' Iran
US President Donald Trump warned that he could "annihilate" Iran if no deal is reached to end the ongoing conflict during his address at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss Trump's speech and more of the latest news from the United States.
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Seven In Ten Young People Are Considering Leaving Ireland: Survey
According to a Red C survey for the National Youth Council of Ireland, 71% of young people think they would have a better quality of life abroad.
Matt is joined by Grace McManus, Policy and Campaigns Manager with the National Youth Council of Ireland and Sarah McGuinness, a journalist living in London to discuss the findings of the report.
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Martin O’Neill To Consider Celtic Future After Poor Run Of Form
After Celtic’s second defeat to Rangers within the space of a week, manager Martin O’Neill has said that he will “reflect on the games and speak to the board” about his future with the club.
Elsewhere, Man City have gone 3 points above Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table after City beat Sunderland in a 5-3 thriller and Mikel Arteta’s side were well beaten away to Brighton.
Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer with the Independent and Off The Ball’s Will O’Callaghan speak to Matt on The Last Word.
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How Magill Magazine Exposed A Darker Side To Institutional Ireland
Kevin Rafter, former journalist and professor of political communication at DCU, joins Matt to discuss his book, Fearless! Vincent Browne’s Magill And Ireland In The 1980s.
To catch the full interview, press the 'play' button on this page.
The Last Word On Travel: Family City Breaks
The way families travel has changed a lot in recent years, with data indicating that many are looking to head off on shorter breaks throughout the year.
With that in mind, Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to run through a selection of city breaks that will appeal to the whole family.
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How Sports Journalism Has Changed
Journalist Vincent Hogan joins The Last Word to discuss his life in sports journalism and how the job has shifted from personality driven storytelling to sterile, PR-managed exchanges.
Vincent details this in his memoir 'The Lost Sportswriter: A life up close with Irish sporting greatness'.
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Last Word on Sport: Is Manchester United in Crisis?
Today on The Last Word on Sport Dion Fanning and Tony Cascarino join Matt to talk about the ongoing woes of Manchester United
They also preview the weekend’s Premier League action and more
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The Week Trending: Sydney Sweeney, Hyrox & Royal Scandal
This week for The Week Trending, Matt is joined by Kieran Cunningham and Kate Henshaw to discuss the week's news.
They talk about the Sydney Sweeney ad, the Hyrox soiling incident, a new Ryal Scandal and more
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The Last Word On Movies: Israel Seeks To Remove Citizenship For Directors Of Gaza Documentary
Brian Lloyd joins The Last Word to review the latest movie releases, 'Bad Apples' starring Saoirse Ronan and the eighth installment in the 'Resident Evil' film franchise directed by Zach Cregger.
He also explains why two Israeli filmmakers are being targeted following the premiere of their latest documentary at Venice Film Festival and why Universal appears to be getting cold feet on releasing an Elon Musk documentary that it paid millions to acquire.
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Robert Harris On Returning To Ancient Rome For His Latest Novel
Author Robert Harris joins The Last Word to discuss his new novel 'Agrippa', a fictional memoir about the Roman statesman Marcus Agrippa who was the right hand man to the emperor Augustus.
He chats to Matt about why he returned to ancient Rome for his latest book and the parallels he found with modern day society.
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Gary Murphy On The Life And Times Of Brian Cowen
In 1984, Brian Cowen was elected into Dáil Éireann at the age of 24 following the death of his father, Bernard. By 2008, he was Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach. He remained in that position until March 2011.
Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government at DCU has written ‘Brian Cowen: Anatomy Of A Taoiseach’, which examines Cowen’s political ascent and his time as government leader during the financial crash.
He speaks to Matt on The Last Word.
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Tech Thursday: TVs, Projectors And Soundbars To Maximise Home Viewing
Andy O'Donoghue has the latest in TVs, projectors and soundbars to create the ultimate home viewing experiences.
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Culture Club: Evanne Ní Chuilinn
Fine Gael Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn is the latest guest on The Culture Club!
The former sports journalist joins The Last Word following the publication of her book 'Squad Girls'.
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MetroLink Construction Activity Could Be Seen By Year End
With MetroLink now set to be complete between 2036-2038, Lorcan O'Connor, CEO of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, outlines the latest estimates and timeline for the State's largest ever infrastructure project.
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Personal Finance: Sharp Rise In Price Of Home Heating Oil
There is growing pressure on Government to take action to bring down the cost of home heating oil after a sharp rise in prices in recent weeks.
Charlie Weston, personal finance editor with the Irish Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss whether the Government can bring in measures for households who are reliant on home heating oil.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Support Acts Leave Ed Sheeran’s Tour In Solidarity With Macklemore
Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, singer-songwriter Finneas and Danish pop band Lukas Graham have all pulled out of their support slots for the North American leg of Ed Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with fellow opening act Macklemore.
Macklemore was axed from the lineup after he expressed his support for Palestine on stage in New Jersey last week. Sheeran insists that it was not his decision to remove the rapper from his tour.
Dave Hanratty, host of the No Encore podcast, speaks to Matt on The Last Word.
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The Last Word On Music: Ed Sheeran Issues Statement After Macklemore Dropped From US Tour Over Palestine Speech
Ed Sheeran has addressed the removal of Macklemore as his tour support act after the rapper spoke in support of Palestine on stage.
In a statement on Tuesday, the ‘Shape of You’ singer responded to criticisms made by Macklemore and said that his shows are not “a political forum”.
John Caddell and Dee Reddy join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest music news including Monday’s announcement that Oasis will play two nights at Slane Castle next year.
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The Last Word On The US: Supreme Court Blocks Trump Plan To Curb Mail-In Voting
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at the Supreme Court justices after they issued a ruling which blocks his executive order to restrict voting by mail before November's midterm elections.
Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the United States.
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Irish People Vastly Underestimating Cost Of Having A Car
New research from the ESRI shows tha Irish people underestimate the cost of having and running a car by close to 50%.
The research took into account a variety of expenses including fuel, insurance and more
Senior Research Officer ESRI & Co-Author of the report Dr Shane Timmons joine Matt to discuss.
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HSE To Review Hospital Car Park Prices
HSE has ordered a review of car parking charges at hospitals after an increase of 140% in revenue generated since 2021.
The review will consider “affordability measures”, such as capped rates, concessions schemes, or broader reductions in charges.
John Brady, Sinn Féin TD and chair of Public Accounts Committee and Emma Harte, Policy and Campaigns Manager at the Irish Cancer Society discussed the impacts of the parking costs on patients and their families.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
TV & Streaming: Netflix Ups Prices Again
This week on The Last Word on TV & Streaming Matt is joined by Joe O’Shea and Kate Henshaw.
Thay discuss Netflix upping its subscript prices to 18.99 a month, picks of the week and more
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Siobhán Fenton Gives An Insiders View on Sinn Féin
Former Sinn Féin media advisor Siobhán Fenton joins Matt to talk about her new book Ourselves Alone: Sinn Féin Behind Closed Doors.
She discuss why she believes the party lost its way.
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Oasis To Return To Ireland For Two Nights At Slane
After much speculation, Oasis have announced that they will return to Ireland to play Slane Castle on the 4 and 5 of September 2027 as part of a new 38-date world tour.
John Caddell and Frank Greaney join The Last Word to discuss when and how the tickets go on sale and what to expect from an Oasis gig.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Last Word on Sport: Manchester Derby Takes Centre Stage
This Week on The Last Word on Sport, Dion Fanning and Tony Cascarino preview the weekend’s Premier League action.
They discuss Sunday’s Manchester Derby, the upcoming Irish squad announcement and more
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Kai Mark & Susan Goldmark On The Man Who Shaped Trump
Kai Mark and Susan Goldmark join Matt to talk about one of the most significant figures in Donald Trump's life.
Their new book American Scoundrel, Roy Cohn’s Journey From Joe McCarthy To Donald Trump tells his story.
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The Week Trending: AI Warning, Sadie Sink AD & Musk Documentary
This week on The Week Trending Matt is joined by writer and contributor to the Irish Times and Hot Press Roe McDermott and Irish Independent podcast producer, and host of No Encore podcast Dave Hanratty.
They discuss the the new Sadie Sink ad, a stark warning about the future of AI and more
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Eyewitness Accounts of 9/11 25 Years Later
Paul McCormack, a retired deputy inspector with the NYPD and Marion McKeone tell their stories of being in New York on the day the World Trade Centre was attacked.
Paul recounts sending his colleagues in Precinct 41 to the World Trade Centre as rescue efforts began. He talks about the arduous task of searching through the debris, and the long term affects of that day on his life, and the lives of thousands of others.
Marion McKeone remembers the immediate after shocks and disbelief of the attacks and the noise, chaos and panic of the towers...
Movies: Oasis: Don't Look Back In Anger
The much-anticipated Oasis documentary 'Don't Look Back In Anger' hit the big screen this week, delving into the reconciliation of brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher and the stadium tour that followed in 2025.
Cara O'Doherty reviews it, as well as 'Pressure' and 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' on The Last Word's movies slot.
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The Last Word on The Environment: Joint Hottest August Ever
This week on The Last Word on the Environment John Gibbons joins Matt to discuss the joint hottest ever month of August.
They also discuss Minister for Climate Daragh O’Brien’s comments and more
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Minister Daragh O’Brien On Energy Prices, Excise Cuts & Fare Increases
Minister for Transport Daragh O’Brien sits down with Matt to discuss some of the biggest issues for the rest of the year.
They discuss public transport fare increases, rising energy prices and more
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Tech Thursday: The Best Smart Speakers On The Market
Andy O'Donoghue speaks to Matt on The Last Word to take a look at the best smart speakers on the market, and what features you should look out for when buying one.
Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the piece.
