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.
The Week Trending: Russell Brand Guilty; Martha Stewart's Halloween Costume; Thomas Markle Arrested
Roe McDermott and Padraig Wilson McCarthy join Matt on The Last Word to discuss the stories that made the headlines this week.
Among them were Russell Brand being found guilty of rape and sexual assault, Martha Stewart's apology after she received backlash for her Halloween costume and 'mogging' being declared Word of the Year for 2026 by Collins Dictionary.
Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the chat.
What Happened In The First Week Of The Scarlett Faulkner Murder Trial?
A woman in her 40s and a teenage girl are on trial for the murder of Scarlett Faulkner in Co Tipperary earlier this year. The 28-year-old died on 13 April after an incident at Birdhill in Co Tipperary on 21 March this year. Today FM courts correspondent Frank Greaney joins The Last Word to outline what was heard in the first week of the trial. Hear the full conversation by pressing ‘Play’ on this page.
Bomb Threats Against Irish Media Ahead Of EU Leaders Summit Next Week
Staff at various Irish media organisations were evacuated this morning after receiving hoax bomb threats.
The incident follows a coordinated series of threats on European airlines this week and cyberattacks that disabled supermarket fridges.
Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne joins The Last Word to discuss the risk of further threats as Ireland hosts dozens of world leaders for a major European summit next week.
Hear the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Voting Open For An Post Irish Book Awards 2026
Matt is joined by some of the nominees in the Last Word Listeners' Choice category of the An Post Irish book awards, Gary Murphy, Patrick Freyne, Marie Gleeson and Darragh McGee.
To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
Environment: Kellogg’s Changes Rice Krispies Recipe Due To Climate Change
Kellogg’s has removed rice from its Rice Krispies and Coco Pops recipes due to "changing weather conditions” that have disrupted supplies of some grains and cereals.
Commentator John Gibbons speaks to Matt on The Last Word.
Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
Russell Brand Found Guilty Of Rape And Sexual Assault
Russell Brand is likely facing years behind bars after a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three of sexual assault. Nick Ferrari, presenter of Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC Radio, joins The Last Word to discuss the downfall of the former comedian who is now facing further allegations of rape. Hear the full conversation by pressing ‘Play’ on this page.
Tech To Improve Your Home Office
Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to run through the latest products available to update your home work space.
Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the piece.
Internal Report Highlights Fine Gael Identity Crisis
Ahead of the party's Ard Fheis, Danny McConnell, Editor of the Business Post, joins Matt to discuss an internal report that found many people don't have a 'clear idea what Fine Gael is about'.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
AIB posts strong quarterly profits and lending growth
AIB has reported a robust third quarter. Meanwhile, Flutter, the company behind Paddy Power and Betfair, is struggling with regulatory hurdles in Brazil and increased competition in the US and Australia. Brian Carey, business editor with the Irish edition of the Sunday Times joins Matt.
Concerns Raised Over Plans to Hire Private Security for Dublin City Centre Streets
Plans to contract private security operators to patrol Dublin city centre have prompted significant concern. The proposed scheme, advanced by business representatives and the City Regeneration Authority, bypasses existing council structures and has not involved Dublin City Council. Voices including Green Party councillor Janet Horner and civil liberties advocate Olga Cronin argue that such a move lacks necessary political oversight, public scrutiny, and could infringe on civil liberties. Critics stress the need for proper funding and resourcing for existing community safety initiatives before resorting to private security.
Oireachtas Committee Grills RTÉ Over Podcast | Evanne Ní Chuilinn
Senior RTÉ executives faced the Oireachtas Media Committee to discuss future funding and internal reform following a recent €20 million budget cut imposed by Minister Patrick O'Donoghue. The session highlighted growing unease over the hiring of Gerard Gilroy to front RTÉ’s new sports podcast. Committee member Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn spoke to Matt about her concerns
Culture Club: Sarah Maria Griffin
The latest inductee in the Culture Club is writer Sarah Maria Griffin. Her new novel, Strange Is The Light, tells the story of four friends over 30 years as they grapple with the secrets of their past.
Sarah also talks about her favourite books, movies, TV and music.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
How Will Trump React To Being A Lame Duck President?
Democrats have regained control of both the House and Senate in the US midterm elections, making extraordinary gains in Republican territory. So how will Donald Trump respond to this rebuke of his presidency? Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Robert O'Connor Found Guilty of Manslaughter By Diminished Responsibility
Robert O'Connor who stabbed his parents and younger brother to death at their Co Louth home has been found not guilty of their murders but guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility by the unanimous verdicts of a Central Criminal Court jury. Frank Greaney, Today FM courts correspondent, joins The Last Word to outline the verdict. Hear the full conversation by pressing 'play' on this page.
The Last Word On The US: Voting Underway In Midterm Elections
Voting is underway in the United States midterm elections and the Democrats are hoping to win control of Congress and the Senate as American’s deliver their verdict on President Donald Trump’s second term. Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play’ button on this page!
Parents Pay Out Millions For Free Education As Schools Struggle To Keep The Lights On
New figures show that parents have paid out more than €116 million in voluntary contributions to schools in five years. Meanwhile, schools say they are forced to rely on money from parents to keep the lights on due to funding shortfalls. Labour TD and education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny and Seamus Mulconry, general secretary of the Catholic Primary School Management Association, join The Last Word to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play’ button on this page!
What Next For Public Sector Pay Negotiations?
Trade unions and Government representatives today met separately with an independent body in a bid to overcome the impasse over public sector pay. It comes after unions reportedly rejected an offer of pay increases worth 7.75% over two and a half years. Kieran Mulvey, former Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission, joins The Last Word to give his analysis of the negotiations so far and whether a second 24-hour strike, scheduled for Thursday 12 November, will go ahead. Listen to the full conversation by pressing the ‘Play’ button on this page!
Irish athletics star Ciara Mageean remembered for her drive, talent and deeply loved personality
The world of Irish athletics is mourning the loss of Ciara Mageean, a European 1500m champion who passed away at just 34 after a battle with bowel cancer. Cathal Dennehy joined Matt to discuss her all-too-brief life.
Matt Meets Timmy McCarthy
Broadcasting legend Timmy McCarthy speaks to The Last Word to celebrate the release of his book 'Boomshakalaka: Winning Against The Odds'.
Timmy talks about his wide-ranging career in media, becoming the voice of basketball coverage in Ireland, and how his cancer diagnosis impacted him.
Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the piece.
Arsenal Go 3 Clear At The Top Of The Table After Beating Liverpool At Anfield
On Sunday, Arsenal beat Liverpool at Anfield for the first time since 2012 to go 3 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
After beating Man City on Saturday, how high is Brighton’s ceiling this season? Meanwhile, is Michael Carrick’s position as Man United manager untenable after yet another dismal defeat, this time at the hands of Chelsea?
Dion Fanning and Will O’Callaghan speak to Matt on The Last Word.
Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
TV & Streaming: Channel 4 Air Fake TV Show To Highlight Dangers Of Gambling
It was confirmed on Sunday that Channel 4’s new gameshow, Million Pound Shot, was staged to highlight the tactics used by the gambling industry.
The programme was presented as a quiz where contestants had a chance to win one million pounds by risking their own money.
Did the experiment work? Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke speak to Matt on The Last Word.
Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
Irish Supermarket Fridges Hit In Second Cyberattack
For the second time in the past few weeks, hackers have attacked supermarket fridges in Europe, spoiling foods and costing hundreds of thousands of Euro. Irish chain Supervalu was one of the businesses affected.
Kevin Curran, professor of cyber security at the University of Ulster and Chris Elliot, professor of Food Security at Queens University Belfast and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security, discuss the vulnerabilities in the food supply chain.
To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page
The Week Trending: Tolls To Increase, Phones Banned In Restaurants, & 'Maxxing' Everything
The cost of tolls on most of the country's roads are set to rise again in the new year.
A group of restaurants in Sardinia are banning families from using smartphones and other devices at the table in a quest to encourage conversation.
And 'Maxxing' is Dictionary.com's word of the year.
Elaine Burke and Eoghan Tomás McDermott join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Rolling Stone Releases ‘200 Greatest Rock Songs of the Century So Far’ List
On Tuesday, Rolling Stone released a list of what it deemed to be the greatest rock songs from the 21st century.
Dave Hanratty and Zara Hedderman speak to The Last Word about the debate surrounding the list and whether the aim of such publications is to spark a worldwide discussion.
Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.
Should Climate Change Be Classified As A Health Emergency?
Experts have warned that climate change should be classified as a global health emergency after health harms have grown quicker in the last decade than it did before the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. Commentator John Gibbons speaks to The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
Tech Thursday: Online Safety For Kids
Andy O’Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss some of the best ways to protect kids online. Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play’ on this page!
Culture Club: Veronica Roth
Writer Veronica Roth is the latest guest on The Culture Club!
Author of the bestselling young adult series Divergent, which she has recently revived, Roth joins The Last Word to discuss her favourite music, movies and of course books.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Fergie Chambers, The Communist Millionaire
Documentary-maker Sinéad O'Shea talks to Will O'Callaghan about her feature length film, All About The Money. It centers on former US heir to the Cox family fortunes, who sold his shares and set up a commune, and how he ended up in Ireland.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
How Much Do You Need To Save To Live Comfortably In Retirement?
A new survey by Royal London has shown that most people predict they’ll need over €3,500 per month to live comfortably in retirement, but just 40% of those asked are confident that their current savings make that possible. Charlie Weston joins Will O’Callaghan for The Last Word’s personal finance slot. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.
The Last Word Meets James McClean
Former Ireland footballer James McClean has released his autobiography ‘The Walls’.
He speaks to The Last Word about growing up in Derry, the criticism he received when he refused to wear a remembrance poppy while playing football in the UK, and the backlash to his recent comments surrounding men’s mental health.
Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
The Life And Times Of Charles Haughey
Journalist and broadcaster Vincent Browne joins The Last Word to discuss his biography of one of the most controversial and influential figures in modern Irish politics, Charles Haughey.
Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
The Last Word On The US: Polls Show Democrats Could Win Senate & House In Midterms
With the US midterm elections just one week away, the latest polls indicate that the Democrats could win both the Senate and the House of Representatives but what will they do once they achieve this? Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the United States. Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play’ button on this page!
The Week Trending: Airbnb Guests Freed From Chores, Fontaines DC Condemn AI, & Is Dublin Really The 6th Best City In The World?
Stripping the beds and taking out the bins, new Airbnb rules will limit chores imposed on guests.
Fontaines DC have said they were blindsided by the use of AI in their 'Marianne' music video.
And Dublin has ranked 6th overall in the 2026 Global Cities Index produced by Oxford Economics out of 1,000 cities worldwide.
Dave Hanratty and Emma Nolan join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Seismic Election Expected Next Week As Israelis Go To The Polls
Paul Kearns, journalist based in Tel Aviv, talks to Will O'Callaghan about the biggest challenge to Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership for years, as voting is due to take place in the country's first general election since the October 7th attacks.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
Tech Thursday: Websites Across The World Vulnerable To Hacking
Websites across the world were taken down for a period this week after it was discovered that the programming they use is vulnerable to being hacked.
Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to explain this issue and also to run through how you can better protect your own tech.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Emma Heatherington: Together For Christmas
Bestselling author Emma Heatherington joins The Last Word to delve into her latest winter love story, Together For Christmas.
To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!
How Are European Countries Preparing For This Weekend's Protests?
Over 2,400 arrests were made in France during last weekend's protests.
As students and trade unions prepare for another day of demonstrations this Saturday, how have neighbouring countries reacted?
Shona Murray, European Correspondent with Euronews, and Mary Fitzgerald, Irish journalist based in Marseilles, join The Last Word to to question if European authorities are prepared for what might unfold.
To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!
The Last Word On Movies: Wildwood
Brian Lloyd has the latest movies releases including Wildwood and Klara And The Sun.
To catch the full conversation press the 'play' on this page.
Culture Club: Paul Savage
Singer songwriter Paul Savage, also known as Whozyerman, joins The Last Word to discuss his favourite movie, tv shows, and album.
To listen to the full chat, press 'PLAY' on this page!
How 32 Irish Female Writers Came Together To Write About Their Fears
'Fear' is a new anthology of chilling short stories from 32 of Ireland's leading female writers who came together to explore some of life's greatest fears.
Authors Sam Blake and Edel Coffey both contributed to the book and they join The Last Word to discuss how it came about and what it was like to write about their own fears.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
