Claim OwnershipThe Last Word with Matt Cooper
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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.
3132 Episodes
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Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to chat about some of the best tech gadgets on the market to help manage home energy usage. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
1Actor Owen Roe is the latest inductee into The Last Word Culture Club. He talks to Matt about his latest role in RTÉ's series, The Hardacres. He also talks about his cultural touchstones in music, literature, TV and film.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
This weekend, Rory McIlroy will hope to become only the fourth man in history to successfully defend the green jacket.Gavin Cooney, journalist with the 42.ie, joins The Last Word to look ahead to the 2026 Masters tournament. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
The US and Iran struck a deal late on Tuesday for a two-week ceasefire to allow negotiations to proceed and to see the Strait of Hormuz reopened.However, Israel has continued to bombard Lebanon, one of Iran's key allies, raising concerns about how long this peace can last. Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, journalist Marion McKeone, and Tom Wright, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, join The Last Word to discuss.Hear the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Last Friday, U2 released a 6-track EP “Easter Lily”. It follows the band’s previous EP “Days of Ash”, which came out in February and was deemed some of the most politically-charged records of their career. So, what can we expect this time round?Meanwhile, Wireless Festival 2026 has been cancelled after Kanye West, who was due to headline all 3 nights, was banned from travelling to the UK due to previous antisemitic comments.Dave Hanratty and John Caddell join Matt for The Last Word’s music slot.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.
Professor Ian Robertson, Neuropsychologist and author of How Confidence Works, explains why we are experiencing a rise in displays of toxic overconfidence and what parts of society are being affected. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
US President Donald Trump has threatened that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran does not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss Trump's chilling threats towards Iran and more of the latest news from the United States. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Congestion and commuting issues are becoming increasingly prominent across towns and cities in Ireland. What options are available to those who have to travel long distances on a regular basis?Geraldine Herbert, Motoring Editor with the Sunday Independent, speaks to Matt on The Last Word about how we could reduce the number of private cars on the road every day.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
More people are drinking alcohol at home instead of going to the pub, according to new research from Drinkaware.Dearbhla O’Brien, chief executive of Drinkaware, joins The Last Word to discuss how Irish drinking culture has changed since the Covid-19 pandemic. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Last year, Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam when he won The Masters at Augusta after a rollercoaster weekend.But why are sports fans so drawn to McIlroy, and can winning the green jacket propel him to further greatness for the remainder of his career?Journalist Alan Shipnuck has released a new book called "Rory: The Heartache and Triumph of Golf's Most Human Superstar", in which he talks about how the Co. Down man became golf's most intriguing player of his generation.Hit the 'Play' button to hear his chat with Matt on The Last Word.
Singer David Kitt joins Matt for this week’s Culture Club on The Last Word.David is celebrating the release of “The Big Romance (Kittser’s Version)”, which is a new version of the original “The Big Romance” album, which came out 25 years ago.The record features some new tracks along with reworkings of some of his classics.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.
Journalist Ronan McGreevy joins The Last Word to discuss his new book 'Seán Lemass: The Lost Memoir', a biography that is largely based on 22 hours of recorded interviews with the former Taoiseach. The memoir looks at Lemass' early life, including the shooting of his infant brother and his role in the War of Independence, as well as his time in politics from 1923 to 1966.Catch the full chat with Ronan by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
A Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey has shown that many consumers are bracing themselves for their finances to take a hit as the war in the Middle East continues to impact the economy.So, what options are available to us to ensure we’re getting the best value for money?Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, speaks to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has warned that there will be disruptions to the supply of jet fuel by early May if the Iran war continues.Paul Hackett, vice-president of Irish Travel Agents Association, and Shona Murray, Europe correspondent with Euro News, join The Last Word to discuss the impact OF the war on air travel, measures the EU may employ to deal with the worsening fuel crisis, and Donald Trump's latest threat to withdraw the US from Nato.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
'All Them Dogs' by Djamel White is one of the most eagerly anticipated Irish debut novels of 2026.It follows a young man who returns to west Dublin and a life of gangland crime following a period abroad. He finds himself working closely with an enforcer for a local crime boss and it soon becomes apparent that there is mutual attraction between the pair.Djamel joins The Last Word to discuss his debut novel and his journey to publication.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Amid the ongoing war in Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that high-ranking Iranian officials were killed because they “strung” President Donald Trump’s administration along in efforts to end the conflict.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 Irish Congress of Trade Unions has said that the government needs to take action to combat the impact of inflation on workers and the unemployed in Ireland.The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) showed that prices rose by 3.6% in March of this year, an increase from 2.5% in February.General Secretary of ICTU, Owen Reidy, speaks to Matt about his concerns on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
On Sunday, Donegal were 3-20 to 2-10 winners over Kerry to win the National Football League for only the second time in their history.Have Jim McGuinness’ side laid down a marker for the rest of the season, and how much can we read into Kerry’s performance given how many of their players from last year’s All-Ireland final didn't feature?Ray Silke and Will O’Callaghan also speak to Matt about whether Michael Murphy should have been sent off after his strike on Kerry’s Dylan Casey, and whether the hooter should be removed before the start of Championship.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.
Ireland’s World Cup play-off semi-final vs Czechia attracted an average of 1.37 viewers last Thursday night, with peak numbers hitting 1.6m just as the penalty shootout came to an end.Elsewhere, the new trailer for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was watched 277 million times within the first 48 hours of release, which is more than double of HBO's previous record held by Euphoria. But is a Harry Potter TV series really needed?Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke join Matt for The Last Word on TV & Streaming.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.
Shorter school days and more breaks for students have been recommended by the Oireachtas education committee, which recently looked at how Ireland could make the shift to a more holistic education model, similar to Finland.Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe, chair of the Oireachtas education committee, joins The Last Word to discuss what's in the Finnish model and how it could be incorporated into the Irish education system.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
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Yet another pathetic contribution from Cal Thomas. Trotting out the MAGA line about people being bored of the Epstein files, then sticking his fingers in his ears and saying he wouldn't talk about it any more. Tough, Cal, isn't that why you're on this show? He contributes nothing but whataboutism. Get rid.
Same tedious regular mouthpieces on coopers biased drivel .... some club they have going here .... jobs for the boys and girls
Matt is so biased and left leaning there is no balance..
Suprised you didnt have alison o connor on matt but maybe shes exclusively rtes attack dog, as i said before what a amazing country we'd have if hacks like you pursued with the same vigor this discredited ( children's hospital 14.5000 homeless including 4000 children) rag tag "coalition" as you do the shinners, thousands marching from the service industry of which i was 1 while genocide is ongoing in the middle east but the usual tropes and the playing the man instead of the ball continues.
#Free_Palestine #Down_with_Israel
If Cal Thomas didn't have whataboutery he'd have nothing. He's a tiresome bore.
Hahaha Sarah McGuinness thinking the fake tan article had merit 😂 Absolutely delighted to see people trying to import identity politics and the makey-uppy nonsense of cultural appropriation to Ireland left with egg on their faces 😂
Jennifer Gannon - idiotic take.
couldn't hear Neale on this interview, audio very poor.
2
Sorry Eoin but Harry's game by Clannad Trumps these.. Try Nils Frahm or Olafur Arnold's
Matt well done for highlighting finally the savagery unleashed on this Irish International sports star... Hopefully the Media will continue to press the powers that be into acting and supporting James , These sectarian Neanderthal knuckledraggers have no place in a progressive Society.
Kearney's a wet towel
Episodes are annoyingly frequent