Magnified with Matt Cooper

On this week’s Magnified, Matt meets Seán Farrell, the new Chief Executive of Trócaire. Seán was appointed to his role in October of this year having previously been with the organisation for 20 years.He speaks to Matt about the humanitarian work that brought him to Asia and Africa, the devastating impact that war and violence has on children and his optimism for the prospect of solving world hunger.Matt also questions him about whether the media is neglectful in their coverage of the ongoing conflict in Sudan.This series of Magnified is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Niall Breslin, aka Bressie, the Irish singer/songwriter who first shot to fame with The Blizzards, joins Matt for this week’s episode of Magnified.He speaks to Matt about the release of his new album ‘The Place That Has Never Been Wounded’, which sees him go in a different direction and dip into neoclassical music.He also discusses his pivot into hosting his podcast ‘Where Is My Mind’, why he decided to step away from it, and what needs to be done to improve mental health services in Ireland.This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Paul Johnston is this week’s guest on Magnified. Paul recently finished up in his role as British Ambassador to Ireland after five years.In this episode, Paul talks about what it takes to become an ambassador of a country, how he and his wife fell in love with Ireland and decided to make it their forever home, and what lies ahead in his new job as Director General of the Irish Universities Association.This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

On this week's Magnified, Matt is joined by former Kerry footballer Marc Ó Sé.During his career with his county Marc earned five All-Ireland titles, along with 10 Munster championship and 3 national football league medals. He was also awarded 3 All-Stars and was named Footballer of the Year in 2007.In this episode, Marc talks about the pressure of growing up as a member of the Gaelic football's most famous families and his determination to prove himself under the management of his uncle, Páidí.He also speaks fondly of growing up in rural Kerry, his transition from player to pundit and the importance of keeping the Irish language alive in 2025.This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Former All-Ireland winning hurler with Kilkenny Walter Walsh is the latest guest on Magnified.He founded his tech business SocialTies with Brendan Kavanagh earlier this year which saw him create the Kilkenny Cats Social app. The app is a one stop shop for Kilkenny GAA fans and provides news updates and content for clubs around the county.On this week's episode of Magnified, Walter talks about his decision to leave his teaching profession and enter the business world, the ups and downs of being an intercounty hurler and what it was like to play under legendary manager Brian Cody.This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Hannah Wrixon is co-founder and CEO of KELLA, an exclusive company which focuses on supporting female business leaders.Hannah founded KELLA on International Women’s Day 2025, having previously started and sold three other businesses. She has 25 years’ experience in the business industry.In the first episode of the new series, Hannah speaks to Matt about the struggles that women face in the workplace, her determination to succeed in male-dominated industries, “mum guilt” and the importance of supporting working mothers.This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Louis Walsh is one of the most prolific music moguls of the last 20 years, having managed pop groups such as Westlife, Boyzone and Girls Aloud.Louis joined Matt to talk about growing up in Kiltimagh in Co. Mayo, his time as an X Factor judge, his relationship with Simon Cowell and his experience of living in the Big Brother House.He also addressed the criticism he received after the release of the recent Boyzone documentary on Sky.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

On this week’s Magnified, Matt spoke to Yvonne Brewer, Country Manager for Ireland at Auticon. Auticon is an IT solutions company that prides itself on its inclusivity and which is now the largest majority-autistic company in the world.In this week’s episode, Yvonne speaks candidly about the passion she has for her work, the importance of implementing inclusivity and diversity practices in the workplace, and her decision to change her career path after being diagnosed with breast cancer.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Pat Farrell is Chief Executive of Irish Institutional Property, but has a CV that covers an extensive range of roles and industries. Among them include General Manager at Sligo General Hospital at just 24 years of age, Chief Executive at the Irish Banking Federation and General Secretary of Fianna Fáil between 1991 and 1997.In this week’s Magnified, Matt speaks to Pat about his career and his influence on some pivotal moments in Ireland’s economic history, the country’s housing shortage and his decision to leave politics after working under Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Therese Coveney is the co-founder and CEO of the Together Academy, an organization dedicated to creating employment opportunities for young adults with Down syndrome. Inspired by her daughter April, who has Down syndrome, Therese founded the Together Academy to challenge stereotypes and support individuals with intellectual disabilities in achieving their goals and living independent lives.In this week's episode Therese chats to Matt about the genesis and philosphy of the academy and the real world impact it's having on its members and their parents. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Richard Shakespeare is the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council (DCC). He took over the role from Owen Keegan, who retired in September 2023. Richard has over 30 years of experience in local government, including roles as Assistant Chief Executive at DCC and Director of Municipal Services at Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.In this week's Magnified, Matt gives Richard the opportunity to discuss some of the major issues facing Dublin as a city such as litter, vacant buildings and transport and what his plans are to tackle them.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Daniel Davey is a well-known performance nutritionist and author based in Dublin, Ireland. He has worked with elite athletes, including the Dublin Senior football team and Leinster Rugby team. Daniel is the founder of Davey Nutrition, a platform offering practical nutrition advice, recipes, and personalized consultations.He has authored best-selling books like "Eat Up, Raise Your Game" and "Eat Up, The Next Level," which focus on the connection between nutrition, mindset, and performance. Daniel's approach is rooted in his own experiences as an athlete, having played Gaelic football at an elite level.He also discusses his experience of appearing on 'Room To Improve' and how he resonated with Dermot's approach.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Alan Kerins is a legendary Irish sportsman, humanitarian, social entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is renowned for his achievements in both hurling and football, having played for Galway at inter-county and at club level with Satlhill and Clarinbridge. Alan has the unique distinction of winning All-Ireland medals in both Gaelic games codes with his county and club teams.Beyond his sports career, Alan is deeply involved in humanitarian work. He founded The Alan Kerins Projects in 2005, raising significant funds for various life-saving projects worldwide. He is also a leadership development specialist and peak performance coach, running retreats and performance development centers for senior executives and top managers.In this week's Magnified, Alan discusses his remarkeable sporting career, what inspired him to pursue his humanitarian work and the impact his young son's illness had as a newborn.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

While we wait to resume the rest of this series of Magnified after the festive break we thought we'd give you the chance to listen back to a collection of some of Matt's favourite interviews so far. HAPPY NEW YEAR! from Magnified HQ.Conor Niland, a former Irish professional tennis player, has written a captivating book titled "The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation – and the other 99%." In this memoir, Niland shares his experiences as part of the 99% of players who travel the globe, hoping to climb the rankings and qualify for Grand Slam tournaments. The book provides insights into the social dynamics on tour, the economics of the game, and the challenges faced by touring pros whose earnings barely cover their expenses1 2. It's a unique look inside the fascinating hidden world of professional tennis and in this week's episode he joins Matt to discuss his fascinating book and career.In the course of a twenty-year friendship, broadcasters, podcasters and best pals, Jenny Kelly and Mairead Ronan have experienced single life, career highs, break-ups, make-ups, marriages, divorce, motherhood, death, diets, hair styles, stress, ageing, lifestyle dilemmas, sadness and lots and lots of good times too. Of a middling age, and after years of talking (and cups of tea), they no longer sweat the small stuff.Their new book What We Know Now! is full of their down-to-earth advice on the serious (and sometimes funny) business of life and they joined their old colleague Matt to discuss it all.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

While we wait to resume the rest of this series of Magnified after the festive break we thought we'd give you the chance to listen back to a collection of some of Matt's favourite interviews so far. Happy Christmas and a wonderful new year from Magnified HQ.Eoghan Murphy, the former Fine Gael Housing Minister, has recently published a memoir titled "Running From Office: Confessions of Ambition and Failure in Politics". The book, provides an unflinching insight into his time in office, detailing the personal and political challenges he faced.Murphy's memoir is described as brutally honest and sometimes harrowing, yet surprisingly funny, offering a deeply personal view of the life of a modern politician12. It covers his tenure as Ireland's Minister for Housing, a role marked by significant criticism and controversyIn this episode Eoghan joins Matt to discuss the book, his turbulent time in politics and the impact it's had on his life since.Anthony Scaramucci is an American financier but he best known for the time he briefly served as the White House Director of Communications from July 21 to July 31, 2017 before being dismissed by President Donald Trump. Scaramucci has also been critical of Trump in the media and voiced support for Joe Biden in the 2020 and 2024 election and is a huge advocate for bitcoin. In this episode of Magnified Matt spoke to Anthony in front of a live audience about his short but eventful time in Trump's White House and why he is such cheerleader for crypto.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

In the course of a twenty-year friendship, broadcasters, podcasters and best pals, Jenny Kelly and Mairead Ronan have experienced single life, career highs, break-ups, make-ups, marriages, divorce, motherhood, death, diets, hair styles, stress, ageing, lifestyle dilemmas, sadness and lots and lots of good times too. Of a middling age, and after years of talking (and cups of tea), they no longer sweat the small stuff. Their new book What We Know Now! is full of their down-to-earth advice on the serious (and sometimes funny) business of life and they joined their old colleague Matt to discuss it all. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Shane Kenny is a well-known Irish journalist and broadcaster, primarily associated with RTÉ Radio 1. Kenny is notable for launching and being the first editor of RTÉ's flagship radio news program, Morning Ireland. He also served as a news anchor for News at One and This Week, and was RTÉ's US correspondent for ABC network.In addition to his journalism career, Kenny served as the press secretary for the Irish government from 1994 to 1997. .His latest book is titled "Under the Rainbow: Inside John Bruton's Coalition Government" and in this episode he discusses how the book provides an insider account of the Fine Gael, Labour, and Democratic Left coalition government led by John Bruton from late 1994 to June 1997. The book covers significant events such as the Northern Ireland peace process, the Veronica Guerin murder, the 'payments to politicians' tribunal, and the divorce referendum.Shane also opens up about his personal health struggles, particularly with chronic pain and the side effects of benzodiazepinesThis series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Eoghan Murphy, the former Fine Gael Housing Minister, has recently published a memoir titled "Running From Office: Confessions of Ambition and Failure in Politics". The book, provides an unflinching insight into his time in office, detailing the personal and political challenges he faced.Murphy's memoir is described as brutally honest and sometimes harrowing, yet surprisingly funny, offering a deeply personal view of the life of a modern politician12. It covers his tenure as Ireland's Minister for Housing, a role marked by significant criticism and controversyIn this week's episode Eoghan joins Matt to discuss the book, his turbulent time in politics and the impact it's had on his life since. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Gavin Friday's latest album, "Ecce Homo," has just been realesed. This album marks his first solo release in 13 years and features a mix of thundering electronics and exquisite acoustics. Produced by Dave Ball of Soft Cell and Michael Heffernan, the album explores themes of loss, nostalgia, unity, and defiance.In this week's episode of Magnified, Matt invited Gavin on to discuss the inspiration for the album, the bullying in and outside the classroom that shaped him, the life changing experience of seeing Bowie at the peak of his Ziggy Stardust powers as a teen and the formation of The Virgin Prunes. Bono gets a look in too of course. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Series 5 of Magnified with Matt Cooper is back and for the first episode Matt is joined by two of the greatest hurlers to ever do it, Joe Canning and Richie Hogan both of whom have two excellent autobiographies out at the moment.In a chat fittingly recorded in front of a live audience in Croke Park, the two greats discuss their remarkable careers, just some of their many historic moments and who THEY think rank amongst the best hurlers of all time.This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.