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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.
2909 Episodes
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Former Munster and Ireland international rugby player Donncha O'Callaghan is this weeks Culture Club.Matt hears all about his new children's book Disaster Dad: Fun Day Fiasco and his Culture Club picks.Hit Play on this page to listen now
Comedian, podcaster and television personality Jarlath Regan sits down with Matt to discuss his new book The Gobshite Guidebook: A Survival Manual.They talk the best ways to deal with the gobshites you encounter in life.Hit Play on this page to listen now.
63% of young people come across extremist views online, compared to just 6% in real life, according to a new study from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office.Dr Darragh McCashin, from DCU's Anti-Bullying centre, and Noeline Blackwell, online safety coordinator with the Children’s Rights Alliance, join The Last Word to discuss the survey which also found that boys are perceived to be more likely to express extreme views and that sentiment around a return to so-called ‘traditional’ gender roles is gaining tractionCatch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with The Independent, discusses the findings of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission survey on Christmas spending, including statistics on who hasn't used last year's vouchers and also how much people intend to spend this year.Charlie also looks at the rise in people taking out health insurance cover despite price increases.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
Dee Reddy and John Caddell discuss the latest music news including the first acts announced for Electric Picnic 2026, Daniel O'Donnell's planned sabbatical, and they have their music picks of the week.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.
The Trump administration is under pressure for answers about military strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug boats, after a report alleged that United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued an order to "kill everybody" onboard.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the US. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Acclaimed author and screenwriter John Banville sits down with Matt to discuss his new book Venetian Vespers.They also discuss his extensive career in writingHit Play on this page to catch the full chat
This week on the Last Word on TV & Streaming Elaine Burke, Joe O'Shea and Matt discuss the death of TV presenter and architect Hugh Wallace They also discuss the forthcoming Late Late Toy Show and much moreHit Play on this page to listen now
Dublin City Council will discuss a proposal to de-name Herzog Park, named after the former Israeli president.There have also been discussions about re-naming Dublin Airport, raising questions about whether de-naming property is a good idea or indeed if naming buildings after people is a good idea at all.Matt is joined by Associate Professor of Political Science in DCU Eoin O’Malley and historian and lecturer in gender studies at UCD Dr Mary McAuliffe to discuss. Hit Play on this page to listen now
Russell Alford, co-restaurant critic with the Sunday Times and one half of the GastroGays, joins The Last Word to chat about more of his top travel destinations for those in search of great food.This time he is bringing us to Stockholm where specialties include Swedish meatballs and cardamom buns and then to Berlin for currywurst and kebabs.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Pulitzer-nominated author Timothy Gay sits down with Matt to talk about his new book Rory Land: The Up-and-Down World of Golf's Global Icon.In it he tells the story of one of golf's biggest stars off the back of his incredible sporting year. Hit Play on this page to listen now
A new investigation puts Penneys clothing to the test; the US Department of Transportation urges air travellers to dress better and be more civil; and the story of the runaway nuns.Aoife Barry, broadcaster and author, and Paddy Duffy, TV producer, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Actor, playwright and activist Emmet Kirwan joins Matt in studio to talk about Focus Ireland's Christmas Campaign: No Child Without a Home.Along with being an ambassador for that this Christmas he is also starring in the The Gate theatre's production of A Christmas CarolHit Play on this page to catch the full chat now
Ireland's birth rate has fallen by 20% in just 11 years according a new report from the HSE which shows 53,185 babies were born last year compared to 67,263 in 2014.Dr Carmel Hannan, associate professor in the Department of Sociology at University of Limerick, and Dan O’Brien, chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs, join The Last Word to discuss why birth rates continue to fall and what economic and social challenges are created by this.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Two years ago, author and academic Dr Katriona O'Sullivan won Biography of the year and Last Word Listeners' Choice at the An Post Irish Book Awards.She talks to Matt about the impact of winning the awards, her best selling book Poor and its follow-up Hungry, to be released in 2026.Dr O'Sullivan also spoke about her new role, heading up the National Centre For Inclusive Higher Education at Maynooth University.Press the ‘play’ button on this page to catch the full conversation.
John Gibbons joins The Last Word to give his assessment of this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Following on from The Last Word Gadget Show, Andy O'Donoghue runs through an A to Z of his best Black Friday and Christmas gifting ideas, from smart luggage to e-readers and smart scales.To catch the full conversation and Andy's best recommendations, press the 'play' button on this page.
1Matt and Andy O'Donoghue are joined by broadcaster Fionnuala Jones and she gives her thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2, the PS5 Digital Edition and laptops which are available via Currys.ie.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear her reviews.The Last Word's Gadget Show is with thanks to Currys.
Matt speaks to 98FM's Cathal O'Sullivan and SPIN 1038 Presenter Faye Shortt after they spent the week testing fitness and sound gadgets.From speakers and headphones to fitness watches and ice baths, hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear what they thought of all their choices.The Last Word's Gadget Show is with thanks to Currys.
Ed Smith joins Matt and Andy O'Donoghue to review the best gadgets available to children and families this Christmas.From robot dogs to DJ sets, Ed's got something for everyone.The Last Word's Gadget Show is with thanks to Currys and all products can be found on www.currys.ie.
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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