The Last Word with Matt Cooper

From thermostats to lightbulbs and air purifiers, Andy O'Donoghue had a run down of the best devices to make your home efficient and cozy heading into the winter months. To catch the conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Research conducted by Maynooth University has found that the warm nighttime temperatures which were experienced this summer are now 40 times more likely due to climate change caused by human activity. John Gibbons spoke to Ian Guider on Thursday’s The Last Word. Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

A number of Dublin city councillors boycotted a ceremony to award the Freedom of the City to Barack Obama over objections to the former US president's record in foreign and domestic policy. Obama, who is visiting Dublin this week, was originally granted the honour by councillors in 2017 but he didn't come to receive the award until now. Conor Reddy, People Before Profit-Solidarity group leader on...

Novelist Eimear McBride was the latest Culture Club inductee. Eimear spoke to Matt about her new novel, The City Changes Its Face. She also discussed her favourite music, films, books and the cultural touchstones that have influenced her life and work. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

European and American golfers are getting ready to face off against each other once again when the Ryder Cup kicks off in New York on Friday. Meanwhile, organisers of the tournament are preparing for the arrival of US President Donald Trump on opening day, with fears his visit could cause disruption. Lawrence Donegan, founder and editor of McKellar Magazine, joins The Last Word to discuss what to...

The current system for granting exemptions for studying Irish is souring relationships between principals and parents, according to the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD). A record number, 60,946, of secondary school students received an exemption from studying Irish in the last school year. Paul Crone, director of the NAPD, and John Sharpson, primary school teacher an...

Dee Reddy and John Caddell were back for the Last Word on Music where they had all the details of revival of Take That's Circus Tour. They also spoke about Madonna's return to Warner Records and her back catalogue. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Over two million homeowners in Ireland are set to receive a letter from Revenue warning them to revalue their homes. The new valuation will apply for the local property tax from 2026. Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, explained this on Wednesday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

US President Donald Trump claimed to have "ended seven wars" and said that European countries are “going to hell” because of immigration in his address to the United Nations General Assembly Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas join The Last Word to discuss Trump's remarks in New York and more of the latest news from the United States. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A leprechaun sent to the White House.  A bomb shelter under Dublin’s Merrion Square.  A president swearing live on national radio.  What do they all have in common?  They’re just some of the wild, wonderful and downright bizarre stories you probably won’t have known about Ireland’s presidents.  If the walls of the Áras could talk, we’d have a full-on Netflix drama on our h...

To quote the show FRIENDS, "he was the one with the moustache." Welcome to 'Think You Know... The Presidents?' a Today FM original podcast brought to you by The Last Word. Episode 1 travels back in time to 1938, when Ireland appointed its first president.  But why was Douglas Hyde chosen? What happened when WWII broke out right after his inauguration? And why did we call WWII ‘The Emergency’...

Journalist and author, Adam Maguire, joined Matt to discuss the release of his new book “The Bailout Babies”. In it he details how people who were children during the financial crash are still feeling the effects of it a decade and a half later. Matt spoke to Adam on Tuesday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Second Captains co-host, Irish Times columnist and author, Ciaran Murphy, has published his second book ‘Old Parish: Notes on Hurling”. He tells the story of how despite being an avid Galway GAA fan – one of the few dual counties in Ireland – he had only ever played Gaelic football. So, in the lead up to his 42nd birthday, he decided to move to Co. Waterford and play hurling with An Sean Phobal, t...

Ned Guinness, the Fourth Earl Of Iveagh and the head of Guinness family, is the author of Guinness: A Family Succession. He spoke to Matt about his motivations for writing about his family and the legacy and impact of projects like the Iveagh Trust. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

The Caminito del Rey is a cliffside walk in Malaga, Spain with thrilling suspended walkways and spectacular views throughout. Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to chat all about it and to give her tips for anyone interested in making the trip. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

On Wednesday, it was reported that Cuala GAA had agreed a €2 million deal for a six-acre site owned by Bective Rangers rugby club. However, the availability of facilities across the capital is a constant struggle for many GAA clubs. Denis Walsh, Sportswriter with the Irish Times, reported this week that out of 412 pitches that are available for Gaelic games in Dublin, only 124 are owned by GAA clu...

Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae has been criticised for suggesting a possible link between autism and vitamins; the Irish language rap-trio Kneecap have been barred from entering Canada; and US TV hosts have bitten back at US President Donald Trump after the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel. Brianna Parkins, 10 News plus reporter, and Dave Hanratty, host of the No Encore podcast, join The Last Word to di...

Annmarie O'Connor spoke to Matt about her book Twitch. Diagnosed at the age of 48, the book details Annmarie's experience of living with Parkinson's Disease. Having worked as a fashion editor and stylist, Annmarie spoke about coming to terms with the disease and how she has learned to adapt to live a quieter life. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Two political figures, Charles Haughey and Garret FitzGerald, dominated Irish politics throughout the 1980s The rivalry between the two party leaders, who each led all of the Irish governments in that decade, was bitter and their opposing personalities shaped Irish life during this era. Eoin O’Malley, associate professor in political science in DCU, joins The Last Word to discuss his book 'Ch...

Meta has launched new smart glasses with a built-in display which CEO Mark Zuckerberg claims will unlock the AI promise of "superintelligence." Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss what these glasses do and whether we will all soon be wearing them. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Acclaimed author Hugo Hamilton was the latest guest to join The Last Word’s Culture Club. Along with choosing his favourite music, TV, film and podcasts, he discussed the release of his new book ‘Conversation with the Sea’. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all his choices.

Charlotte Blease is Associate Professor at Uppsala University in Sweden and author of Dr Bot: Why Doctors Can Fail Us and How AI Could Save Lives’. She spoke to Matt about the potential of AI as a diagnostic tool and how it could revolutionise medicine.

It may only be September, but is it already time to start saving for the expensive Christmas season? Charlie Weston, personal finance editor with Irish Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss how you can start budgeting for Christmas so that it doesn't break the bank. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Government is under increasing pressure to include energy supports for households in the upcoming Budget to offset hikes in electricity and gas bills. Daniel McConnell, editor of the Business Post, and Tabitha Monahan, political reporter with the Irish Independent, join The Last Word to discuss what could be coming in Budget 2026 as the Government continues to insist that there will be no addi...

Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas join The Last Word to discuss the latest news from the United States including the death of the iconic actor and director Robert Redford and the continued fallout from the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!