The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Author Lesley Bond sits down with Matt to discuss her new memoir Blasket Bound. We hear about her once-in-a-lifetime experience working as caretaker on the uninhabited Blasket islands Hit Play on this page to listen now.

As the fallout continues from Saturday's shooting incident White House Correspondents' Dinner, US late night host Jimmy Kimmel has defended a joke, which aired days before the event, in which he called Melania Trump an "expectant widow". 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!

Fianna Fáil TD and former Kilkenny hurler Peter 'Chap' Cleere is calling for the introduction of a 20% tax relief on children’s sports memberships as he says some families face spending up to €1,500 a year when they have several children involved in sport. The Carlow-Kilkenny TD joins The Last Word to discuss the measure, which he will be pushing for in October's budget. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The disappearance of Tina Satchwell in March 2017 from her home in Youghal, Co. Cork was one that gripped the nation. Her husband, Richard, was convicted of her murder in May 2025. Barry Cummins, journalist and author of ‘Buried Secrets: The Murder of Tina Satchwell and a Journalist’s Journey into Ireland’s Most Chilling Cold Case’, recounts the case and the road Tina’s family faced when trying to get justice for her. He speaks to Matt on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

The world record for fastest marathon was broken as two runners finished in London in under two hours Sabastian Sawe finished the race in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds. Matt is joined by Athletics Journalist Cathal Dennehy to talk about what this means for the future and whether our eyebrows should be raised. Hit Play on this page to listen now

King Charles and Queen Camilla have begun their visit to the US in the wake of the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Joining Matt with the latest on the visit is LBC presenter Nick Ferrari Hit Play on this page to listen now

This week on The Last Word on Travel Sarah Slattery of takes us through the top tips for Marrakech She brings us all you need to know when planning a trip to the Moroccan city Hit Play on this page to listen now

The Government is looking at providing one-off payments for energy saving home upgrades such as heat pumps and efficient cars to help households become less reliant on fossil fuels amid the current global fuel crisis. Philip Hannon, chief executive of the Alliance for Zero Carbon Heating, and Muireann Lynch, senior research officer at the ESRI, join The Last Word to discuss the latest proposals being considered by Government. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

This week for The Week Trending, Matt is joined by Journalist Kate Henshaw and Managing Director at the Communications Clinic Eoghan McDermott to discuss the weeks biggest stories. They discuss a potential return to school from home, Ryder Cup ticket prices and more Hit Play on this page to listen now

New figures obtained by The Irish Times has shown that the number of United States troops travelling through Shannon Airport increased by almost 80% before and during the US' attacks on Iran. Conor Gallagher, Crime & Security Correspondent with the Irish Times, joins Matt to explain the significance of the situation. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Photographer Ruth Medjber is well known for her music photography and her distinctive portraits, but in 2026 she has taken on a whole new challenge. For 365 days, Ruth is travelling around Ireland, meeting new people, taking their photo and recording their story. Ruth joins The Last Word to chat all about her project 'Sin Scéal Eile' Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' is out in cinemas this weekend. The film, which is predicted to have the biggest opening weekend of any music biopic, follows the star's rise to fame with the Jackson 5 through to his hugely successful solo career but ends just before child abuse allegations against Jackson began to come to light. Brian Lloyd joins The Last Word to review 'Michael' as well as the psychological drama 'Mother Mary' which stars Anne Hathaway and 'Exit 8', a Japanese horror film that takes a refreshing approach. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

This week on The Last Word on the Environment, John Gibbons tells us how climate change is making your hayfever worse They also discuss the government's environmental strategy and much more Hit Play on this page to listen now

This week, Apple announced that Tim Cook would be stepping down as its CEO after nearly 15 years in the role, with head of hardware engineering, John Ternus, succeeding him in September. What does the future hold for the company, and what are the biggest challenges facing Ternus when he takes over? Andy O’Donoghue joins Matt on Thursday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Gavan Reilly, political correspondent with Virgin Media and presenter of Monday With Gavan Reilly, is the latest guest to join The Last Word for the Culture Club. He chats to Matt all about his favourite music, movies, tv shows and more. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Tickets for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor will go on sale for Irish golf fans this Friday and on Wednesday, the the cost of attending the competition was revealed. One ticket will cost a record-breaking €499 per day, which significantly higher than the €638 price when it was held in Rome in 2023. Larry Donnelly, Lecturer in Law at the University of Galway and avid golfer, speaks to Matt on The Last Word about how ordinary punters are being priced out of attending major sporting events. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

In 1958, Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill had a plan to drain Lough Neagh. In her latest novel, Few And Far Between, Jan Carson has imaged what would have happen if the plan had been complete, and who might have sought refuge in there during the conflict years. To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page

FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic after the publication reported allegations of "excessive drinking and unexplained absences". Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and Trump's latest comments about the war in Iran. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

In 2022, journalist Ellen Coyne revealed that teachers and judges involved in Irish dancing had been accused of “feis-fixing”, after information suggesting that competition results had been agreed ahead of time was leaked. She has now released her book ‘Dirty Dancing: The Inside Story of the Irish Dancing Cheating Scandal”, in which she showcases the dark side of the sport and how it was impacted by the controversy. She speaks to Matt on Tuesday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Part II of “Young Forever: The Death of Ageing?” airs on RTE on Monday night, in which presenter Kathryn Thomas explores the lengths people are willing to go to in order to not only slow down the ageing process, but also prolong their life. She joins Matt on The Last Word to tell him what she discovered. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.