The Last Word with Matt Cooper-logo

The Last Word with Matt Cooper

News & Politics Podcasts

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.

Location:

Dublin, Ireland

Description:

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.

Twitter:

@lstwrd

Language:

English

Contact:

83 410 0102


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Last Word On The US: Trump To Accept 'Palace In The Sky' Gift From Qatar

5/13/2025
US President Donald Trump has claimed it would be "stupid" not to accept the gift of a free Qatari plane, described as a "palace in the sky", to replace Air Force One. There has been much criticism of Trump's plan to accept the gift, even amongst his MAGA supporters. 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!

Duration:00:16:56

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Jacqueline Connolly On Her Fight For Justice For Her Sister Clodagh Hawe

5/13/2025
Jacqueline Connolly, author of Deadly Silence, joins The Last Word to talk about her quest for justice for her sister Clodagh Hawe and her three nephews who were murdered by Alan Hawe in 2016. She explained why she wants the review into the investigation of their murders to be published. Listen back to the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:16:13

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Calls For Pints Tax Rebate To Save Rural Pubs

5/13/2025
The Vintners Federation of Ireland is calling on the government to introduce a 40% tax rebate in excise on pints of draught beer sold in pubs. The association said the move would be helpful for rural pubs who are struggling with increasing costs. Pat Crotty, Chief Executive of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and Sheila Gilheany, Chief Executive of Alcohol Action Ireland, spoke to Matt about this on Tuesday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Duration:00:12:23

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Gaelic Football: After 3 Fantastic Finals, Do The Provincial Football Finals Have A Future?

5/12/2025
The future of the provincial football finals has been a source of debate in recent years due to Dublin’s dominance in Leinster and Kerry’s in Munster. But after Donegal won back-to-back Ulster titles and Louth were crowned Leinster champions for the first time in 68 years, along with a hugely entertaining Connacht final between Mayo and Galway last weekend, have the new rules breathed life into the provincial championships? Michael Foley, Sportswriter with The Sunday Times and former All-Ireland winning captain Ray Silke, spoke to Matt about this on Monday. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.

Duration:00:15:41

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Documentary Tells The Story Of Serial Scammer Samantha Cookes

5/12/2025
Earlier this year, Samantha Cookes was sentenced to three years in prison for multiple counts of theft and deception. She was found to have posed under numerous fake identities and convinced people she was a victim of discrimination due to her diagnosis of Huntington’s disease. ‘Bad Nanny’, a new two-part documentary on RTÉ One, hears from victims who were conned by Cookes across Ireland and the UK. Alan Bradley, director of Bad Nanny and one of Cookes’ victims, Lynn McDonald, joined Matt on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Duration:00:13:53

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Last Word On Travel: Utah

5/12/2025
Sarah Slattery from the travelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to chat all about her recent trip to Utah in the United States. Listen back by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:09:25

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Week Trending: Pope Leo XIV, Israel At Eurovision & Calls For Social Media Ban For U-16s

5/9/2025
Leo XIV becomes the first North American pope; RTÉ demands 'discussion' on Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest; and Tánaiste Simon Harris calls for a social media ban for children under the age of 16. Joe O’Shea, editor of Cork Beo, and Jennifer Horgan, Irish Examiner Columnist and secondary school teacher, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:24:25

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Lorcan Finnegan On Directing Nicolas Cage

5/9/2025
Irish film director Lorcan Finnegan spoke to Matt about working with Nicolas Cage for his new film, the Australian set, psychodrama, The Surfer. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Duration:00:10:39

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Tech Thursday: The Best E-Readers And Audiobook Apps

5/8/2025
Andy O'Donoghue previewed the best e-readers and audiobook apps for every price point! To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Duration:00:10:29

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

How We’ve Become Slaves To Our Mobile Phones

5/8/2025
‘Zombie’ traffic lights are to be installed on Tara Street in Dublin City in a bid to get people who are distracted by looking at their mobile phones to pay attention to oncoming traffic. Is this a good idea, or an indication that we’ve become too dependent on our devices? Adrian Weckler, Tech Editor at the Irish & Sunday Independent and Aoife Barry, author of Social Capital, spoke to Matt on Wednesday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Duration:00:09:08

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Personal Finance: Families Swapping Branded Groceries In Bid To Save Money

5/8/2025
More families are now buying own-brand products and shopping in discount stores in order to reduce the costs of the weekly grocery shop. According to figures from EY, more than half of Irish households said that price is a significant factor when deciding what to buy, and nearly half said that they use discount stores to reduce spending. Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, joined Matt on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Duration:00:08:40

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Culture Club: Mark McCabe

5/7/2025
DJ and producer Mark McCabe is the latest inductee into the Culture Club. He joined Matt to talk about ‘Maniac 2000 (25th Anniversary Edition)’, which was released last Friday. Hit the ‘Play’ button to hear his choices.

Duration:00:33:26

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

RTÉ Calls For Discussion On Israel's Participation In The Eurovision Song Contest

5/7/2025
RTÉ has asked the European Broadcasting Union for a discussion on Israel's inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest that takes place later this month due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Johnny Fallon, strategy director at Carr Communications and Eurovision enthusiast, joins The Last Word to discuss the likelihood of Israel being excluded from the contest. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:07:25

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Camogie Players Protest Over Requirement To Wear Skorts

5/7/2025
On Saturday, the Dublin and Kilkenny camogie teams took to the field wearing shorts ahead of their Leinster semi-final fixture, in protest against a rule which requires them to wear skorts during matches. Having been told by the referee that the game wouldn’t go ahead if they didn’t comply with the rules, they subsequently changed into skorts. The move followed research published by the GPA which found that 70% of 650 intercounty players said they experienced discomfort wearing skorts, while 83% said they should be given the option to choose. Sinead O’Carroll, Editor of TheJournal.ie, spoke to Matt about the issue. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their conversation.

Duration:00:06:17

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

How Trump's 100% Movie Tariff Could Hit Ireland's Film Industry

5/6/2025
US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap 100% tariffs on movies coming into the US that are "produced in foreign lands" in a statement that has alarmed the industry. Brian Carey, Sunday Times' business editor, joins The Last Word to discuss how this could impact Ireland's significant film industry. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:06:56

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Last Word On The US: Canadian PM Carney Meets Trump At The White House

5/6/2025
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has met with United States President Donald Trump at the White House as he looks to reset the US-Canada relationship following months of turmoil between the neighbouring countries. Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this significant meeting and more of the latest news from the US. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:19:52

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Has The Housing Tsar Controversy Exposed A Rift In The Coalition?

5/2/2025
The Government's plan to set up a new office to speed up home delivery has snowballed into a major issue, all while it is still scrambling to find ways to address Ireland's housing crisis. Tabitha Monahan, political reporter with the Irish Independent, and Daniel McConnell, editor of the Business Post, join The Last Word to explain this latest controversy and discuss whether it has exposed cracks in coalition relationships. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:11:48

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Why Are So Many Young Women Emigrating?

5/2/2025
The number of women emigrating from Ireland has jumped 56% since the pandemic, according to a report by the Department of Enterprise. The figures also show that young women are emigrating at a much higher level than young men Sarah McGuinness, political correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, and Labour Senator Laura Harmon join The Last Word to discuss why so many are making the decision to leave Ireland. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:09:52

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

How Extreme Panic Attacks And Anxiety Impacted A Sportswriter’s Career

5/1/2025
Sunday and Irish Independent sports columnist Eamonn Sweeney has released his latest book “The Last Ditch: How One GAA Championship Gave A Sportswriter Back His Life”. It details how, in 2000, Eamonn developed a crippling phobia of travelling, which led to extreme panic attacks and resulted him living a solitary life in West Cork. However, he was given the opportunity to write about the 2024 GAA championship and knew that if he were to take on the project, he would have to overcome his fears once and for all. Eamonn joined Matt in studio to talk about his experience and his road to recovery. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Duration:00:20:39

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Tech Thursday: Best New Cycling, Running & Hiking Tech

5/1/2025
Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to talk through all the best new tech for outdoor activities. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Duration:00:13:44