The Last Word with Matt Cooper

In his latest book, high performance coach Gerry Hussey examines the power of the inner voice and how to silence the criticisms that are holding you back from your dreams.Gerry joins The Last Word to discuss his new book 'I Am, I Can, I Will'.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Andy O'Donoghue runs through a comprehensive list of alternatives to Amazon streaming, smart home, shopping and audiobook offerings.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

A jury in North Dakota has ordered Greenpeace to pay $660m to the company Energy Transfer after finding it liable for defamation over protests that took place in 2016 & 2017.After the verdict, Greenpeace said that lawsuits such as this are “destroying the right to peaceful protest”.John Gibbons joined Matt for Thursday’s environment slot on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their discussion.

The Government will miss its own housing targets over the next three years, according to new analysis from the Central Bank. Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss why housing delivery is likely to fall short in the coming years and more of the day's business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has released his first book “The Forest is the Path”, sharing its name with the band’s latest studio album.To celebrate its release, Gary joined Matt for the latest edition of The Last Word’s Culture Club.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all his choices.

Leaving Cert English students could face oral exams worth 20 per cent at the end of fifth year, with the written exam reducing from two papers to one by 2027.There are further plans to introduce a creative writing task, where students will be tasked with writing an original piece during class time.Jennifer Horgan, English teacher and Irish Examiner Columnist and Brian Mooney, Irish Times Education Columnist and guidance counsellor, spoke to Matt about this proposal.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

US President Donald Trump has had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine.Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist 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!

There was much surprise on St Patrick's Day when MMA fighter Conor McGregor met with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office just days after Taoiseach Micheál Martin's visit.Dion Fanning, co-host of the Free State podcast, and Gary Murphy, professor of politics at DCU's School of Law and Government, join The Last Word to discuss why McGregor was invited to the White House and whether it could mark the beginning of his campaign to be the next president of Ireland. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Adrian Weckler, Tech Correspondent with the Irish Independent, discusses the launch of Amazon.ie in Ireland, which eliminates the need for local users to rely on the UK version. He delves into its subscription model, which is cheaper but raises questions about the equivalent shopping experience. The conversation highlights potential challenges for small retailers due to Amazon's impact on local competition and the necessity for them to adapt to new consumer behaviors. Weckler also addresses the hurdles faced by Irish businesses navigating the Marketplace.

Author and journalist Donald McRae has written his latest book “The Last Bell: Life, Death and Boxing”.He’s followed the careers of some of the biggest names in the sport, including Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury and Katie Taylor.But after 50 years of covering boxing so intently, why did he find himself falling out of love with it?Donald joined Will O’Callaghan on Friday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.