Advertise on podcast: Magnified with Matt Cooper

Former Labour Party Leader Pat Rabbitte is this week’s guest on Magnified. Rabbitte previously served as Labour leader from 2002 to 2007, minister for communications, energy and natural resources from 2011 to 2014, and minister of state for commerce, science and technology from 1994 to 1997. In this episode, Pat delves into the ups and downs of his political career, the demands of the job and reflects on his time in office having left politics a decade ago. Rabbitte stepped down as the Chair of Tusla at the end of 2025. The child and family agency has faced intense criticism in the last 12 months, but he described his time there as “an immensely worthwhile experience”. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Matt’s first guest for 2026 is Pat Byrne, founder and former Chief Executive of CityJet. In this episode, Pat talks about his career that began in banking and finance when he was 19 years old and then spread across to aviation and consultancy. In an in-depth discussion, Pat recalls his experience of running CityJet and his passion for the aviation industry, the importance of excellent relationships with customers, and what factors came into play when deciding he no longer wanted to work alongside Richard Branson. He also speaks about his personal life, particularly focusing on what its like to watch his sons, Ross and Harry, play professional rugby and compete against each other at the highest level. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Nicola Sturgeon is the latest guest on Magnified. Sturgeon released her memoir ‘Frankly’ earlier this year and here she speaks to Matt live from the National Concert Hall in Dublin about the career that led her to become the first female and longest serving First Minister of Scotland. In this wide ranging and extensive interview, she opens up about what nationalism means to her and if the result of Scotland’s independence referendum dented her reputation as SNP leader, how she thought former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson didn’t take his role seriously enough and how she was “frightened” and “overwhelmed” at the level of responsibility that was thrust upon her during the Covid-19 pandemic. She also discusses her fallout with fellow former SNP leader Alex Salmond and how the breakdown of their professional relationship impacted her. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

In the latest episode of Magnified, Matt speaks to Mark Henry. Mark is the author of ‘In Fact: An Optimist’s Guide to Ireland at 100’, where he looks at how despite the challenges that we face when it comes to housing, the cost of living and other issues, Ireland is broadly a very positive, enjoyable country to live in. He also talks about what Ireland’s future could look like, and how decisions we make about such things like climate change, global warming and infrastructure can impact the quality of life for later generations. This series of Magnified is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

On this week’s Magnified, Matt meets Seán Farrell, the new Chief Executive of Trócaire. Seán was appointed to his role in October of this year having previously been with the organisation for 20 years. He speaks to Matt about the humanitarian work that brought him to Asia and Africa, the devastating impact that war and violence has on children and his optimism for the prospect of solving world hunger. Matt also questions him about whether the media is neglectful in their coverage of the ongoing conflict in Sudan. This series of Magnified is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Niall Breslin, aka Bressie, the Irish singer/songwriter who first shot to fame with The Blizzards, joins Matt for this week’s episode of Magnified. He speaks to Matt about the release of his new album ‘The Place That Has Never Been Wounded’, which sees him go in a different direction and dip into neoclassical music. He also discusses his pivot into hosting his podcast ‘Where Is My Mind’, why he decided to step away from it, and what needs to be done to improve mental health services in Ireland. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Paul Johnston is this week’s guest on Magnified. Paul recently finished up in his role as British Ambassador to Ireland after five years. In this episode, Paul talks about what it takes to become an ambassador of a country, how he and his wife fell in love with Ireland and decided to make it their forever home, and what lies ahead in his new job as Director General of the Irish Universities Association. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

On this week's Magnified, Matt is joined by former Kerry footballer Marc Ó Sé. During his career with his county Marc earned five All-Ireland titles, along with 10 Munster championship and 3 national football league medals. He was also awarded 3 All-Stars and was named Footballer of the Year in 2007. In this episode, Marc talks about the pressure of growing up as a member of the Gaelic football's most famous families and his determination to prove himself under the management of his uncle, Páidí. He also speaks fondly of growing up in rural Kerry, his transition from player to pundit and the importance of keeping the Irish language alive in 2025. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Former All-Ireland winning hurler with Kilkenny Walter Walsh is the latest guest on Magnified. He founded his tech business SocialTies with Brendan Kavanagh earlier this year which saw him create the Kilkenny Cats Social app. The app is a one stop shop for Kilkenny GAA fans and provides news updates and content for clubs around the county. On this week's episode of Magnified, Walter talks about his decision to leave his teaching profession and enter the business world, the ups and downs of being an intercounty hurler and what it was like to play under legendary manager Brian Cody. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Hannah Wrixon is co-founder and CEO of KELLA, an exclusive company which focuses on supporting female business leaders. Hannah founded KELLA on International Women’s Day 2025, having previously started and sold three other businesses. She has 25 years’ experience in the business industry. In the first episode of the new series, Hannah speaks to Matt about the struggles that women face in the workplace, her determination to succeed in male-dominated industries, “mum guilt” and the importance of supporting working mothers. This series is brought to you by Intact Insurance.

Louis Walsh is one of the most prolific music moguls of the last 20 years, having managed pop groups such as Westlife, Boyzone and Girls Aloud. Louis joined Matt to talk about growing up in Kiltimagh in Co. Mayo, his time as an X Factor judge, his relationship with Simon Cowell and his experience of living in the Big Brother House. He also addressed the criticism he received after the release of the recent Boyzone documentary on Sky. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

On this week’s Magnified, Matt spoke to Yvonne Brewer, Country Manager for Ireland at Auticon. Auticon is an IT solutions company that prides itself on its inclusivity and which is now the largest majority-autistic company in the world. In this week’s episode, Yvonne speaks candidly about the passion she has for her work, the importance of implementing inclusivity and diversity practices in the workplace, and her decision to change her career path after being diagnosed with breast cancer. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Pat Farrell is Chief Executive of Irish Institutional Property, but has a CV that covers an extensive range of roles and industries. Among them include General Manager at Sligo General Hospital at just 24 years of age, Chief Executive at the Irish Banking Federation and General Secretary of Fianna Fáil between 1991 and 1997. In this week’s Magnified, Matt speaks to Pat about his career and his influence on some pivotal moments in Ireland’s economic history, the country’s housing shortage and his decision to leave politics after working under Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Therese Coveney is the co-founder and CEO of the Together Academy, an organization dedicated to creating employment opportunities for young adults with Down syndrome. Inspired by her daughter April, who has Down syndrome, Therese founded the Together Academy to challenge stereotypes and support individuals with intellectual disabilities in achieving their goals and living independent lives. In this week's episode Therese chats to Matt about the genesis and philosphy of the academy and the real world impact it's having on its members and their parents. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.

Richard Shakespeare is the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council (DCC). He took over the role from Owen Keegan, who retired in September 2023. Richard has over 30 years of experience in local government, including roles as Assistant Chief Executive at DCC and Director of Municipal Services at Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. In this week's Magnified, Matt gives Richard the opportunity to discuss some of the major issues facing Dublin as a city such as litter, vacant buildings and transport and what his plans are to tackle them. This series is brought to you by Close Brothers Motor Finance.