Matt Cooper (Irish journalist) facts for kids

Matt Cooper is an Irish journalist, author, and broadcaster. He was born on 21 July 1966. He is well-known for hosting the news review show The Last Word on Today FM.

Before his radio career, Cooper was an editor for the Sunday Tribune newspaper. He also worked as the business editor for the Irish Independent. He has also appeared on television.

Early Life and Education

Matt Cooper was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1966. He went to school at North Monastery. Later, he studied at University College Cork.

Besides his interest in radio, Matt also loved sports when he was younger. He played rugby for a team called Sunday's Well. He even led their under-20s team as captain. He also enjoyed GAA sports. He played both Gaelic football and hurling for the Bishopstown GAA club.

Matt Cooper's Career

Matt Cooper has had a long and successful career in media. He is known for his work in journalism, radio, and television.

Journalism Work

Matt Cooper was once the editor of the Sunday Tribune newspaper. He started this job in September 1996. He was also the business editor for the Irish Independent. At 30 years old, he was the youngest person in Ireland to become an editor of a national newspaper.

He won several awards for his journalism. He was named Business Journalist of the Year in 1992 and 1999. He also won National Journalist of the Year in 1993 and 2001. Matt Cooper is a graduate of Dublin City University.

The Last Word Radio Show

Matt Cooper hosts The Last Word on Today FM. This show reviews the news and airs every weekday. It runs from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

In 2008, he helped promote Today FM's move to a new location. He recreated the famous Abbey Road album cover by The Beatles. He later admitted he wasn't a big Beatles fan. Matt also writes a weekly column for the Irish Examiner newspaper. He also writes for the Irish edition of The Sunday Times.

Television Appearances

Matt Cooper has often hosted live UEFA Champions League football games on TV3. He has also presented live rugby and GAA matches on the same channel.

In July 2016, he narrated an RTE documentary. It was called Heroes Of The Somme. This show marked 100 years since the Battle of the Somme. It told the stories of men who won The Victoria Cross there. From 2017 to 2021, Matt also co-hosted The Tonight Show. He presented it on Virgin Media One with Ivan Yates.

Books by Matt Cooper

Matt Cooper is also an author. He has written several books.

• Who Really Runs Ireland? (2010)
• How Ireland Really Went Bust (2011)

In 2015, he published a biography about Tony O'Reilly. This book was called The Maximalist: The Rise and Fall of Tony O’Reilly. It was published by Gill and Macmillan.

Trip to North Korea

In January 2014, Matt Cooper went on a secret trip to North Korea. He went with former basketball star Dennis Rodman. They were there for Kim Jong-un's big birthday basketball game. Their secret trip was revealed when they were seen at an airport in Beijing on Sky News.

Today FM confirmed that Matt was in North Korea. They also said he would meet Kim Jong-un. A documentary was made about Rodman's trip and the basketball game. It was called Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang. The film was released in cinemas in July 2015. Matt Cooper narrated the documentary and appeared in it a lot.

Personal Life

Matt Cooper is married to Aileen Hickey. She is also from County Cork. They got married in 1995. They have five children together, three daughters and two sons.

Matt is a fan of the English football team Leeds United.