Highlights From The Pat Kenny Show

A Status Yellow Rain warning is in place for seven counties today, and further flooding is expected in Dublin. People are continuing to grapple with the damage to their homes and businesses caused by Storm Chandra, and now one union is calling for the government to protect workers from extreme weather as well as ‘climate leave’.  but how will this work and is it actually feasible?   Pat discusses this further with Tom Fitzgerald, Unite Regional Coordinating Officer.

Today is the men's semi-final day at the Australian Open with world number one Carlos Alcaraz hoping to make it to the final after his match against Alexander Zverev. and favorite Aryna Sabalenka will meet Elena Rybakina will meet in Saturday's final in Melbourne. Also this weekend will see the return of the national football and hurling leagues as they both get underway.

In Ireland, it is estimated that one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lives.  While treatment options have improved, it is difficult to understand which treatment will work best for each patient. Scientists have now developed a DNA blood test that can predict how well patients with breast cancer will respond to treatment.Dr Iseult Browne, a clinical research fellow at the Institute of Cancer Research and first author of the study. 

It's only been 30 days since 2026 began and it's safe to say chaos has replaced the status quo. From US threats to invade Greenland, the capturing of Nicolas Maduro, the shooting of two civilians by ICE agents and yet another threat of nuclear action against Iran looms.  As the world continues to grapple with the new normal, what can we expect next?Pat discusses this further with John Simpson, BBC World Affairs Editor.

Steal is a contemporary, high-octane six part thriller about the heist of the century. and the ordinary office worker who finds herself at the heart of it. Available on Amazon Prime. John Fardy Presenter of Screentime tell us all about. 

Children as young as seven coming to school on drugs and being used as drug mules. Fine Gael TD for Louth Paula Butterly told the Oireachtas Justice Committee what she has been hearing in her constituency and Paula explained all to Pat this morning.

Last week, Timothee Chalamet received a nomination for Best Actor at the upcoming Academy Awards, for his role in Marty Supreme, a film based on the life of table-tennis maestro, Marty Reisman. The film has prompted a renewed interest in table tennis and Irish table tennis has attracted and produced plenty of attractive characters over the years, as Off The Ball’s Cameron Hill explains:

February is oesophageal awareness month, and despite Ireland being recognised internationally for excellence in the clinical management of oesophageal cancer, nearly 70% of survey respondents say they would not be confident recognising the early warning signs of oesophageal cancer. Professor John Reynolds, the National Lead on oesophageal cancer, joined Pt to discuss the importance of early diagnoses, and how you can help fundraise. 

Broadway legend Kim Crisswell joined Pat on the show to talk about her life in show business. Also to tell us about her show “Broadway Sound: The 1960s & 70s” on Wednesday 18th February 2026, 7:30pm at the National Concert Hall, Dublin.

Republicans are standing up to the White House to protect health, science and space research funding from draconian cuts. All to discuss with Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin.

In the aftermath of the flooding and Storm Chandra, have we done enough for our flood defences? Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and Minister For Transport, Fianna Fáil Darragh O’Brien discusses this along with scrambler regulation and retrofitting grants.

What measures are retailers taking to make being more sustainable easier for consumers? All to discuss with Jo Linehan, Climate and Sustainability Journalist. 

Last night president Donald Trump threatened a major new strike on Iran after preliminary discussions between Washington and Tehran. Taking to Truth Social last night, Trump demanded that Iran come to the table to negotiate “a fair and equitable deal no nuclear weapons.”To discuss further Pat spoke to Larry Donnelly, Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer at the University of Galway and Columnist with TheJournal.ie.

Met Éireann is warning of continuing flooding risks as a status yellow weather warning is in effect for six counties in the South East. We get the latest forecast and reaction to comments from the Minister for Housing. Joining Pat was Alan O’Relly, Carlow Weather and

Bernard McMahon occupies a quiet but pivotal position in the formation of American horticulture. Born in Ireland around 1775, he was part of a generation shaped by political unrest, agricultural hardship and limited opportunity. Like many educated and ambitious young Irishmen of the period, he looked west. When he arrived in Philadelphia in the mid-1790s, the United States was still an experiment, politically fragile, culturally uncertain and botanically dependent on Europe. Gardening in the early republic was largely an act of imitation. Estates, town gardens and productive plots alike leaned heavily on English precedent. Imported seeds dominated the market, and success was measured by how closely a garden resembled those left behind.  Diarmuid Gavin, Award Winning Garden designer joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

That is, of course, Stockton’s Wing’s tune Over the Moors, which most of you will probably know better as the song that was the Liveline theme tune up until last autumn. It adorned the time of Marian Finucane on that show and the twenty-six-year tenure of the man sitting in front of me, Joe Duffy. Now, exactly a day over seven months since his last Liveline, Joe is settling into a much freer lifestyle without the demands of a daily radio show. Joe Duffy joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss his first seven months of retirement since leaving Liveline.

In 2022, the leaders of the Kinahan Cartel were hit with a collective fifteen million bounty on their heads by U.S. authorities. In the years that followed, the gang has remained active, but much less so on these shores. So, as we approach the tenth anniversary of the Regency Hotel shooting next week, how has the gang been operating in the years since the U.S. sanctions and bounties? Stephen Breen, Crime Editor of the Irish Sun and Co-Author of Kinahan Assassins and John Hand, News and Crime Correspondent with the Irish Sun and Co-Author of Kinahan Assassins are filling in the gap with their latest podcast, Kinahan’s Downfall, which releases today joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

With less than two years to go to the next presidential election, France's political forces are already jockeying for position. Emmanuel Macron’s power hangs by a thread due to a revolving door of four different prime ministers. All eyes will focus to the upcoming mayoral elections in France and if the far-right national rally will gain enough support to put them in power.     Elaine Cobbe, Paris based journalist joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

2026 could be the Year of the Camera and Government are planning a lot more Speed Cameras, and also plans to introduce cameras for red lights, bus lanes, seat belts and phone use. Conor Faughnan, Transport Commentator and Independent Motoring expert for carzone joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

Met Éireann is warning that the worst may not be over following Storm Chandra which brought extensive flooding to Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin. Homes and businesses suffered damage from the flooding which also caused severe disruption to public transport networks. So why are we so vulnerable when it comes to our public transport network? Brian Caulfield, Professor in Transportation, Trinity College Dublin, joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.