It’s official, Ireland will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, nor will RTÉ broadcast the event. Eurovision bosses deny the competition is in crisis, but the increasing fractures are making international headlines. How did RTÉ come to its decision to boycott, and what comes next? 




Host: Fionnán Sheahan Guest: Kirsty Blake Knox 

It’s official, Ireland will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, nor will RTÉ broadcast the event. Eurovision bosses deny the competition is in crisis, but the increasing fractures are making international headlines. How did RTÉ come to its decision to boycott, and what comes next?&nbsp;
 
Host: Fionnán Sheahan Guest: Kirsty Blake Knox&nbsp;

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Extra: Ireland and RTÉ’s Eurovision boycott explained - is the contest in crisis?


Carrie Jade Williams. Sadie Harris. Lucy Fitzwilliams. Jade Cookes. Samantha Black. Rebecca Fitzgerald.

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These are just some of the fabricated identities used by serial con artist Samantha Cookes.

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In 2024, her Walter Mitty-style life finally collapsed as online communities, journalists and a WhatsApp group of victims cross-referenced the inconsistencies in her story, joining the dots that authorities had missed.

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In March 2025, Samantha Cookes was jailed for three years for deception and theft.

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Yet her story keeps getting fresh chapters.

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On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Katie Byrne is joined by Alan Bradley, documentary filmmaker and author of new book Unmasking Samantha Cookes: The Many Lives of a Serial Fraudster, to discuss the breadth and the impact of an incredible deception.

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We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

Carrie Jade Williams. Sadie Harris. Lucy Fitzwilliams. Jade Cookes. Samantha Black. Rebecca Fitzgerald.
­
These are just some of the fabricated identities used by serial con artist Samantha Cookes.
­
In 2024, her Walter Mitty-style life finally collapsed as online communities, journalists and a WhatsApp group of victims cross-referenced the inconsistencies in her story, joining the dots that authorities had missed.
­
In March 2025, Samantha Cookes was jailed for three years for deception and theft.
­
Yet her story keeps getting fresh chapters.
­
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Katie Byrne is joined by Alan Bradley, documentary filmmaker and author of new book Unmasking Samantha Cookes: The Many Lives of a Serial Fraudster, to discuss the breadth and the impact of an incredible deception.
­
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at <a href="https://independent.ie/ourjournalism" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" title="https://independent.ie/ourjournalism">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

The many masks of serial con artist Samantha Cookes

A woman in her 50s, who has been arrested by gardaí investigating the disappearance and murder of Kyran Durnin, was known to the young boy and has had multiple previous interactions with gardaí about his disappearance.




Gardaí said in a statement that the woman was arrested on Monday morning and a new search was underway at a house in Drogheda.




She is the third suspect to be arrested in the case of the young boy who would have celebrated his 10th birthday earlier this month.




Today on this Indo Daily Extra, Kevin Doyle is joined by Irish Independent News and Security Correspondent Robin Schiller for the latest.




We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism.

A woman in her 50s, who has been arrested by gardaí investigating the disappearance and murder of Kyran Durnin, was known to the young boy and has had multiple previous interactions with gardaí about his disappearance.
 
Gardaí said in a statement that the woman was arrested on Monday morning and a new search was underway at a house in Drogheda.
 
She is the third suspect to be arrested in the case of the young boy who would have celebrated his 10th birthday earlier this month.
 
Today on this Indo Daily Extra, Kevin Doyle is joined by Irish Independent News and Security Correspondent Robin Schiller for the latest.
 
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at <a href="https://www.independent.ie/service/our-journalism/a/98708550.html">independent.ie/ourjournalism.</a>

Extra: Woman known to Kyran Durnin arrested as gardaí search home in Co Louth 

Irish woman Annalouise Spence stands accused of fraud that resulted in an incredible spending spree to the tune of $1.6m.  
Ms Spence previously worked as a private secretary for Australian billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson.  
Spence is currently behind bars, charged with 68 counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception, with premium concert tickets, opulent hotel bookings and high-fashion luxury items listed among the court documents.  
So, how did such an extraordinary deception come to pass? 
On this episode of The Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Kate McClymont, investigative reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald, who first broke this story, to hear the many twists and turns it has taken thus far.  
Host: Fionnán Sheahan 
Guest: Kate McClymont 
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/our journalism 

Extra: Ireland and RTÉ’s Eurovision boycott explained - is the contest in crisis?

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