It was a memorable year on Newstalk, with a massive range of voices contributing on the important stories of the last 12 months.

From coverage of the Marriage Referendum - and the often heated, and emotional, debates that inspired - to a former Minister of Justice reciting his poetry to Seán Moncrieff, there was rarely a moment to switch off.

We've put together some of the best of 2015 from our weekday shows here for you to enjoy.

The Right Hook

Mary McAleese

It might be hard to pick out the most ‘important’ interview Newstalk broadcast during the Marriage Referendum – in terms of its impact on the debate – but it’s hard to argue against the chat George Hook had with former president of Ireland Mary McAleese, in the US.

Calling for a Yes vote, Mrs McAleese said the referendum was about “Ireland’s gay children.”
As a respected religious scholar and a political heavyweight from rural Ireland, her words carried far more weight than most.

In recent weeks George has looked back at the biggest stories of the year in his Newsmakers series, which looks back at the stories with some of those who were close to the centre of the action. We’ve picked two of the best for you – recaps of The Graham Dwyer trial, and the Berkeley tragedy.

Lunchtime

Tom Curran

In the lead up the marriage referendum Tom Curran, the General Secreatry of Fine Gael, appeared on Lunchtime, alongside his son, Finian.

It was one of the final pieces on the subject of the marriage referendum broadcast before the moratorium on coverage came into effect.

Tom discussed his life as a committed catholic, but also of his belief that he is “more bound by the love of God than the doctrine of the Church."

Tom spoke about how in 2011 his faith was shaken when Finian came out to him as a gay man – and about how he handled the news and the conflict it had with the catholic faith.

The Marriage Referendum campaign was populated with a number of powerful moments of radio, and it was fitting that one of the final words on the issue on the public airwaves focused not on the politics but on the humanity at the core of the debate.

The Pat Kenny Show

Sharon Friel

In a truly affecting piece of radio, Sharon Friel spoke to Pat about her struggle with motor neuron disease. Speaking through a mechanical voice box, Sharon tells us about how she realised she had MND and how it has completely changed her life. It was a heartbreaking example of the ability of radio to reach a level of intimacy typically beyond other media.

Germaine Greer

Feminist theorist, author and academic Germaine Greer is one of the strongest voices of feminism in the second half of the 20th century. She spoke with Pat Kenny this summer and it was one of the most talked about interviews on the show in 2015.

Breakfast

David Quinn

A few days before the vote on marriage equality David Quinn, Director of the IONA Institute, spoke to Breakfast.

It was a robust conversation between Quinn and Chris Donoghue.

Moncrieff

Moncrieff’s offerings are as off-beat and fantastic as you might expect. Both of this year’s particular treats come with a poetry theme- with our scribes the diverse duo of former Justice Minsiter Alan Shatter, and rapper Abandonman. Both dropped their finest lyrical twists in the studio for Seán, and one even got Seán to join in.

Alan Shatter

Abandoman raps live: “...starting with the lady biology"