The Hard Shoulder

A barman in the UK has suggested that a pint of Guinness comes out the same even it is poured in one go.Kieran Cuddihy headed to Peter's Pub in Dublin to ask Enda Keogh his thoughts and also to pull his first pint ever...

Evelyn Cusack, Former Head of Forecasting Met Éireann joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss some of her favourite books...

RTÉ will be back infront of the media oireachtas committee tomorrow afternoon.  The committee will be looking at the issue of the TV licence... Josh Crosbie, Newstalk's Reporter asked people if they would be paying their TV licence.Kieran was then joined by Fianna Fáil Senator & Member of the Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, Malcolm Byrne...

It’s midterm break for some children out there, but do we have adequate play spaces for kids in our built up towns?  Kieran was joined by Sinéad Ní Bhrádaigh, Teacher in Galway Educate Together National School, Dr Anne Keogh, Senior Clinical Psychologist and Chartered Member of the Psychological Society of Ireland  and Dr Carol Baron, Associate Professor in DCU...

Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform joined Kieran to discuss public sector pay, the cost of the National Children's Hospital, the TV licence fee and more...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news. Today, Kieran was joined by Niamh Maher, Commercial Creative Director with Journal Media and Brian Mahon, Political Correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail...

This is The Soapbox. Today, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Brendan Ogle, social commentator, trade unionist and activis to discuss how communities are fighting back against the far-right...

A warning has been issued by the British Association for Dermatologists suggesting children as young as eight are using skincare products and it could leave them with irreversible skin problems. Jennifer Rock, The Skin Nerd joined Kieran to discuss...

Today, Simon Harris has launched an incentive to encourage Irish construction workers to return home from working abroad.The campaign has a budget of €750,000.Kieran was joined by Financial Analyst, Karl Deeter, Dermot Carey, Director of Safety, Education and Skills for the Construction Industry Federation Ireland and Binny Folan, who is a Brick Layer in Perth 

Valentines Day is around the corner, but for new parents it can be difficult to find that spark after having children..  How can young and new parents find time for eachother and avoid tiffs?Kieran was joined by Newstalk's Own, Simon Tierney, Chef and Director of Conbini Condiments, Holly Dalton and Family Psychotherapist and author, Dr. Richard Hogan to discuss...

A petition to reopen the A&E departments in Nenagh, Ennis and St John’s was before an Oireachtas.  The petition by the Midwest Hospital Campaign Group looks to see these centres reopen to help alleviate the constant overcrowding facing University Hospital Limerick. Conor Reidy, Spokesperson for the Midwest Hospital Campaign Group joined Kieran to discuss...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news. Today, Kieran was joined by Fionnán Sheehan, Ireland Editor at the Irish Independent and Laura Donnelly, News Editor and Anchor with Bauer Media Group.Kieran was also joined on The Hard Shoulder by Seamus Mulrooney and 8-year-old Stevie Mulrooney, who sang Ireland’s Call in the Aviva Stadium yesterday...Image: INPHO

Every week Kieran Cuddihy will be joined by writer and broadcaster, Keith Walsh and the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists..

Ireland look to take the latest step on their quest for back to Grand Slams as they welcome Italy to the Aviva Stadium this Sunday. Andy Farrell has made 6 changes to the team that beat France with Caelin Doris captaining the team Kieran was joined by Mike Prendergast, Munster Coach and Marco Bortalami, Former Italy captain and the current head coach for Benetton to preview this Sunday's game...

Ireland were beaten yesterday in the controversial Eurobasket 2025 qualifier against Israel in Riga.  The team refused to partake in the traditional pre-match handshake with their Israeli opponents following allegations of anti-semitism from the Israeli camp.  John Feehan, CEO of Basketball Ireland joined Kieran to discuss...

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joined Kieran today to chat about food to get you in the romantic mood...

Father Declan McInerney, parish priest of Eyrecourt, Clonfert and Meelick in Galway has has slammed Cork Eurovision hopeful Bambi Thug from the pulpit. Is Fr McInerney’s view a fair representation of the church’s views or should we just dismiss them? Father Iggy O’Donovan, Parish Priest in Fethard, County Tipperary joined Kieran to discuss...

Off The Ball's Mick McCarthy joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action...

The value and volume of personal loans and car loans surged by 40% according to the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland. But what is the real reason for this? Is it consumer confidence? A stabilisation in high interest rates, or people just don’t have money in their back pocket because of the cost of living crisis?Henry McKean joined Kieran with this report...

Over in the UK, Parkrun, have decided to remove data about records and speeds from their website. They say it is to encourage new runners to take part.   However, Parkrun has been criticized online, as they believe the move allows trans runners to take records in men and women's categories.  Kieran was joined by former elite marathon runner and two-time Olympian, Mara Yamauchi...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news. Today, Kieran was joined by Valerie Cox, Journalist & Author and Gina London, Leadership communications expert and Sunday Independent columnist...

Do you know what can and cannot be recycled? Do you clean and dry everything before putting them into the recycle bin? According to the Newstalk Amárach Poll, over half of Irish adults would recycle more if there was a refundable deposit charged on all recyclable items.  Henry McKean visited the Fingal recycling facility in Swords Dublin, to get people's views...

As it is election year in the US, every Thursday here on the Hard Shoulder we are going to get the latest from the campaign trail. Kieran was joined by Jeff Kuhner, Host of The Kuhner Report on WRKO AM680 Radio in Boston... 

Over the weekend Mary Lou McDonald made a comment that a United Ireland is now ‘within touching distance’ now that Sinn Féin’s Michelle O'Neill is First Minister.Kieran was joined by Kevin Meagher, Former special adviser at the Northern Ireland Office and author of ‘A United Ireland: Why Unification is Inevitable and How It Will Come About’, Robbie Smith, Editor of An Phoblacht and the former General Secretary of Sinn Fein adn Deirdre Heenan, Professor of social policy at Ulster University

In Australia, it looks like the right to disconnect will be introduced into law.  The bill will ‘prevent employees being punished for refusing to take unreasonable work calls or answer emails in their unpaid personal time’.  Should we be bringing in similar legislation here?  Kieran was joined by Peter Cosgrove, Managing Director of Futurewise  and Mark Bell, Regius Professor of Laws at Trinity College Dublin...

A new report was released today by the joint committee on the Irish language and Gaeltacht calling on Minister for Education Norma Foley to scrap the system which allocates exemptions on Irish language in schools.  The focus will be to provide extra school supports and resources for children who would traditionally search out the Irish exemption. Aisling, Mother to 11-year-old Charlie and Pádraig Ó Duibhir, Professor Emeritus in DCU in the School of Language Literacy and early childhood education joined Kieran to discuss...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news. Today, Kieran was joined by Kevin Doyle, Group Head of News at Mediahuis and Sheila Naughton, Newstalk Multimedia Reporter...

Newstalk's own, Simon Tierney joined Kieran Cuddihy for the series 'The Shopping Trolley Hotline'. The series will give listeners pause when they’re filling their trolleys, to consider their options this new year. This week Simon and Kieran put some diefferent microwavable rice packets to the test!

This is The Soapbox. Today, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Ian O'Doherty, Columnist with The Irish Independent to discuss the right to be offensive...

Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder for the Tech Takeover. This week Jess gave advice on how to avoid fake scam texts from a number pretending to be Revolut...

Young men and boys are more likely to believe that feminism is harmful than previous generations. That’s according to a new study by King’s College London’s Policy Institute who say that one in four males in UK feel like it’s now harder to be a man than a woman.  These are the types of views that lead to more problematic views of women and lead to draw of figures such as Andrew Tate.  How do we have honest discussion with young men about their problematic views and challenge these ideas? Diarmuid Lyng Former Wexford Hurler and owner of Wild retreat and Holly Carpenter, Social Media content creator joined Kieran to discuss...

The Dublin City Centre Transport Plan is being presented to Dublin Councillors this afternoon..  The plans includes banning commercial vehicles to travel through Dublin City Centre by August! Kieran was joined by Head of Public Affairs at Dublin Chamber, Stephen Browne and John Mitchell, Owner of Mitchell Car Accessories on Capel Street...

A major review into spinal surgeries at Temple Street Children's Hospital has found 17 extra cases of concern. 18 cases had been identified back in September and included including that unauthorised springs had been used in three patients. Amanda Coughlan, Co-Lead of the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group joined Kieran to discuss...  

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news. Today, Kieran was joined by Kieran Cunningham, Chief Sportswriter with Irish Daily Star and Brianna Parkins, Journalist and columnist with the Irish Times...

This is The Soapbox. Today, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by David Kelly, Chief Sportswriter with The Irish Independent to talk about our obsession with English football..

Sonya Lennon, Broadcaster and Designer joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss some of her favourite books...

An Amárach research poll has revealed that 25% of 6 year olds have their own smartphone.Do we need to better educate our children when it comes to using phones? Dr. Patricia Byrne, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, and Chair of the Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the College of Psychiatrists and Philip Arneill, Head of Education & Innovation with CyberSafeKids...

Former Taoiseach John Bruton has died aged 76 following a long illness, his family has said. Mr Bruton had a long political career, with his first election to the Dáil at the age of just 22. He was Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997 and was leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 31 January, 2001. Henry McKean visited the hometown of John Bruton in Dunboyne, Co. Meath and to hear what people had to say about the former Taoiseach.Kieran was joined by Alan Dukes, Former Leader of Fine Gael and Pat Rabbitte, Former Minister for Communications to discuss...

On Sunday Parisians voted to charge SUVs extra to park in the city.  Kieran was joined by Labour Senator Rebecca Moynihan and Ali Dee, mother of 4, to discuss...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news. Today, Kieran was joined by Shauna Bowers, Irish Times Reporter and Michael Kelly, Journalist and Former Editor of the Irish Catholic   

Ireland are all set to open their 6 Nations campaign with arguably their toughest assignment of the tournament away to France. Kieran was joined by Alan Quinlan, Newstalk’s Own Former Ireland and Munster Player and the current Munster coach who indeed has his own experience of French rugby having coached Racing 92... 

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joined Kieran today to chat about umami flavours...

Next Tuesday marks Safer Internet Day – and as we have been discussing it all week – we are joined today by the person assigned with doing the job here. Niamh Hodnett, Ireland’s Online Safety Commissioner joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder...

Off The Ball's Ger Gilroy joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action...

Tonight Ireland visit France in their opening 6 Nations clash. Kieran was joined by Vincent Guérend, the French Ambassador to Ireland here in studio, Ryle Nugent, the rugby commentator and Aisling O’Reilly of Off The Ball who are both in Marseille..

There have been suggestions that Minister Roderic O’Gorman might be open to social welfare style payments to support parents who decide to be stay at home parents. Should we welcome this, and should we offer parents' support if they decide to stay at home?  Kieran was joined by Louise Bayliss, spokesperson of SPARK (Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Kids) to discuss...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news. Today, Kieran was joined by Ian Power, CEO of SpunOut and Laura Donnelly, News Editor and Anchor with Bauer Media Group

As it is election year in the US, every Thursday here on the Hard Shoulder we are going to get the latest from the campaign trail. Kieran was joined by Jeff Kuhner, Host of The Kuhner Report on WRKO AM680 Radio in Boston... 

'Government must act and implement legislation around pornographic material. They must limit access to it. Children should not be able to easily access such dangerous material.'   Those are the words of online petition that went live before Christmas looking to increase protections for Children against pornography. That petition is now closing on its target of 5000 signatures.  Richard Hogan, Family Psychologist and Columnist with The Irish Examiner joined Kieran to discuss...

Irish Farmers will gather across the country this evening in solidarity with their EU counterparts.  The Irish Farmer’s Association has agreed to hold the rallies in protest against regulations of the industry. Kieran was joined by Hannah Quinn Mulligan, Limerick Farmer and Journalist and Louise Crowley, Secretary Limerick IFA and Beef Farmer...