The Hard Shoulder

Every week for Tuesday Travel on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world. This week, Fionn joined Kieran to give him tips for a trip to beautiful Normandy...

On Saturday evening in Dallas, Jake Paul, a man who until five years ago hadn’t stepped inside a boxing ring, faced up against 38-year-old Nate Diaz, a legend of combat sports and one of UFC fan’s most beloved fighters. Jake’s resulting win is just another chapter in the history of social media stars entering into prize fighting. A wave perhaps first started by Conor McGregor switching the octagon for the ring in 2017 against Floyd Mayweather, has grossed millions of dollars and captured the imagination of a new generation of boxing fans. Is influencer boxing hurting or helping the sport? Kieran was joined by Andy Lee, Former middleweight world champion to discuss...

In the middle of a housing crisis would it be effective to write the right to housing into the Irish Constitution? Kieran was joined by Financial Analyst, Karl Deeter and Assistant Professor in Social Policy in Maynooth University and author of ‘Gaffs’, Dr. Rory Hearne to discuss...

With the cost of living becoming close to impossible for some people. It is necessary to make other alternatives. What better way to do this than to convert a van and live in it? Kieran was joined by Shane Monks O’Byrne, who has been living out of his van for the past four years and has used his alternative home as a way of exploring the world...

A new study has found that Ireland is one of the most vulnerable to energy shocks, such as shortages. Euromonitor International’s first global energy vulnerability index shows that the state is ranked 70 out of 100 overall, making it the third worst of all EU members on the index, ahead of Poland on 78 and Lithuania on 90. So what can this study tell us about Ireland’s energy future? Kieran was joined by Lisa Ryan, Professor in Energy Economics at UCD School of Economics and UCD Energy Institute to discuss…

New statistics published by the Department of Transport today indicate that 60% of people are willing to change the way they travel to reduce carbon emissions. But would free public transport further encourage people to leave their car at home ? Kieran was joined by Brid Smith People Before Profit TD for Dublin South Central and Janet Horner, Green Party Councillor for Dublin City...

People lined up to pay tribute to Sinéad O’Connor in Bray ahead of her funeral today. Sinéad’s funeral cortége passed through Bray after a private service to allow fans to say goodbye. Newstalk's Chief Reporter Barry Whyte was in Bray today...

According to Dogs Trust, the number of dogs being put to sleep has doubled in a year. Dogs Trust said the number of dogs entering pounds is also on the rise, from 4,165 in 2021 to 7,352 in 2022. Kieran Cuddihy was joined by PR & Communications Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, Corina Fitzsimons to discuss...

With the Bank Holiday upon us many will be heading off to All Together now and Indie 2023, but what is the troublesome weather forecast going to be for the long weekend? Cathal Nolan of The Irish Weather Channel joined Kieran to discuss...

All week we have been speaking to parents who have children go through CAMHS. Kieran Cuddihy was joined by John Joe McGinley, who has a son in CAMHS and also set up Autism Dads to help other parents navigate autism and mental health services and, Grainne from Parents for Reform of CAMHS, which is a group of 200 family members looking for urgent reform of CAMHS.

The Girls in Green are back on home soil and crowds are gathering on O’Connell Street for a homecoming celebration. Newstalk reporter Josh Crosbie spoke to Kieran live on the Hard Shoulder to capture the atmosphere with fans and players.

Behavioural scientist, Founder and Head of ESRI's Behavioural Research Unit, Pete Lunn joined Kieran to talk about first impressions.

A research study done by Perspectus Global and commissioned by & me reveals the average Brit has been offered 8 truly terrible pieces of advice thus far in their lifetime, including “Just stop worrying”, “revenge is sweet”, and “marry for security”. This prompts us to think of advice we’ve given and received, both the good and the awful. Do we generally take advice, and what type of advice actually makes a difference in decision-making? Irish writer and author Stephanie Preissner joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show to discuss...

The legislation to Extend hours for Nightclubs has been further pushed back until well into late 2024. But will it do much to save Ireland’s declining nightlife scene and should we be encouraging it in the first place Kieran was joined on the show by Sunil Sharpe, Spokesperson from the Give Us The Night campaign and Dr. Sheila Gilheaney. CEO of Alcohol Action to discuss.

The Irish people spend €108 per month on streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ and Paramount+. With these services due to rise in cost, how will this impact on next years figures? We want to know, do people use all these services that they have in their home, or should people stick to watching regular TV channels that doesn’t cost them anything? Dr. Roddy Flynn, Associate Professor at the School of Communications, DCU, and The Chair of the Communication Studies degree along with Dr. Finola Doyle O’Neill, Broadcast and Legal Historian, School of History UCC both joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show.

Mel Evans, Head of climate with Greenpeace UK joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show to discuss the Greenpeace protest that took place at Rishi Sunak's Yorkshire home while he was away on holidays in California.

After a damming report into CAMHS last week, we have been talking to parents all week about what they have been through. Kieran Cuddihy was joined on the show by two parents from 'Families for Reform of CAMHS' which is a group of 200 family members looking for urgent reform of CAMHS.

In an interview with US late-night talk show host Bill Maher for his Club Random podcast, television personality Sharon Osbourne stressed the importance of moving on from the “despicable” treatment of the Irish by the British, saying, “At some point, you have got to let it go. You have to.” This leads us to consider our relationship to Irish history and ask: should we obsess over historical wrongs? Are there dangers in dwelling on the past? What is important to remember about Irish history? UCD Director of Gender Studies Mary McAuliffe to help answer some of these questions. Mary, you’re very welcome to the show.

It’s time once again for the shopping trolley hotline where we review the same product from various stores and as ever Kieran Cuddihy was joined by expert shopper Simon Tierney...

American Singer and Rapper Lizzo have been accused of sexually harassing and weight shaming, according to her former backup dancers. Deidre Molumby, Pop culture & entertainment expert joined Kieran to discuss.

Kieran Cuddihy was in Bewley’s on Grafton Street supporting Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice. Star of stage and screen, and a supporter of the Hospice, Dohmnall Gleeson sat down with Kieran Cuddihy...

Some people feel that young children and their parents are a distraction and simply annoying when out and about in bars and restaurants. So much so that many pubs and restaurants are bringing in age restrictions to make the experience better for other guests. Freelance journalist Andrea Smith joined Kieran on the show to discuss.

It was announced that the Government is making €10m available for additional policing in Dublin to increase safety in the city. Is increased policing enough or should this money be used elsewhere? Community Worker, James O’Toole who grew up in the Fatima Flats joined Kieran Cuddihy to discuss...

The operator of Dublin Airport has been ordered to reduce the number of night-time flights from its new north runway after Fingal County Council ruled it had breached the conditions of its planning permission. Padraig Ó Céidigh, Former Senator and Founder of Aer Lingus Regional and Alan Farrell, Fine Gael TD for Fingal both joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show.

With legislation being brought in to place warning labels on alcoholic products. Is it time we did the same with Junk Food? Kieran Cuddihy was joined on the show by Orla Walsh, Registered Dietitian, and Nutritionist Gaye Godkin.

Have you ever been influenced by an influencer to buy something online? Well, if you’re under 35 then there’s a high chance the answer is yes. According to the latest An Post Ecommerce Index , two thirds of 16 – 24 year olds and over 40% of 25-34 year olds have made influencer prompted purchases. Newstalk's Sarah Madden reports...

A man in Cork is using Goats as a natural overgrowth solution to reduce chemicals and machinery in our rural areas. William Walsh, Owner of Billy’s Rent a Goat joined Kieran on the show.

New legislation is being commenced that aims to reduce the prevalence of non-negligence personal injury campaigns. The legislation is hoped to bring an end to unjustifiable personal injury claims. Pat McDonagh the CEO of Supermacs joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show.

Kieran was joined on the show by Aimee Connolly, Founder of Sculpted by Aimee, who was diagnosed with scoliosis at 13 and was told it was just something to monitor. After a major turn when she turned 16, she was put on the emergency list for an operation.

Last week an Independent Review into Child and Adolescent mental Health services found that the State can't provide assurances that all children have access to safe mental health services. On this show this week we have been hearing from parents who are at a loss with the services and level of care provided by CAMHS. But what about the professional side and the difficulties they come up against? Dr. Patricia Byrne, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, and Chair of the Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the College of Psychiatrists and Dr. Diarmuid Quinlan, Medical Director of the Irish College for General Practitioners and is also a GP in Glanmire in Cork

Talks of the Government banning disposable vapes have sparked an outcry from retailers against a total ban. Although retailers have acknowledged the environmental concerns surrounding single-use vaping products need to be addressed, they believe a total ban would prove detrimental to their businesses. On the other hand, health experts warn of both the health costs and environmental threats single-use vaping products pose. Around 2/3 of people in Ireland are for the Government ban, saying it would take away the environmental threat and save a new generation from suffering nicotine addictions. Martin Mulligan of the National Federation of Independent Retailers and Professor Des Cox, Consultant in Pediatric Respiratory Medicine at Children's Health Ireland joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show to discuss the ban and what it means for both retailers and the larger society...

In advance of Budget 2024, there have been calls for the government to offer young people a voucher for €200 that they could use to attend concerts, plays, and museums. This is now what happens in Germany under its Kulturpass scheme, should it be introduced here? Kieran was joined by Artistic Director of the Dublin Theatre Festival, Willie White.

Following the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) report released at the end of last week, we are hearing more stories of how parents and children across the country have not been receiving adequate help and support. The lack of staffing is leading to parents wondering aimlessly about how they can help their children through a difficult time in their lives. Here to give us the latest is one of those parents, Chloe who joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show...

As the race for student accommodation begins, homeowners are being urged to open up their homes to house students. The Higher Education Minister says families living in social housing and social welfare recipients can also benefit from the rent-a-room scheme. That allows homeowners to earn up to 14 thousand euro a year tax-free. To discuss this further Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Aoibhe O’Brien, Welfare officer at UCC Student’s Union and Martha Ni Riada, President of the UCD Students Union.

Ireland ended their World Cup campaign with a nil-nil draw against Nigeria. The girls in green are on their way home, already illuminated but playing for pride. Henry McKean went along to a busy noisy watch party at Dalymount Park, the home of Bohs in Phibsborough, Dublin. Henry sent this report...

Yesterday on BBC 2 the All-Ireland Football Final was broadcast across the entire United Kingdom for the first time. Catching the attention of many. Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Reverand Richard Coles who gave us his UK Perspective of the All-Ireland Football Final.

In The Examiner today a report by Liz Dunphy says that a boy in CAMHS in Kerry is doing Zoom calls with a psychiatrist based in Dubai due to staffing shortages. The father of this boy, Maurice O’Connell joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show.

Another drama-filled season of Love Island concludes tonight on the season 10 finale. But despite an exciting season of new twists and cliffhangers, the show’s ratings have significantly declined by more than a million viewers. This begs us to ask: Is Love Island losing its luster? Podcaster for My Pod on Paper Orlaith Condon joined Kieran to discuss why viewership has declined and what the future of the show should look like...

Alcohol, fuel, transport, and streaming services are just a few things due to increase later in the year. Despite being told that inflation would ease, the cost of these products and services beg to differ. How can we deal with this constant rise in costs? Darragh Cassidy, Head of Communications at Bonkers.ie joined Kieran on the show.

A new survey by the CSO on sexual violence has found that over a third of women (36%) who did not disclose any experience of sexual violence as an adult did so because they felt ashamed or embarrassed, more than twice the rate for men (15%). Sarah Benson CEO of Women’s Aid joined Kieran to discuss the CSO survey on sexual violence... If you have been affected by anything in this podcast you can contact Women's Aid on 1800 341 900 or the Rape Criss Helpline on 1800 77 8888

As July has been the worst month for rainfall this year, weather predictions for August show, unfortunately not much will change. Sunshine and showers are expected for the first week with a possible storm for the bank holiday weekend. Kieran was joined by Alan O’Reilly from Carlow weather with the latest...

Ireland’s historic first-ever World Cup campaign came to an end today as the Girls in Green were held to a goalless draw with Nigeria in Brisbane. Kathleen McNamee from Off The Ball and Host of the COYGIG Podcast joined Kieran on the show.

Tributes have continued to pour in for singer Sinéad O’Connor whose death was announced on Wednesday evening. Kieran was joined by Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, Founder & Chair of the Irish Muslim Council and Victoria Mary Clarke, Wife of Shane McGowan... Image: Twitter via Victoria Mary Clarke @Victoriamary

The All Ireland Football Final build up is reaching fever pitch. Henry McKean travelled to Kerry and Dublin to soak up the atmosphere and sent us this report...

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joined Kieran today to chat all things BBQ...

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...

An additional €10 million in funding has been announced by Government for overtime shifts for An Garda Síochána. It comes as an attempt to increase their presence in Dublin City Centre amidst ongoing violence. Kieran was joined by Pat Leahy, Former Assistant Garda Commissioner to discuss...

It’s the biggest weekend in the Gaelic Football Calendar as Kerry look to retain their title when they take on the old enemy, Dublin in the All-Ireland Football Final. Former Kerry football captain, Kieran O’Leary and former Dublin Footballer and ambassador for BoyleSports Diarmuid Connolly...

Comedian Alison Spittle joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss her upcoming gigs as part of Paddy Power Comedy Festival, her new show 'Soup', being robbed twice and starring in Eastenders...

An exclusive Newstalk poll carried out by Amarach has found only 25% of those surveyed have been to a professional female sporting event. 78% of those however have been to a male sporting event. Kieran was joined by Director of Sport Ireland, Nora Stapleton to discuss…