The Hard Shoulder

It’s summer holiday season, but a big thing that can put people off flying is crying babies! Should child free zones be an option on planes? Kieran was joined by comedian, Karl Spain and Holly Dalton, Chef and Director of Conbini Condiments.

The Irish Mail on Sunday reported that the new National Children’s Hospital will not open until March 2025. Concern’s have been raised as to the funding of the hospital. Kieran was joined by Catherine Murphy, Social Democrat TD for Kildare North.

The 26,000 residents of Balbriggan North County Dublin have been advised not to swim on Balbriggan Beach this summer because of poor water quality. According to the EPA the beach has sewage discharge, faeces from dogs, birds and other animals and contaminated streams flowing from the town. Henry McKean visited Balbriggan Beach and sent us this report.

Leinster against La Rochelle tomorrow afternoon, and French fans have already started arriving in Dublin ahead of that Heineken Cup Final. Vincent Guerand is the French Ambassador to Ireland, and he joined Kieran today. We also talked to Munster coach, Mike Prendergast, who is a man who knows Ronan O’Gara very well. O’Gara is the head coach of La Rochelle, looking for his second straight European Cup as coach.

Communion Season is upon us! According to the Irish Independent, some families are willing to spend €2,700 on their child’s special day. Joining Kieran was Edelle Mellot, Co-Owner of Darcy Bow, a childrens occasion ware shop and Jen Hogan, Columnist with The Irish Times .

Should obesity be renamed to Chronic Appetite Dysregulation? That’s what research out of UCC is calling for. They’re claiming the illness should be renamed to encourage those who have symptoms of obesity to seek treatment. Would it help?

A video showing a teenager being bullied and beaten has resulted in a national outpouring of solidarity for the 14-year-old. The teenager suffered a concussion, broken teeth, and extensive bruising in the attack which left him with a shoe print on his forehead. Darren Kennedy TV presenter and Columnist, joined Anton to discuss his own experiences of bullying. This podcast does contain language that some listeners might find offensive and is not suitable for children.

The Irish Times reported this week that Sinn Fein has dropped its pledge to withdraw immediately from NATO and Defence agreements, should they get into Government. Is this backtracking, or is it sensible politics? Matt Carthy is Sinn Fein spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence and Mark Price is Co-Chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement.

According to new research the average age we start to feel old is the early 40s, specifically 42 when we start to notice physical signs of ageing, including achy joints and grey hair. They say age is but a number, but does it really not matter?

How do you know if someone is flirting with you in person or online? And could sending a cheeky emoji like “💦🍆 👹” put off a potential soulmate forever?

Ireland’s Katie Taylor squares off against Chantelle Cameron this Saturday at the 3Arena with Cameron's Light-Welterweight World titles on the line. The event has been co-sponsored by one Conor McGregor. Is this a good look for Taylor, and for the sport of boxing? Kieran Cunningham, The Irish Daily Star’s Chief Sports Writer, joined Kieran.

A distressing video has been circulating online of a vicious attack on a Navan schoolboy. Katherine Donnelly Education Editor at Irish Independent, Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Children Senator Mary Seery-Kearney and Anjelica Foley, welfare officer with the Irish Second-Level Students' Union all joined the conversation.

Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and her mother were apparently involved in a "near catastrophic" car chase with paparazzi. Joining Kieran with more was Gersh Kuntzman, Breaking News editor for Newsweek in New York.

Travel journalist Fionn Davenport joined us again this week to tell us all about cruises!

In 2016, the Canadian government legalized medical assistance in dying. The Canadian Supreme Court concluded that laws preventing assisted suicide stifled individual rights. Since then the range of who qualifies for assisted suicide was expanded. In 2021, the criteria that natural death must be ‘reasonably foreseeable’ was removed. But that expansion has been delayed. Dr Derryck Smith from Dying With Dignity Canada was speaking with Kieran.

The Climate and Health Alliance claims our current food system is “like a slow motion disaster” - they say it fuels premature death and disability due to diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes and obesity. Holly White, vegan chef and lifestyle blogger was chatting to Kieran.

On this week’s Common Ground, Socialist TD Mick Barry and Lisa Chambers, Fianna Fail Senator and leader of the Seanad argue whether the Government has done all it can for asylum seekers.

Writing in today's Irish Times, Newstalk's Simon Tierney has put forward his reasons for declining invitations to become a god parent to friend's children. Simon spoke to Kieran about his decision and was also joined by Jillian Brennan, CEO of Humanist Association of Ireland.

The Climate and Health Alliance claims our current food system is “like a slow motion disaster” - they say it fuels premature death and disability due to diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes and obesity. Kieran spoke to Gerry Boland, founder of and spokesperson for Animals Behind Closed Doors and Eddie Punch, General Secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association.

Could your home be more energy efficient? The SEAI's Director of National Retrofit Dr. Ciaran Byrne joined Kieran to answer all your retrofitting questions!

Lifestyle guru and businesswoman, Martha Stewart has made history by becoming the oldest person to feature on the cover of Sports Illustrated's yearly swimsuit issue, at the age of 81. Does this prove that age is just a number and sexy is sexy no matter what stage of life you’re in? Kieran was joined by Celia Holman Lee, Irish model, TV fashion stylist and founder the longest running modelling agency in Ireland.

An Oireachtas meeting on assisted dying is set to take place later this evening in wake of a committee that was established three weeks ago. Kieran was joined by People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny and Dr Eric Kelleher, Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist, Cork University Hospital and Member of faculty of Liaison Psychiatry, College of psychiatrists of Ireland.

A number of asylum seekers have left the accommodation which was provided for them in Co. Clare. They arrived at three holiday homes on the site of Magowna House Hotel in Inch yesterday evening. However, local protesters, some of them in tractors, blocked roads to the site. Newstalk’s Chief Reporter, Barry Whyte was in Clare and spoke to Kieran.

Ikea has teamed up with Tesco to offer order collection points at locations across the country as part of plans to make shopping easier for customers. Ikea has long been hailed as the home of flatpack furniture, the perfect solution for those of us that DIY does not come naturally to. Consumer Affairs Correspondent with The Irish Times Conor Pope and Stefanie Preissner writer and broadcaster both joined us to share their view.

The social media giant Tik Tok is fuelling a call for cheap meat. Irish butchers have seen a demand for chicken feet and neck bones as well as lambs liver and hearts. Henry McKean visited the Village Butchers in Ranelagh Dublin and sent us his report.

New hate speech laws are set to expand the categories of person protected in Irish law from incitement to hatred. The bill is likely to become law later this year, as it is currently being steered through the Oireachtas. However some have raised concern about it - one of those people is Independent NUI Senator Ronan Mullan who joined Kieran today. Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward also joined us to share his view on the new bill. We were also joined by Adam Long, Board Director of the National LGBT Federation.

An Irishman has finally been released after being imprisoned in Iran for over 6 months. Bernard Phelan 64 years old and originally from Clonmel. He was arrested while travelling there last October. Kieran spoke to his cousin, Greg O'Corry-Crowe today.

Are we having enough conversations with our children about pornography? And, are we having these conversations at a young enough age? A new study in the UK shows how porn can link to sexually harmful behaviour in children. Do we really know what our kids are accessing on their smartphones?

Over the weekend, The Irish Times had to take down an opinion article from its online site, credited to Adriana Acosta Cortez - an article which claimed Irish women's use of fake tan was "cultural appropriation". And it’s generated plenty of conversation around the role of AI in technology, journalism, and our lives in general. Elaine Burke is a tech journalist and host of the ‘For Tech Sake’ podcast … while Rosanna Cooney is Business Correspondent with The Currency. They both joined Kieran today to discuss.

The Joint Committee on Autism meets tomorrow, as our politicians continue to try and work out how to best support those with autism. Vodafone has a new policy, geared towards supporting carers. Kieran was joined by one of those advocating for extra supports. Elaine Kelly is Large Business Propositions Manager at Vodafone Ireland. Catherine Cox of Family Carers Ireland was also there to discuss.

Gen Z has become synonymous with ethics, environmentalism and authenticity. So why are they so fixated with fake bags and replica shoes? Sarah Madden investigates the #dupes industry in Ireland and asks the genuine generation why counterfeits are now cool.

Business owners in the Temple Bar area of Dublin are reporting high levels of anti-social behaviour that is not only impacting their trade but are leaving staff feeling scared and threatened on a daily basis. Bob from the Cappuccino Bar Temple Bar, actress and comedian Katherine Lynch, who is a resident of Temple Bar, and Hazel Chu Former Mayor of Dublin joined us to discuss.

"I'd rather they criticise me than any of the acts that take part!", so says Michael Kealy, Executive Producer at RTE Television, and leader of the Irish delegation over in Liverpool. He joined us today to discuss, why Ireland falls short at Eurovision.

Many Schools across the country are operating with few or some cases no Male Teachers. Joining Kieran to discuss why we are facing a Male Teacher crisis in our education system was Assistant Principal, Aontú representative for Limerick and Education Spokesperson, Eric Nelligan and Fearghal Hughes a 6th class teacher in Co. Roscommon.

There were calls earlier in the week for Ireland to introduce a dedicated Junior Minister for Loneliness. According to the National Institute on Ageing, loneliness can be as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Today on The Hard Shoulder, Kieran talked about male loneliness, something that can often go unnoticed.

Every week, Tuesday Travel on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport and Kieran Cuddihy will take a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world. This week, Fionn and Kieran took to the railways of Europe and looked at some of the best spots to stop off when interrailing...

Former Eurovision winner Mickey Joe Harte joined Emmet Oliver to reflect on Ireland's 2023 Eurovison disappointment, our relationship with the contest and hopes for the future... Image: IMRO

Yesterday evening, Former US President Donald Trump was found liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll a magazine columnist in a department store in the 1990s. He was also found liable for defamation as he labeled her a liar . Emmet Oliver was joined by Former Chief of Staff to Donald Trump and Chair of Actum Global Consultants, Mick Mulvaney to discuss...

Newstalk's own, Simon Tierney joined Emmet Oliver for the series 'The Shopping Trolley Hotline'. The series will give listeners pause when they’re filling their trolleys, to consider their options. This week Simon and Emmet are looking at the household favourite, Corn Flakes...

The ongoing GAAGO debate has heated up in recent days as to whether or not GAA matches should be free to air. Emmet Oliver was joined by Timmy Dooley Fianna Fáil Senator and Enda McNulty CEO of McNulty Performance and former Armagh player…

Finance Minister Michael McGrath joined Emmet Oliver on The Hard Shoulder to discuss Government plans for spending budget surpluses over the coming years, the ongoing GAA GO controversy and the monitoring of the cost of groceries...

Wild Youth failed overnight in their bid to get Ireland to the final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. It’s the fifth time in a row that Ireland has failed to make the grand finale. It’s lead to some calls for drastic action, with some even asking whether we should go at all. Emmet Oliver was joined by John O’Brennan, political scientist at NUI Maynooth and Johnny Fallon of Carr Communications, who is also a big Eurovision fan…

There have been renewed calls from Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín to remove the statue of Prince Albert from Leinster House. Kieran was joined by Ronan McGreevy, Irish Times Journalist and author of 'Great Hatred: the Assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP' to discuss the history of the Prince Albert statue... Image: Twitter @dmc_fadden

10 years ago Alex Ferguson announced that he would be ending his 27 year spell as manager of Manchester United. Editor of the United We Stand podcast Andy Mitten Joining me discuss the ups and downs of the last decade at old Trafford

The Cabinet is being briefed on proposals for using the large budget surpluses expected in the coming years. €65 billion is being forecast up to 2026, with much talk about how future finances can be ‘future proofed’. Kieran was joined by Shane Ross, Former Minister for Transport and Sport, Ray Yeates, Dublin City Arts Officer and Frank McDonald, Former Environment Editor of the Irish Times...

Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Fine Gael Senator, Regina Doherty, and Socialist Party TD for Cork North Central, Mick Barry. Continuing the series, ‘Common Ground’, they will debate some of the biggest, most divisive topics around. The series continued with a discussion around 'Is it good to be part of the European Union?'

Eurovision kicks off in Liverpool later this evening. It’s been 30 years since the contest was held in Millstreet County Cork. 1993 Eurovision Winner Niamh Kavanagh joined Kieran to discuss her historic win and Ireland's

The Cabinet is being briefed on proposals for using the large budget surpluses expected in the coming years. €65 billion is being forecast up to 2026, with much talk about how future finances can be ‘future proofed’. Kieran was joined by Independent Senator Michael McDowell and Lorna Bogue, An Rabharta Glas Councillor for Cork City Council to discuss...

With the coronation taking place last weekend there has been renewed focus on our relationship with the monarchy both past and present. Peadar Tóibín Leader of Aontú has called for the statue of Prince Albert outside Leinster House to be decommissioned. Aontú Leader, Peadar Tóibín TD and Dermot Lacey Labour Party Councillor for Dublin City Council joined Kieran to discuss.. Image: Twitter @dmc_fadden

Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by singer Daniel O'Donnell to discuss his new tour, Eurovision and who he thinks will be the next host of The Late Late Show...