The Hard Shoulder

The National Emergency Coordination Group has warned that the risk of flooding across the east and southeast regions is "very high" in the coming days as further heavy rain is forecast.Ciara and Shane were joined by Rebecca Cantwell, Meteorologist with Met Eireann for the latest on the weather

Peter Mandelson is set to step down as a member of the House of Lords following the latest revelations about his relationship with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.Ciara and Shane were joined by Stephen Pound, Former Labour MP for Ealing North and former Northern Ireland Shadow Minister

“The State should not be absolved of its role in the public's mental health” that’s according to Paul Hosford, Acting Political Editor with The Irish Examiner.Paul spoke to Ciara and Shane about his own personal experience of dealing with Mental Health, how the state is not meeting the needs of many in providing mental health treatment and argues needs to do more.If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this interview - please contact Samaritans on their helpline: 116 123

Dublin City is being left ‘like a bomb’ site by bin scavengers searching for return bottles, according to the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council, Richard Shakespeare. Speaking on The Claire Byrne Show this morning, Mr Shakespeare said that the costs for this extra cleaning could be up to one million euro.  Larissa Nolan, Features Editor and Columnist with The Irish Mirror and Tad Kirakowski, CEO, of VOICE Ireland Joined Shane and Ciara to debate.

This week, Ciara Doherty was joined by the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Alison Curtis Presenter, TodayFM Niamh O’Reilly Journalist to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

With Bruce Springsteen after releasing a new protest song, following the events in Minneapolis.  John Fardy joined Ciara Doherty to discuss how Music is used time and time again to highlight political and cultural issues and to go through some of the most iconic protest songs

New research from the ESRI has shown that people who gambled as children are almost twice as likely to suffer from problem gambling when they become adults. So what is Problem Gambling, and how are children being drawn into the world of gambling? To discuss this, Ciara was joinedby the Head of Addiction Services at Saint John of God Hospital and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCD, Colin O’Gara.

Society has often branded night owls who are late risers as lazy, that coupled with the warnings that burning the midnight oil can have on their health.  But why are some early birds and others night owls and can you change your sleep pattern?  Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss was Sleep Expert, Lucy Woolf.

Travelling to the US could soon become an app-based dystopia where facial scans and social media tracking are the norm, so writes Adrian Weckler for the Irish IndependentThis update has tightened the traditional Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which the vast majority of Irish people rely on for travel to the States.This begs the question, as security tightens, is this the start of further restrictions on travel to the US?Joining me now to explain this further is Technology editor of the Irish Independent, Adrian Weckler and Professor And Political Analyst Clinton Institute UCD, Scott Lucas.

Time to talk sport, and Ciara Doherty was joined by Off The Ball’s Eoin Sheahan to talk all the weekends sport, including I pressure on Arsenal following last weeks loss to Man Utd. Who is in the Australian open finals and how are Ireland’s chances ahead of the six nations next thursday?

Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) has published a report on youth drinking, which shows a 3% increase in alcohol consumption levels by 15- to 24-year-olds between 2024 and 2025.The report says that when drinking is initiated by young people, it is accompanied by high levels of particularly risky and hazardous consumption, with 64% regularly binge drinking and one in three having an alcohol-use disorder.  Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss the findings were Sheila Gilheaney, CEO of Alcohol Alliance Ireland and Dr Eoin Fogarty, Consultant in Emergency and Retrieval Medicine at Cork University Hospital

On Sunday, Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing for people to travel between Gaza and Egypt. To discuss the significance of this development, Ciara Doherty was  joined by Long-time international correspondent, Borzou Daragahi.

A status yellow rain warning came into place for 7 counties today, including those badly affected by floods in the southeast.The warning will expire at midnight but given the damage which storm Chandra has done, can we expect futher damage and distruption ?Ciara was joined by Holly O’Neill Meteorologist with Met Eireann Lara Lewis From Lara Lewis School of Motoring for driving tips during the bad weather

Starting on Tuesday February 3rd, Ciara Kelly and Shane Coleman will bring you The Hard Shoulder, your essential drive-time companion. From politics to pop culture, and everything in between - they'll bring you the stories that really matter, with lively debate, sharp insight and excellent analysis. Listen to the Hard Shoulder podcast on the Go Loud app, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and David O’Callaghan from the Here and Back Again podcast joined Ciara Doherty on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

The sexual assault treatment unit at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin recorded one of its busiest years ever in 2025, with a significant increase in the number of people seeking specialist care and support following sexual violence. Clinical Lead for National Sexual Assault Treatment Unit Services and Consultant at The Rotunda Hospital, Professor Maeve Eogan, joined Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Animator and Filmmaker  John Kelly  joins Ciara Doherty for this week’s Thursday Interview!

100,000 customers in Dublin were faced with low water pressure or no supply following a water main burst this morning, which had a serious impact on households and businesses in Fairview. To talk through the damage, Ciara Doherty was joined by Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Ray McAdam, who was at the scene.

The country is trying to put itself back together after Storm Chandra and get to grips with the levels of damage and flooding in the east and southeast.Minister for Housing James Browne has been critical of Met Eireann, accusing them of "guarding" information and called on them to use “judgement calls” in addition to mathematical formula in relation to weather alertsMinister James Browne is in his constituency of Enniscorthy, one of the worst-hit areas by Storm Chandra. He joined Ciara Dohety to discuss.

With Wuthering Heights set to hit cinemas on Valentines Day, the movie is being promoted with the tagline “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told”, and it got us thinking, is it the greatest love story? And if not, what is? To discuss this Ciara was joined by Arts Journalist and Sunday Indo Film Critic, Chris Wasser, and Bestselling Author, Sheila O’Flanagan.  

We heard this morning that primary school enrolment has fallen by 6 thousand, 500 in the past year –This is the biggest decline we have seen in recent years.But is this just down to the declining population in primary school aged children or is there something that can be done to turn this figure around and save small rural schools here? Ciara Doherty was joined by John Boyle, General Secretary from the Irish National Teachers Union and Michael Mac Donncha, primary school teacher and Chairperson of small schools from Connemara...

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has instructed that the regulations banning the use of scramblers on public roads, public parks and public places are finalised with a matter of urgency.  However, the Garda Representative Association are saying that the policies around stopping scramblers on the streets is leaving them exposed.  They say that training isn’t there to allow them to pursue scramblers and as a result they are not protected.Niall Hodgins is the Vice President of the GRA and representative for Dublin Inner City, and he joined Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Many homes and businesses have been left devastated as flooding and adverse weather conditions look set to continue impacting a number of counties. To get all the latest, Ciara Doherty was joined by Forecaster with Met Eireann, Andrew Doran-Sherlock, Deputy Corporate Communications Manager with Iarnrod Eireann, Jane Cregan, and Independent Cllr on Wicklow County Council, Jackser Owens.

Life can be full of confusing things, but no need to worry! Every Wednesday, Simon Tierney will be showing you ‘How to do Stuff’ - bringing his best tips for those things you might not think about.This week, Simon joins Ciara to discuss how you can take more risks in life and reap the rewards.

In today's economic climate many houses require two people are in the financial position where both need to work, but if both are out of the house, does that put a pressure on working parents to juggle home and professional life? To discuss it, Ciara was joined  by Niamh Maher, commercial creative director of The Journal.  Who is on maternity leave but is struggling to find childcare to facilitate going back to work and Barbra Scully, author and broadcaster

From March 1st, VHI will be increasing their health insurance prices by on average three per cent. This is the third time the company has hiked prices within the last year.  The health insurer says it’s down to the cost of delivering health care nowadays with an ageing population, the introduction of new drugs and other factors as well.But where does this leave people now and what should those who have taken out health insurance do ? Dermot Goode  Health Insurance Expert with Health Insurance Ireland dot i.e

This year, students with additional needs will get an extra 10 minutes in their Leaving and Junior Cert exams.  This impacts around 30,000 students in schools across the country and it’s part of an interim initiative to help those with visual or physical impairments such as dyslexia.  But is 10 minutes actually enough and does it seem fair?  Ciara Doherty spoke to student Sive O’Brien on her experience with having dyslexia and what it was like not getting any extra time in exams. And to Andrea, who’s son has dyslexia and what’s its been like for them.

 For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Ciara Doherty to discussTech workers are striking…   Joint accounts on Revolut  Get on the rewatches… Ted Lasso, and Line of Duty.

The Taoiseach will make a formal apology in the Dail to survivors of industrial and reform schools, a move that follows decades of  campaigning by those who suffered abuse in state run institutions  The apology comes after a deal was reached between the Government and four hunger strikers who had been protesting outside Leinster House for over 50 days, having survived on coffee and water  That hunger strike ended after a promise that a package of supports would be delivered but one of those campaigners says the promises are already falling apart   Maurice Patton O’Connell is a survivor of Pembroke Arms industrial school and one of the hunger stokers he joined Ciara Doherty to discuss

Ciara Doherty was joined by Actor and Writer, Mark O’Halloran, who stars in RTE’s newest drama These Sacred Vows, which kicks off this Sunday night on RTE One at 9:30pm.

Last week we reported on Stillorgan Village Shopping Centre introducing paid parking. Which upset shoppers and tenants. So this week we decided to see how other cities and surrounding areas are coping with parking. So we sent Henry McKean to Cork to report.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has revealed Irelands tipping habits in a newly released survey. The findings showed that 2 in 3 people believe that tipping is becoming less voluntary, often prompted to tip on the machine when paying, with 3 in 4 saying that would like to see businesses make it easier to opt out of tipping.  Ciara Doherty was joined by business owners Gina Murphy, owner of Hugos restaurant and Sam Donnelly, co-owner of Sam’s Barbers and board member of Dublin Town to discuss the merits of tipping.

Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss the risks more rain could bring after the damage Storm Chandra caused was  Cathal Nolan, of The Weather Channel and Shane O’Connor, of Slaney Search and Rescue Team and Mary Bourke Professor In, Geography at Trinity College Dublin

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world.This week, as part of his 12 best cities in the world, Fionn joined Ciara Doherty to give the ultimate guide to Berlin in Germany!

A top US immigration official is expected to leave the US city of Minneapolis amid the death of It's as US President Donald Trump may be trying to defuse tensions in the area, as he also sent his border czar Tom Homan into the city.Fionnuala Ni Aoláin is professor of Law with the University of Minnesota and concurrently Professor of Law with Queens University Belfast. She joined Ciara Doherty to discuss what the atmosphere is like in Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota as a whole.

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, and to coincide with it, the government has announced funding of €100,000 towards holocaust education in secondary schools. To discuss the importance of this, Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Yoni Wieder, joined Ciara Doherty to explain the importance of educating young people in Ireland about the holocaust.

Earlier today, the government approved legislation to change the current rental system. To talk through some of these changes and how they’ll impact landlords and tenants. Joining Ciara was National Advocacy Manager with Threshold, Ann-Marie O’Reilly.

Muireann O’Connell Ireland AM presenter joined Ciara Doherty to place her favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

There are movie stars abound at the Dublin International Film Festival this year.Paul Rudd, Colin Farrell, Bill Nighy, Maisie Williams and Nick Jonas to name a few, will be in Dublin to attend the premier of their films and walk the red carpet at this year’s festival. To talk us through it all Ciara Doherty was joined by Grainne Humphrys is Executive Festival Director of Dublin International Film Festival. She also talked about Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal's nominations for the BAFTAs.

Today the Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure, along with the Minister for Finance, launched a new Government service to accelerate major Government capital investment projectsThis will aim to cut back major unfractured back by 12 months. Projects like the GPO redevelopment and the National Concert Hall in Dublin are likely to be among the first projects to see the benefit of this.Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitalisation. Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin West Jack Chambers, joined Ciara Doherty to discuss this and more.

Leaf blowers, gym music and church bells were among the sources of noise complaints in Dublin last year, with 30% of those surveyed complaining about noise from construction work. As urban areas across Ireland continue to expand, should we consider ways to tackle noise pollution now? Are things like curfews in built up areas an option?   Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss was Esther McCarty, Columnist with the Irish Examiner and Mary Mc Carty, Irish Independent Columnist..

Henry McKean, Newstalk Reporter, visited communities today who have experienced flooding brought by  Storm Chandra. He joined Ciara Doherty to talk through it.

A top US immigration official is expected to leave the US city of Minneapolis. It's as US President Donald Trump may be trying to defuse tensions in the area, as he also sent his border czar Tom Homan into the city. But what has the reality been on the ground?Lewis Goodall, who is presenter with The NewsAgents, and Sunday with Lewis Goodall on LBC,  talked to  Ciara Doherty on what it has been like on the ground in  Minneapolis.

Major disruption through today as Storm Chandra has hit the country with wind and rain.Enniscorthy has been particularly affected and is still recovering.Sinead Casey is Head of Roads & Transportation at Wexford County Council, and Conor Swaine, who is the owner of BTwenty7 on The Quays in Enniscorthy joined Ciara Doherty to discuss

Joining Ciara is Trócaire's CEO, Sean Farrell, who returned from The West Bank on Thursday and visited a number of communities across the West Bank to hear of their situation and the challenges they are currently encountering…Image: Reuters

The EU has hit Elon Musk's X with an investigation over AI chatbot Grok's generation of sexualised deepfake images of women and minors.It is the latest step of an international backlash against the tool.To explain, Ciara is joined by Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Ciara is joined by Psychotherapist and author Iseult White to discuss the topic of honesty with your children, and if them lying is actually an early sign of intelligence…

In a tweet, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that Gardaí deported 33 Polish and Lithuanian nationals from Ireland, under the Free Movement Directive.In total, 31 men were deported along with two women. They were made up of 17 Polish nationals who were deported to Warsaw and a further 16 Lithuanian citizens who were deported to Vilnius.Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that 20 had been in prison serving sentences ahead of the operation and 13 were detained in communities across Ireland prior to their removal.Lucy Michael is the owner of an Independent Research Firm on Human Rights, based in Dublin, and joins Ciara to discuss.

US President Donald Trump has announced he is sending his Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis as anger continues to swell in the Minnesota city following the second fatal shooting by immigration officers this month. It’s as the area is still reeling from the death of Alex Pretti.Joining Ciara to discuss the latest is Ted Smyth, former Irish diplomat active in Irish-American organisations and resident in the US for many years and Anthony Zurcher, North American Correspondent with BBC News.

An Post has recently apologised to customers over the late arrival of some Christmas Cards, with some people receiving them in January. So, does this damage the magic of those handwritten cards, or do they still retain their purpose after the holiday?To discuss this, Ciara is joined by Irish Independent Journalist, Kirsty Blake Knox.