The Hard Shoulder

While we all may be familiar with the iconic British Pathé logo adorning archive footage of Ireland pre nineteen sixties with an English accent narrating events, in the nineteen fifties, Gael Linn founded their own newsreel service, narrated as Gaeilge. The footage has now been digitised and is available to view online, and Ronan McGreevy, News Reporter with The Irish Times joins Shane to talk about the archive.Image: IFI Archive Player

“My parents moved into my one-bed apartment to help me through breast cancer treatment – and we actually had a great time”.Those are the words of Caroline Kay, Singer-Songwriter Caroline Kay and her dad, Donal Keating. They join Ciara to share their experience.

Iarnród Éireann has paid out almost €150,000 in compensation to passengers in the first 10 months of 2024 alone due to issues such as late trains, rude staff, cancellations or cleanliness issues.Joining Shane to discuss this is Barry Kenny, Head of Communications with Irish Rail and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, European Transport Committee MEP, who obtained these figures.

The Taoiseach has warned against price gouging as the price of energy soars due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Brian Ó Gallachóir, Professor of Sustainability and Associate Vice-President of Sustainability at University College Cork.The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission need to quickly look into and establish if there is price gouging or price fixing across the Irish fuel market as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. So says Seán Kyne, Leader of Seanad Éireann, and Fine Gael Senator, who also joins to discuss…

From finding love to landing a job, being more candid and saying too much may be the key to getting ahead.Joining Ciara and Shane to discuss this is Leslie John, Harvard Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and author of ‘REVEALING: The Underrated Power of Oversharing’ who had these findings.

According to new research from the National Transport Authority (NTA), the number of people in Dublin using bikes daily has risen by 50% in just the past two years. This begs the question: is our cycling infrastructure good enough to accommodate this rise? Do we need more cycle lanes?Joining Shane to discuss is Ciarán Cannon, President of Cycling Ireland.

(Most) of Ireland is basking in the sun! When the weather has been so bad recently, how do we make the best of it when the day is dry and sunny?Henry McKean has been out asking the public, and joins Ciara and Shane to discuss.

We are now on day four of the war between the US and Israel against Iran.Iran yesterday hit Tel Aviv killing 10 and wiping out entire streets and buildings.The Israeli Defense Forces announced earlier today that it has begun a large-scale wave of strikes on Tehran, having earlier announced its strikes on Beirut. Netanyahu has also approved a military ground incursion into the southern part of Lebanon.For the latest, Ciara is joined by Paul Kearns, Freelance Journalist in Tel Aviv and Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University.Image: Reuters

It’s normal to lose 50 to 150 hairs per day. That may seem like a lot, but most people have about 100,000 hairs on their heads at any given time. So, when should you start to worry?Joining Shane to discuss is Trua Trichologist, Sarah Cummins…

The Irish Farmers Association have ended their sit-in protest at the Bord Bia offices in Dublin. This is after the board agreed to an independent, expert-led governance review into its operations, where Chair of the board Larry Murrin will not be involved.Francie Gorman, President of the Irish Farmers' Association joins Ciara to discuss.

On Friday it was reported that the University of Galway was proposing to discontinue and replace its general arts course due to an international downward trend in its popularity. However, the college later on Friday emphasized that they were not cutting the course, but just looking at reimagining them.Despite the many quips that may be made about arts courses, do they still have an important place in colleges? Broadcaster Muireann O’Connell joins Ciara to discuss.

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Ciara and Shane are joined by Dr Arthur Cummings, Consultant Eye Surgeon at the Wellington Eye Clinic and Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Beacon Hospital to discuss the common eye conditions that affect kids, and how to know if they might need an eye test.

If you commute into Dublin every morning, it’s impossible to ignore the growing levels of congestion and traffic across the city.Commutes are taking longer and making workers late as they spend hours frustrated on buses moving at a snail's pace, and tomorrow cabinet is set to discuss a variety of plans to address traffic and congestion around the country, including congestion charges in the city.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Green Party Councillor in Dublin City Council, Janet Horner.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister for Defence and Fine Gael TD Meath East Helen McEntee joins Shane to discuss the situation in the Middle East, and what Irish people stranded and living there should do.

New research from Flyefit has found women are leaving the gym and giving up their routine at a much higher rate than men, with the top three reasons cited being intimidation, loss of interest and lack of motivation.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Nathalie Lennon, Personal Trainer & Content Creator.

New research has found that Gen Z value sustainable habits in dating as much as they value good looks. Research carried out by Too Good To Go, an anti-food waste app found 70% of daters looked for an interest in sustainability in a long-term partner.Joining Ciara and Shane to give her opinion on the matter is Freelance Journalist Kate Henshaw.

Over recent days we have seen the government roll back on reforms to reductions in SNAs in schools around the country. Parents had been left angered and concerned as some schools received letters informing them that their SNA numbers would be cut from September.Fianna Fáil TD Catherine Ardagh has written in the Independent today about her experience as the mother of a non-verbal autistic child and she said she is “very disappointed in [her] own Government”...Shane is joined by Deputy Ardagh to discuss.

Iran's retaliatory strikes have so far targeted 500 sites linked to the US and Israel in the Middle East, Iran's Revolutionary Guards has said.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Dr Siavush Randjbar-Daemi, Senior Lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern History at University of St Andrews in Scotland.Also joining to discuss is Kevin McPartland, CEO of Fuels for Ireland.Image: Reuters

This week, Ciara and Shane were joined by Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with Irish independent and Ger Gilroy from Off The Ball to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Yesterday on the programme, we spoke to the manager of The Temple Bar Pub in Dublin’s Temple bar, Tom Cleary, in relation to the controversial statue of Saint Patrick that the pub had erected on the side of its building.As you may be aware at this stage, that statue has now been removed and we have a short statement from Dublin City Council on that matter saying they became aware of the installation yesterday morning: “Following discussions between our Planning Enforcement Section and the owner of the premises he agreed to remove it by lunchtime today. The structure has been removed, as was agreed.”Aoife Carry, Art Director for the St Patrick’s Festival, joins Shane to discuss.

Off The Ball Senior Producer Mick McCarthy joined Ciara and Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

Former US President Bill Clinton will face questions from a Congressional panel on Friday on his well-documented links to Jeffrey Epstein, as Democrats seek to shift focus onto Donald Trump’s own ties to the convicted sex offender.Terry Sheridan, News Director at WSHU Radio joins Shane with the latest information.

From the grimy sponge sitting at the side of your sink to the pillow you rest your head on every night, there are lots of household items you probably should be replacing a lot more than you think, but just how often should they be replaced?Dr Amalia Scannell is a Microbiologist at the UCD Institute of Food and Health and joins Ciara to tell us just how often they should be replaced…

To the UK now where the Green Party has swept to victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election, snatching what was one of Labour’s safest seats and delivering a major blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.So, what will this mean for the party, and does it raise questions about how long Prime Minister Keir Starmer will continue as leader?Joining Shane to discuss this is Stephen Pound, former Labour MP for Ealing North and former Northern Ireland shadow minister.

Mice spotted ‘scurrying along skirtings’ in the canteen, a ladybird infestation in a TD’s office and seagull troubles are among pest-control issues in Leinster House…Joining Ciara with the story is Darragh McDonagh, Freelance Journalist.

Almost 320,000 households were unable to pay their electricity bills in full last December, marking a sharp year-on-year increase and pushing arrears to record levels, but why are costs so high?For more on this, Shane is joined by Muireann Lynch, Senior Research Officer with the ESRI.

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

The Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has said he would rather invest the money that could be spent on train catering carts on new transport lines, querying Irish Rail's stated cost of around €2 million for bringing back the tea trolley on the Belfast and Cork lines after Covid.Should the tea trolley be rolled out across the country once again?Joining Shane to discuss this is Newstalk’s own Shane Beatty and Barry Kenny, Corporate Communications Manager with Irish Rail.

Singer-Songwriter Tolü Makay joins Ciara and Shane for this week’s Thursday Interview!

90% of Irish people believe eulogies at funerals should be allowed, that’s according to new research conducted by RIP.ie. Despite this some priests don’t allow eulogies during masses.Joining Ciara to discuss is Fr Paddy Byrne, from Abbeyleix in Co. Laois.

St Patrick’s Day celebrations have started early for The Temple Bar Pub, in the heart of Dublin city.They have erected a 12 ft statue of St Patrick on their building hovering over the tourists below. Already, you can see tourists stopping to take pictures standing below him. It has been gaining negative comments online.Tom Cleary is the Manager of The Temple Bar Pub and joins Ciara to discuss. Also joining Shane later to give their reaction is Lindsey, a resident of Temple Bar.

A new study from the ESRI has found that school absence leads to lower educational qualifications and poorer wellbeing in early adulthood. The report details that even a short spell of absence of one to two days at age thirteen are linked to lower Leaving Certificate grades. But are these figures a little too stark and is it putting the focus too much on parents?Joining Shane to discuss this is Freelance Journalist Niamh O’Reilly and Rachel Harper, Principal at St Patrick’s National School, Greystones.

Does it annoy you if your partner stacks the dishwasher wrong, or your housemate puts it on half full? What about if your kids put the cutlery facing the sharp side up? There are many bug bearers when it comes to the dishwasher, but what is the best way to stack the dishwasher and are you doing it wrong?  Joining Shane to discuss is Ann Russell, TikToker, cleaning expert and author of @How to Clean Everything’.

Transport Minister Daragh O'Brien has said that members of a planned new public transport security service are to be given powers of arrest and pursuit.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Dermot O’Leary, General Secretary of the National Bus & Rail Union.

Katie Taylor will retire this summer after her Dublin fight, the 39-year-old has confirmed today. But, will it be in Croke Park or another venue?Henry McKean visited her home town of Bray and joins X from the Wicklow town to discuss.

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 and Shane to discuss how to make a proper slice of toast!

This afternoon An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and An Tánaiste Simon Harris have issued a state apology to survivors of institutional abuse, following a protest by four survivors of abuse in industrial and reformatory schools which lasted fifty days outside Leinster House last year.Joining  to discuss this further is Dr Maeve O’Rourke, Lecturer at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway.

Many people find multiple benefits to working from home, whether it is freedom from the commute or that little bit longer in bed, but apparently there is one more upside to it: increased birth rates! Research from Kings College London and Stanford University has shown that almost 300,000 extra children have been born in the US since the advent of work from home at the start of the Covid pandemic. So, is this another reason to be considering working from home?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Peter Cosgrove, Managing Director of Futurewise and Helena Tubridy, Fertility Expert.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Shane to discuss how technology is being used to improve healthcare. She went out to Beaumont Hospital, where robots are being used in care, and shares what she learned.

The Social Democrats have set out a 20 point plan to improve access, remove costs and increase capacity when it comes to general practitioner care in Ireland.It includes looking to make GP care free to all by 2030.But, as we know, trying to even get an appointment is a challenge right now, so what actions need to be taken now to address current issues around GP care?Joining Ciara to discuss is Tadhg Crowley, Chair of the GP Committee of the IMO.

Today the Defense Minister revealed the National Maritime Security Strategy 2026-2030.It provides a roadmap to how we can go about defending our maritime security until the end of the decade, with more collaboration between our neighbors and European allies to protect our waters. But, would such a move infringe on our neutrality?Joining Shane for more on this is Mark Mellett, Chief of Staff of Ireland's Defense Forces from 2015 until 2021 and Patricia MacBride, Columnist with the Irish News.

From the person who paces the house having a conversation on loudspeaker to that one friend that never replies to your texts, what are the worst phone habits to have and are you guilty of them?Joining Ciara to discuss is Joe O’Shea, Editor CorkBeo and Elaine Burke, presenter of the ‘For Tech’s Sake’ podcast.

Ireland’s biggest residential landlord, Ires Reit, has told investors that incoming changes to tenancy rules could see a major increase in its rental income.Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson, joins Shane to discuss.

Should we revisit the use of the Irish language in TV and online advertisements as a way of ensuring people passively pick up their cúpla focail?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Kate Brady, actor and content creator.

Special Needs Assistants, parents, teachers, and students will take to the streets this afternoon to call for support for SNAs as 30 protests are due to take place across the country.Joining Shane to discuss is Eoghan Kenny, Labour’s Education Spokesperson and Niamh McDonald, parent and organiser of today’s protest.

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 and Shane to give the ultimate guide to London!

U.S. President Donald Trump will tonight make his first State of the Union address of his second term. The address to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives will come in the backdrop of a new global 10% tariff in response to the Supreme Court invalidating his previous tariffs.Joining Shane to discuss what we can expect and more is Anthony Zurcher, BBC’s North America Correspondent and Jennifer Ewing, Spokesperson for Republicans Overseas UK.Image: Reuters

Broadcaster Sean O’Rourke joins Ciara and Shane to place his favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

RIP.ie turns 20 this year. With an average of 70-million-page views per month, it is a unique Irish phenomenon.Joining Shane to discuss this is Undertaker Colm Kieran, owner of My Farewell Wishes, to discuss the impact it has had for Funeral Directors.

Yesterday we heard from Ukraine and how the country continues to be impacted by ongoing Russian aggression and air strikes amidst their push for more sanctions and weapons from Russian nations, but what about Russia itself? Is its economy finally beginning to feel the bite from four years of prioritizing war?Dr Noah Buckley is Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at Trinity College Dublin and joins Ciara to discuss what we know about what life is like inside Russia at the moment…Image: Reuters