The Hard Shoulder

9-year-old Harry McCormack, was born with half a heart, and he is trying to raise funds for Crumlin hospital, as well as its staff who give up Christmas for sick kids.Ciara is joined by Harry himself, his Mum Leanne and his Dad Keith to discuss.If you would like to donate, you can visit childrenshealth.ie.

The Muppet Show returns to Disney+ with the gang back on stage for a one-off special streaming from February 4th, featuring singer Sabrina Carpenter. But, what is it about the Muppets that has lasted the test of time?Joining Ciara to discuss is Sarah Maria Griffin, author of Eat the Ones You Love.Image: Disney

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Ciara Doherty is joined by Ollwyn Moran, Neuro Development Therapist & Founder of Cogni Kids to discuss supporting your child over Christmas. In all the fun and celebrations of the season, it may be easy to overlook the impact that changes that have happened over the year can have on children when the day comes, whether that be family bereavement or separation…

Singer-songwriter Chris Rea, known for hits including ‘Driving Home for Christmas’, has died at the age of 74, a spokesperson for his family has said.To discuss the legacy he leaves behind, Ciara is joined by Entertainment Journalist, Sarina Bellissimo.

Flu cases are expected to peak this week as Ireland enters the Christmas period amid already intense pressure on hospitals and emergency departments. The HSE  is urging caution as influenza, RSV and COVID-19 circulate.Joining Ciara to discuss is GP, Dr Maire Finn and Dr Marc-Alain Widdowson, Team Lead for Communicable Diseases at the WHO.

The amount of income we save rather than spend rose to 13.8% last year and is expected to be close to 15% this year. But, what is the psychology behind saving, and why are Irish people so good at it? Joining Ciara to discuss is Dr Anne Keogh, Principal Clinical Psychologist and Council Member of the Psychological Society of Ireland.

The Government has announced a new €400 million funding initiative to deliver new homes. This doubles the amount allocated towards the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, which was first announced in 2023.So, will all of this make a significant difference? And are steps being made in the right direction? Joining Ciara to discuss is Property Developer, Michael O’Flynn.

A new report has said Dublin is the 11th most congested city in the world.Dublin city was described as one of the “big movers” in 2025, having risen four places from the 15th spot in the global congestion rankings.In Ireland, approximately 80% of the population over 18 holds a driving license, and nearly three-quarters of all journeys are made by car. But why do we love the car so much?Is it just in our nature to learn how to drive and own a car?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Historian and Journalist Ronan McGreevy, Motoring Editor and Columnist with the Sunday Independent, Ger Herbert and Environmentalist and Architect, Duncan Stewart.

This week, Ciara Doherty was joined by Off the Ball’s Ger Gilroy and Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

After a surprise Donald Trump U-turn, the Epstein files are due to be released later today, which include tens of thousands of documents relating to criminal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein.68 photos were pre-emptively released by Democrats in Congress. Some of those featured in the newly released images include former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, billionaire Bill Gates, Director Woody Allen and talk show host Dick Cavett.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Anthony Zurcher, BBC’s North America Correspondent.

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joins Ciara Doherty to discuss the preparation you can do to make sure Christmas dinner goes off without a hitch!

Off The Ball's Eoin Sheahan joined Ciara Doherty on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action.Image: Tudum

EU leaders have pledged a €90 billion loan for Ukraine to meet urgent financial needs, but failed to agree on the preferred option for securing that loan against Russia’s frozen assets in the bloc.For more on the implications of this, Ciara Doherty is joined by Sean Bell, former fighter pilot, military analyst and Co-Founder of Red Matrix Productions.

Over the last twenty-five years, Ireland has changed. Our voices got louder. Our culture reached further, and some extraordinary people helped shape it all. From trailblazers in the arts and social change, to leaders in sport, music and on the big screen, we’re counting down the most influential Irish people of the last 25 years. You, the listener, have been voting for who you think are the most influential people that moved us and inspired us as part of Newstalk's 25 of 25. And you have picked your winner for best trailblazer!Joining Ciara to discuss the results is Saoirse Hanley, Writer for The Irish Independent and Fergus Finlay, former CEO of Barnados and Columnist for the Irish Examiner.

With burglaries peaking over the festive season, a new national survey reveals that the impact of a break-in goes far beyond lost valuables.The research shows that almost half of victims feel unsafe in their own homes afterwards, and a significant number experience long-lasting anxiety, sleep disruption, and hyper-vigilance.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Mick Comerford from AXA Ireland and Dr. Emelina Elis from Laya Healthcare.

Actress Kate Wins­let has revealed she has to “pick the time of day” she vis­its the super­mar­ket dur­ing the fest­ive sea­son to avoid mums and daugh­ters who want to talk about ‘The Hol­i­day’. So, as Kate ducks and dives, the rest of us will be proudly doing the best shop of the year, the big Christmas grocery shop. But, what are the essential indulgences on that shopping list?Joining Ciara to discuss is Siobhan O’Neill White from Mams.ie, JP McMahon, Chef, Restauranteur & Author and Sinead Ryan, Consumer Columnist with the Irish Independent and Presenter of the Home Show on Newstalk.

John Fardy, Presenter of Screentime on Newstalk and Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast joined Ciara Doherty on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

Ireland’s Foreign Direct Investment Agency (IDA) are reporting growth for this year, as their end of year results come out.But, is everything rosy with the Irish economy?  And what are the real prospects moving forward?Fergal O’Rourke is Chair of the IDA, and joins Ciara to discuss…

As the Dáil finishes up for Christmas today, it seems like the right time to look back at the key political moments of the year.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Fionnán Sheahan, Ireland Editor of the Irish Independent and Craig Hughes, Political Correspondent for The Irish Daily Mail.

Teachers in England are to be trained to spot early signs of misogyny in boys and teach them the difference between pornography and real relationships.To discuss this, and whether it’s something that should be considered for Irish schools, Ciara is joined by Richard Hogan, Family Psychotherapist, Clinical Director of Therapy Institute and author of ‘Home is Where the Start Is’ and Padraig Curley, President of the ASTI.

Caredoc’s Out of Hours GP services in Carlow, Kilkenny, south Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and south Wicklow, will not be operating from 6pm this evening as strike action is underway.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Anne Marie Walsh, Industry Correspondent with The Irish Independent and Dr Brendan O’Shea, Kildare GP & Assistant Adjuvant Professor in Public Health and Primary Care at Trinity College Dublin.

Over the last twenty-five years, Ireland has changed. Our voices got louder. Our culture reached further, and some extraordinary people helped shape it all. From trailblazers in the arts and social change, to leaders in sport, music and on the big screen, we’re counting down the most influential Irish people of the last 25 years. You, the listener, have been voting for who you think are the most influential people that moved us and inspired us as part of Newstalk's 25 of 25. And you have picked your winner for best author!Joining Ciara to discuss the results is (spoilers!) acclaimed author Roddy Doyle.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday it would be "premature" for the European Union to sign a trade deal with the Mercosur bloc of Latin American countries. It’s expected that the deal will lead to a flood of important beef products entering the EU market.To discuss, Ciara is joined by Independent Ireland MEP, Ciaran Mullooly.

Despite previous plans to do so, the Government has now announced that they will no longer be disbanding the RSA. Their original decision followed an independent external review, however their U-turn has left a number of groups disappointed, as they consider the organisation not fit for purpose.To discuss this further, Ciara is joined by Chairperson of road safety group PARC, Susan Grey, and Shane O’Donoghue, of Completecar.ie.

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 avoid arguments around Christmas!

An effort to ban fox hunting in Ireland will be voted down in the Dáil later today, which is seen by some to be a step back in animal welfare. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin are all set to oppose the ban.To discuss this decision, Ciara Doherty is joined by Independent Minister of State, Michael Healy Rae.

How well are you aware of the threat posed by some of the toxic cleaning products in your home?To highlight some of the dangers, Ciara is joined by Consultant in Emergency Medicine in the West, Dr Lisa Cunningham.

Following on from Minister Norma Foley’s announcement of the new Action Plan for Childcare,Ciara is joined by Regina Bushell, Chair of Seas Suas, a representative group for independent childcare providers, to give her reaction to it.

It's time for a Christmas Kidstalk! Henry McKean met the boys and girls from South City Community National School Dublin to hear how excited they are for the festive season…

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Ciara Doherty to discuss how the National Broadplan Plan is nearing completion, and how it impacts rural Ireland.

Minister for Children Norma Foley has launched the Action Plan on Childcare.Phase one of the plan includes increases to the income limit for the National Childcare Scheme, and a consultation aimed at reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per child per month in the lifetime of this Government.The Minister joins Ciara Doherty to discuss more…

Over the last twenty-five years, Ireland has changed. Our voices got louder. Our culture reached further, and some extraordinary people helped shape it all. From trailblazers in the arts and social change, to leaders in sport, music and on the big screen, we’re counting down the most influential Irish people of the last 25 years. You, the listener, have been voting for who you think are the most influential people that moved us and inspired us as part of Newstalk's 25 of 25. And you have picked your winner for best sportsperson!Joining Ciara to discuss the results is Kieran Cunningham, Sports Journalist, Cameron Hill from Off The Ball and Lisa Fallon UEFA Pro Licence Football Coach, currently working with FIFA in their Global Football Development Division.

As the Christmas season is well underway, hospitals and paramedics are already facing a serious demand on their services.To discuss the current outlook, Ciara is joined by Chairperson of the National Ambulance Service Representative Association branch of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, Brendan Flynn.

At the start of next year, Spain are to introduce a National Public Transport Pass, where for €60 a month, you can travel anywhere in the country by bus or train. So, would this be something that we’d like to see brought in here?To discuss this, Ciara is joined by Social Democrats Spokesperson for Transport, Jennifer Whitmore TD, and Mark Gleeson, of Rail Users Ireland.

Irish Times Consumer Affairs Correspondent, Conor Pope, joins Ciara Doherty to place his favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

The HSE is warning of extra potent drugs entering the Irish market ahead of the Christmas season. Drugs such as MDMA or other synthetic substances being falsely sold as ketamine.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Patricia Casey, Consultant Psychiatrist in  the Mater Hospital and Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at University College Dublin and Kristy Morrison Keating, who has spoken out online of her own struggles with cocaine and the prevalence among your people.

Presenter Dave Fanning joins Ciara ahead of the sixth season of his music show ‘Fanning at Whelan’s’ with some of the best music talent at the popular music venue in Dublin!

Electricity users will face price increases next year of up to €1.75 per month on bills to pay for a major upgrade to the national grid, which could cost almost €19 billion.Is this upgrade necessary, and is it right that householders will foot the bill?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Muireann Lynch, Senior Research Officer at the ESRI and Mairead Farrell, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation…

New research from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety based in University College Dublin has revealed a dramatic increase in the detection of cocaine and cannabis among Irish drivers suspected of driving under the influence, pointing to changing patterns of drug use on Irish roads…The study found an astonishing 21% year-on-year increase between the years 2012-2018.Joining Ciara to discuss this further is Dr Richard Maguire from The Medical Bureau of Road Safety and Meghann Scully, Host of ‘28 Ways to Save the World’.

Following the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner in an apparent homicide, we look back at the work of the filmmaker, and his extraordinary directorial runs with movies such as Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally and more…Joining Ciara to discuss the latest updates is Harriet Alexander, Features Writer, Daily Mail in the US and to look back, Deirdre Molumby, Reviewer and Senior Content Executive with entertainment.ie.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Ciara Doherty is joined by Ollwyn Moran, Neuro Development Therapist & Founder of Cogni Kids to discuss maintaining routines with your kids over the hectic festive season.

Could the review into the Fianna Fáil’s handling of their Presidential nominations come out this week?There are those within Fianna Fáil who are saying it must come out this week, before Christmas.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Fionnan Sheahan, Ireland Editor with the Irish Independent and Michael Regan, Fianna Fáil Councillor in Galway.

Australia is still reeling from the country's worst mass shooting in almost three decades. A father and son opened fire on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people including a child.The alleged attackers fired into crowds at the beach for the start of Hanukkah on Sunday evening.The father was killed at the scene, taking the number of dead to 16, while his 24-year-old son is in a critical condition in hospital, but police say he is expected to survive.But, what happens now?Ria Czerniak-LeBov is the granddaughter of a Holocaust escapee, living here in Ireland, and joins Ciara to discuss.Image: Reuters

It's that time of year where you begin to question how much your loved ones really know you with the gifts that you receive… The whole ordeal of buying, wrapping and giving the gift.But, how much of it do we remember? How many of the presents you gave and received last year do you actually remember? And, how much of it did you just throw out or ‘re-gift’?Joining Ciara to discuss the whole psychology of gift giving is Climate and Environmental Researcher Sadhbh O’Neill and Architect Lecturer and Artist Róisín Murphy.

In October, the average speed of traffic in Dublin City Centre was 13.4km/h during the morning peak.This is slower than the densely populated London, with the English capital clocking an average speed of 14km/h.This begs the question, as traffic rises every morning, is it time to make a change?Would the introduction of congestion charges, similar to what is in place in London, discourage drivers from driving through busy areas in the city?Joining Ciara to discuss this further is Jason Cullen of Dublin Commuter Coalition and Keith Gavan, Chairman of the Irish Parking Association.

Nearly half of trainee GPs this year are from universities abroad amid Ireland's family doctor shortage.GP training places have increased in recent years in the hope that they will act as a pipeline to produce more who will work in this country delivering care to patients.It's no secret that Ireland has been suffering from GP shortages for some time now, but will more training spaces actually fix this?To discuss this further, Ciara Doherty is joined by Dr Madeleine Ní Dhálaigh, Vice Chair of the GP Committee of the IMO and GP in Castlerea.

This week, Ciara Doherty was joined by John Purcell, Head of KCLR, Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather and Anne Healy, owner of Biddy’s Goodluck Horseshoes live from Malzard’s Bar and Pub in Stoneyford, Kilkenny to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Ciara is joined in Kilkenny by father and son All-Ireland winning duo, Richie Power Sr and Richie Power Jr to discuss their own successes, and the state of the GAA in rural communities.

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joins Ciara Doherty in Kilkenny to discuss recipes for bites you can add to make Christmas dinner that bit more special!

Ciara is joined by Guinness Master Brewer Steve Gilsenan to talk all things Guinness 0.0, and how it’s made!