The Hard Shoulder

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!

Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State at the Department of Health, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, joins Ciara Doherty in Kilkenny to discuss the Government’s drug strategy, and the problems the country is facing in relation to drugs.

Ciara is joined by the owner of the establishment The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting from today, Malzard’s Bar and Pub: Fred Malzard.He joins to discuss the history of the establishment, and how much support is needed for rural pubs today.

Ciara Doherty is joined by one of the best players of his generation, Kilkenny hurling legend, Paul Murphy.

The Hard Shoulder is today broadcasting from Malzard’s Bar and Pub in Stoneyford to chat all things Kilkenny, Christmas and more!Ciara Doherty is joined by TV Chef and Culinary Lecturer, Edward Hayden, Róisín McQuillan from the Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce and General Manager of Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, Colin Ahern.

John Fardy, Presenter of Screentime on Newstalk and Dee Reddy, Entertainment Journalist and Podcaster joined Ciara Doherty on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

What should you know when it comes to investing, and should you do it instead of saving?Robert Whelan, Managing Director of Rockwell Finance, joins Ciara to discuss.

Latest figures from the CSO have revealed that the annual rate of inflation has risen to its highest point since February 2024, at 3.2%.To chat about the significance of this, Ciara is joined by Economist at TU Dublin, Emma Howard.

Broadcaster, Gaeilgeoir and Presenter of new podcast ‘Labour of Love’ Síomha Ní Ruairc joins Ciara Doherty for this week’s Thursday Interview!

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee today unveiled a €1.7 billion defence spending plan that will run until 2030.The Minister described this plan as "absolutely essential". Its aim is to speed up the modernisation of the Defence Forces and improve defence capabilities across land, air, and sea, as well as online from cyber attacks.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Paul Murphy, People Before Profit TD for Dublin South-West, Catherine Callaghan, Fine Gael TD for Carlow-Kilkenny and member of the Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security and Conor Gallagher, Crime and Security Correspondent for The Irish Times.

TV Presenter and Fashion Designer, Brendan Courtney joins Ciara to discuss the Irish Heart Foundation’s ‘12 Dips in December’ challenge, and why you should take part!

The suspension of the LUAS Green Line has caused chaos for many.But, is this just part of having a public transport network, that things will occasionally go awry, or should we be concerned?Sadhbh O’Neill is Project Lead for Feminist Communities for Climate Justice - a joint project of the National Women’s Council and Community Work Ireland, and she joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomatic correspondence to stop using the Calibri font and return to the more traditional Times New Roman, reversing a shift by Joe Biden’s administration to the less formal typeface, which Mr Rubio called “...wasteful, confusing and unbefitting the dignity of US government documents”.Should we care about the fonts we use?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with the Irish Independent and Red FM’s Eimear Hallahan.

Under a Department of Children plan, more families could be eligible for higher childcare subsidies.Will this help the industry?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Elaine Dunne, Chairperson of the Federation of Early Childcare Providers and Averil Sheehan, owner of Care-a-lot Childcare, Upton, West Cork.

The Hard Shoulder is looking back on 2025’s biggest moments in the news, and who were at the heart of it.The NFL came to Dublin this year, where the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings faced off in a game that practically took over the city for weeks…Joining Jonathan Healy to look back is Kieran O'Donovan from the Irish NFL Show.

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 Jonathan Healy to reduce your waste around Christmastime!

Parents across Ireland are joining together in a growing movement to encourage their children to go smartphone free. It’s part of a global initiative to allow children to grow without the tech devices.To discuss this, Jonathan Healy is joined by Emer Carty of Smartphone Free Childhood Ireland.

From the overflowing bins that you try to ignore, to wrapping presents at the 11th hour on Christmas Eve, why do we procrastinate?Joining Jonathan Healy to discuss is Life Coach and self-proclaimed procrastinator, Mark Fennell, as well as Broadcaster Meghann Scully.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Jonathan Healy to discuss new research on average screen time for adults, and the apps that are used the most.

How is Ireland being perceived abroad? And how much are our political stances influencing it?Joining Jonathan Healy to discuss is Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer at UCG and Columnist with theJournal.ie and Dan Mulhall, former Ambassador of Ireland to the United States.

The Department of Housing has removed a video from its social media channels which provided advice for adults forced to move back home with their parents.The department said the online commentary relating to the campaign has been negative, and it sought to protect the welfare and privacy of those involved…Natasha O’Brien is one such young adult living at home with her parents, and she joins Jonathan Healy to discuss.

It has been highlighted in the Dáil earlier today that marked blister packs, particularly for older people, may no longer be covered by the state in pharmacies in the new year.To discuss this, Jonathan Healy is joined by President of the Irish Pharmacies Union, Tom Murray, and Co-Founder and Director of the Irish Patients Association, Stephen McMahon.