The Hard Shoulder

Iran is responding to US strikes with attacks on American military bases in Qatar and Iraq.Alistair Bunkall, Middle East Correspondent with Sky News joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss as the situation develops.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, guest host Jonathan Healy is joined by Caroline O’Connor, Registered Dietitian, Lactation Consultant and Founder of Solid Starts to discuss how you can manoeuvre one of the biggest milestones in your baby’s first year: weaning!

A new report from Fluid Focus has revealed that students spend 5 and a half hours daily on their phones, which could add up to 25 years of their life…The report also highlighted the negative impact this amount of screen time can have on young people’s mental health, attention span and overall wellbeing.Dr Charlotte Armitage, author of ‘Generation Zombie: Why Devices Are Harming Our Children’ joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss these impacts, and what can be done to fix them.

The 40th memorial to commemorate the Air India flight 182 terrorist attack victims has taken place in Ahakista, West Cork.The flight was en route from Montreal to New Delhi when a bomb detonated onboard, killing all 329 passengers.James Robinson, retired Irish Navy Captain and Lieutenant Commander of Le Aisling joins Jonathan Healy to share his experience of the recovery mission.

Tánaiste Simon Harris has today described the US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities as "a very unhelpful intervention."He said as much as he made his way into a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers today…Joining guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss the EU reaction, and what is potentially happening next for this conflict is Rosie Birchard, Journalist with DW News and Michael Graham, Managing Editor of InsideSources, a national news outlet based in Washington DC.

During the summer months and bouts of good weather, it’s important to ask yourself: are you putting on sunscreen properly?Joining guest host Jonathan Heally is Consultant Dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatology, Isabel Haugh for her top sunscreen tips to protect your skin!

Thousands of people are not showing up for the driving tests. This is then leading to longer waiting times for others.There are calls for a loophole to be closed so people cannot continuously book a test and not show up.Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie has been examining the figures.

Students heading on J1s will be told to make their social media profiles public ahead of travelling.The American Embassy in Ireland is also asking applicants to include the usernames for social media sites they've used in the past five years.Larry Donnelly is Law Lecturer at University of Galway and Columnist with The Journal, and joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss.

A ban looks likely to be introduced on smoking and vaping at all playgrounds, multi-use games areas, and amenity spaces controlled by Cork County Council, primarily sparked by concerns about children’s health.Should it go further, should all public smoking be banned?Joining guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss is Cork County Councillor, Jack White.

This week, guest Seán Defoe was joined by the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis Off the Ball’s Ger Gilroy to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Tánaiste Simon Harris has announced the decision to close Ireland's embassy in Iran.Joining guest host Seán Defoe to discuss the latest is Craig Hughes, Political Editor with the Irish Daily Mail.

An Coimisiún Pleanála has refused planning permission to rebuild on the site of the tragic Creeslough explosion.Joining guest host Seán Defoe to discuss is Shauna Gallagher, sister to Jessica, who was killed in the explosion at the age of 24.

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joins guest host Seán Defoe to discuss vegan recipes that can satisfy even the pickiest of eaters!

According to Eurostat figures, in 2024, the price level for alcohol and tobacco was 3 times higher in Ireland than in the likes of Bulgaria.And the price is actually over 200% above the EU average.So, we want to talk about Minimum Unit Pricing – something that was brought into Ireland three and a half years ago.Joining guest host Seán Defoe to discuss whether or not MUP should be scrapped is Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist with the Institute of International and European Affairs and Chris Luke, retired Consultant in Emergency Medicine and host of the Irish Medical Lives podcast.

Off The Ball's Eoin Sheahan joined guest host Seán Defoe on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

Today is National Dog Friendly Day, and businesses are being encouraged to become more pet friendly.Dogs Trust says a quarter of dog owners find the lack of dog-friendly spaces to be the biggest issue they face.So, what do you think, should pets be allowed in the same spaces as food and drink?Newstalk’s Josh Crosbie has been meeting with dog-owners to find out why their pets are so important to them…

A staff member at Oberstown Detention Centre has suffered life-changing injuries, which is one of ten now who have been hurt in a string of violent incidents in just two weeks.Fórsa has now described the situation in the centre as critical, with too few staff, poor safety, and no sign of change. So, what’s going wrong with Oberstown?Saoirse Brady, Executive Director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust joins guest host Sean Defoe to discuss.

The sky is blue, and the sun is shining. Many of you may be looking to venture to your local swimming spot to cool off from the summer sun!Joining guest host Seán Defoe to discuss the upcoming weather and how to swim safely this summer is Alan O’Reilly (@carlowweather) and Co-creator of wildswim.ie, Maureen McCoy.

The WhatsApp group chat, like them or hate them, most of us are in one or five.. So what are the unspoken rules? Is it okay to ever just leave them without an explanation?Joining guest host Seán Defoe to discuss is Comedian Jim Elliot, James Kavanagh, Broadcaster and Podcaster and Freelance Journalist, Niamh O’Reilly.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Dee Reddy, Entertainment Journalist and Podcaster joined guest host Anton Savage on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

From tomorrow, thousands of Air BnB’s without planning permission will be illegal, which means they will no longer be able to operate under the new Rent Pressure Zone rules.Joining guest host Anton Savage to discuss this is Vice Chair of the Irish Self-Catering Federation, Noella Casey and later Conor Sheehan, Labour Housing Spokesperson.

The Lions Tour begins tomorrow, and this summer’s squad includes a record 15 Irish players. They face Argentina first before heading to Australia for the main tour.Former Lion and Irish international Gordon D’Arcy joins Anton Savage to give a Dummy’s Guide to the Lions Tour. What is it, why does it take place, and more importantly, should you watch it?

Ciara Doherty, Broadcaster and Presenter of Newstalk's newest podcast, ‘The Newstalk Daily’, which launches June 23rd, joins guest host Anton Savage for this week’s Thursday Interview!

Fighting between Israel and Iran enters a seventh day.A hospital in southern Israel was hit in an Iranian missile strike, while the IDF bombed a nuclear reactor southwest of Tehran.Is there a way out of this, or through this?John Simpson is the BBC’s World Affairs Editor, and joins guest host Anton Savage to discuss.Image: Reuters

Today, the 19th of June, is a federal holiday in the United States.Otherwise known as Juneteenth, the national holiday was established to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States.To talk further on this, guest host Anton Savage is joined by Author, Playwright and Columnist Bonnie Greer.

Sky Ireland have warned users of TV 'dodgy boxes' that they may face consequences, as together with the Data Protection Commission, Sky look to clamp down on users of the illegal streaming service.Up to this point, it was generally the providers who were targeted.There are said to be up to 400,000 users who illegally stream TV shows, sports and movies in Ireland.Rob Hartnett is Founder and CEO of Sport for Business, and joins guest host Anton Savage to discuss.

Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) was in front of The Oireachtas Health Committee earlier today, and was answering questions over governance and culture issues.Seán Defoe, Newstalk’s Political Correspondent was there, and joins Anton Savage to give the latest.

Lord Henry Mountcharles, the man who brought rock music to Slane Castle, has died at the age of 74.Known for hosting legendary concerts in the heart of Meath, he leaves behind a legacy that shaped live music in Ireland.To help remember the man and his contributions to Irish music, guest host Anton Savage is joined by Dave Fanning, RTÉ Broadcaster and Billy McGuinness from Aslan.Image: RTÉ

Enda Brady, presenter with TRT World, and Dik Barton, COO of Armatrex and former VP of Operations with RMS Titanic, join The Hard Shoulder to reflect on the implosion of the Titan submersible two years on — and how the tragedy changed deep-sea exploration.Listen here

Anthony Zurcher, BBC’s North America Correspondent, joins The Hard Shoulder to explain how US foreign policy under President Trump is influencing growing tensions with Iran.Listen here

Gerard Howlin, public affairs consultant and Irish Times columnist, and Fionnan Sheehan, Ireland Editor at the Irish Independent, join The Hard Shoulder to discuss the absence of declared candidates for Ireland’s 2025 presidential election.Get all the discussion here.

Dave Hanratty, host of the ‘No More Encore’ podcast, and NewsTalk Tech Correspondent Jess Kelly join The Hard Shoulder to explain why getting concert tickets feels harder than ever — and what fans can do to beat the bots.Listen here

Josh Crosbie, Newstalk reporter, brings public reaction to rising tensions in the Middle East and asks whether people are following the news — or becoming desensitised to the conflict.Listen here

Jess Kelly, NewsTalk's Tech correspondent joins The Hard Shoulder to give all the best tips for kids, adults and everything in between this Summer.Listen here.

Ruth Scott, radio presenter and humanist celebrant, Cathal O’Sullivan from 98FM, and Alice Leahy of the Alice Leahy Trust join Kieran to discuss how they'd react if they won €250 million, whether they’d go public, and what they’d spend it on.Listen here

Emily Keegan, Newstalk reporter, joins The Hard Shoulder with the latest from court after the case involving Kneecap's Liam Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh -- aka Mo Chara -- is adjourned.Listen here for all the latest.

Dr Brendan O’Shea, Assistant Adjuvant Professor in General Practice at Trinity College and Kildare-based GP, and Evelyn Mahon, Professor Emeritus at Trinity College Dublin, join The Hard Shoulder to explain why Ireland will need at least 1,200 more GPs by 2040 — and what that shortfall means for healthcare access.Listen here.

NewsTalk's Henry McKean joins The Hard Shoulder with reaction from the public after one Irish person scooped a €250 million Euromillions jackpot — the biggest in the country's history.Listen here

Ann Russell, cleaning expert and TikTok creator, joins The Hard Shoulder alongside Irish Independent columnist Mary McCarthy to debate which household chores people dread most, and why some of us are wired to hate them more than others.Listen here

Sarah Madden, Newstalk reporter, joins The Hard Shoulder to share her report on commuter experiences of antisocial behaviour, including drug use and inappropriate conduct on Irish trains. Meghann Scully, broadcaster, and Jason Cullen of the Dublin Commuter Coalition also join to react.Listen here

The consumer watchdog has written to schools, urging them to consider generic uniform options to help reduce back-to-school costs for families.    It follows a survey by the CCPC showing that 75 percent of primary and post-primary schools require at least one uniform item to be purchased from a designated retailer     Joining Kieran to discuss this is Louise Bayliss, Head of Social Justice and Policy at Saint Vincent De Paul & Co-Founder of Spark and Lisa O'Sullivan Shaw aka Modern Irish Mom on Instagram

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, who was detained twice in Egypt while participating in the Global March to Gaza, has returned to Ireland.He joins Kieran to discuss his experience.

From today, when a person dies, they will automatically be assumed to be an organ donor unless they have indicated an objection during their lifetime.It is hoped that this new opt-out system will reduce waiting lists and encourage more people to become organ donors.Our reporter, Josh Crosbie has been hearing from donor families and recipients about the changes.

It’s time now for this week’s edition of the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf. Each week we ask the great and the good of Ireland to come in and to place their favourite read upon the Bookshelf. Last week, former People Before Profit TD Brid Smith place To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee on the bookshelf and this week is the turn of Neven Maguire, TV Chef & owner of MacNean House & Restaurant who joined Kieran in studio.

Kieran is in Ireland's National Heritage Park, located just outside of Wexford Town, to travel back in time and walk through Ireland's past in what is one of Ireland's outdoor museums.Joining him to give the tour is Liam Dwyer CEO at National Heritage Park!Image: Discover Ireland

Wexford has produced plenty of GAA legends. So, what do the Gaelic Games mean for them?Joining Kieran to discuss is four-time All-Ireland winner and All-Star, Ursula Jacob, 1996 All-Ireland winning manager, Liam Griffin and former Wexford Captain, Diarmuid Lyng.

Have you ever thought about what it’s like to be a Conductor? How does the job actually work?Joining Kieran to discuss is Conductor Niall Kinsella, who will be playing in the National Operahouse in Wexford, and the National Concert Hall in Dublin in July.

Why is the Wexford strawberry so famous, is it the weather in the Sunny South East, the soil or the cold nights? Henry McKean has tried to find out and visited a strawberry farm in Enniscorthy this afternoon. He joins Kieran to discuss!

Many arguments lead to inspiration, but one such discussion in Castlebridge, Wexford kicked off one of the biggest books of all time, The Guinness World Records.Joining Kieran to tell more is John Ryan of Castlebridge Inspire.

A new report by CyberSafeKids has found that eight-year-old children in disadvantaged areas are more than twice as likely to have a smartphone at a younger age with fewer rules around their online activity, but what impact is that having on them?Joining Kieran to discuss this Trevor Murphy, Founder of Kids Coder Club and CEO of Cyberschool.ie and Vicky Barron, Labour Councillor for Wexford and Principal of CBS Primary School, Wexford.