The Hard Shoulder

It’s the eve of Liberation Day – when US President Donald Trump is set to announce a range of reciprocal tariffs.What he has to say will likely impact Europe, and could have a profound effect on Ireland…Joining Kieran to discuss is Danny McCoy, CEO of IBEC and Gerald Storch, the CEO of Storch Advisors in the US and former CEO of Toys R Us.Image: Reuters

It was announced today that there will be four new biopics about the Liverpool group starring Ireland’s own Paul Meskill as Paul McCartney and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Star.RTÉ Broadcaster and Beatles fan Dave Fanning joins Kieran to discuss!Image: Sony Pictures

The Cabinet met this morning, and Kieran’s guest brought a couple of measures in an effort to ease some of the pressure on household bills.Paschal Donohoe is the Minister for Finance, and joins to discuss.

The grand stretch in the evening has come with the fine weather right behind it!Adrian Barry from Off the Ball and Jen Hogan, the Irish Times Columnist join Kieran to discuss how we can make the most of the upturn, and how to keep the small ones entertained…

Donald Trump has said he is "not joking" when it comes to wanting to serve a third term as president of the United States…So, if he was to serve a third term, how would he go about that, and is it a remote possibility?Joining Kieran to discuss is Joseph M. Cosgrove, former Judge of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.

Even though tattoos seem to be everywhere these days - there are inevitably some who regret theirs. Whether that be the result of a breakup, or a drunken choice they don’t even remember! So, how does the process of laser removal work?Kieran is joined by Aidan O’Connell from Fade Tattoo Removal on Grafton Street to discuss.

Visitor numbers have dropped 30% compared to February last year, according to the CSO.This follows on from a 25% drop year-on-year last month. It begs the question: is the tourism industry in danger in Ireland?Joining Kieran to discuss the drop in American tourists specifically is Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer at the University of Galway and Columnist with the Journal.

Allergy season is approaching - so for this week’s Kids Health Check, Kieran is joined by Iseult Sheehan from Allergy Ireland to discuss how you can best prepare!

Marine Le Pen’s lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, has confirmed that the far-right leader will appeal against her conviction for embezzlement of public funds.She was found guilty of misappropriating European funds to fund her party.Elaine Cobbe is CBS Correspondent in Paris, and joins Kieran to discuss.Image: Reuters

Getting older is a difficult journey for some, but should you take it in your stride? From grey hairs to wrinkles, what is needed to make sure you embrace your age?Celia Holman-Lee,fashion icon & Model Agent and Holly Carpenter, Social Media Content Creator join Kieran to discuss.

A group of taxi drivers in Dublin have come together to create their own app in response to the big taxi firms and the bills they impose on drivers.Dublin taxi drivers Kamal Gill and Lar Kelly felt these big ­companies were taking too much from fares and have started their own app, Hola Taxi, that charges taxi drivers just €1 per fare…Both of them join Kieran to discuss.

Dublin City Council are to take a number of measures in the coming months to restore and protect the Molly Malone statue on Suffolk street.These include a pilot scheme which will see stewards deployed to protect the statue from tourists jumping up, touching and posing with the statue.For more on this, Kieran is joined by Ray Yeates, who is an Arts Officer a  Dublin City Council.

Have you fallen for the WhatsApp scam? If so, you’re not alone. New research from Revolut says Ireland ranks as the second worst affected country for scams on the app, with the average loss costing customers around €1,200…How do these scams work, and how can you stay safe? Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly joins Kieran to discuss.

Ireland's capability to respond to wildfires was tested in the Wicklow Mountains.More than 100 people participated in the first EU Modex exercise in Ireland. The muti-agency event assessed our preparedness for wildfires, and Newstalk reporter Josh Crosbie was there.

This week, Kieran Cuddihy 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…

Second round of the Women’s Six Nations returns this weekend, with the Girls in Green heading to Parma to face off against the Italians.To help look ahead to what to expect and what challenges might face the Irish team, Kieran is joined by former Irish International Eimear Considine and current Harlequins and Italian International Silvia Turani.

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joins Kieran to talk how you can treat a mother to a lovely meal this Mother’s Day!

Off The Ball's Eoin Sheahan joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

Met Éireann’s Flood Forecasting Centre is currently in development as part of a government-wide approach to flooding in line with ‘international best practices’.But, if flood warnings are being made available to local authorities, why can't they be provided directly to the public?Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly raised this very question in the Dáil this week, and joins Kieran along with Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather to discuss.

Don't forget, it's Mother's Day this Sunday! Henry McKean visited South City CNS in Dublin 8, to find out how the kids are preparing for it…

Radical reform is needed for young women who present with symptoms of breast cancer; this is according to Senator Teresa Costello, herself a survivor. She is advocating for the breast screening age to be extended to 40, and a greater care attached for those presenting with symptoms aged 20–50.Joining Kieran to discuss and share their own stories is Senator Costello, Ziva Cussen and Muireann McColgan...

Speaking in court this week, Norwegian track superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen explained that he had stopped calling his father “Dad” when he was around 11 years old due to his pushiness and involvement in his career. When it comes to crossing the line of being a pushy parent, how do you navigate between being supportive and being pushy?Joining Kieran to discuss is Steve Cummins, Comedian, Antonio Montero, Founder of the Silent Sideline Campaign Coach and Sheila O’Malley, Parenting Expert and Keynote Speaker in all aspects of wellbeing for the corporate world.

Kerry Independent Alliance Councillor John O’Donoghue has called for Kerry airport in Farranfore to be renamed after Daniel O’Connell.He cites the political giant known as ‘The Liberator’ as “the most significant Kerry and Irish person of all time”.To discuss, Kieran is joined by great, great, great grand-nephew, Maurice O’Connell.

It's been well documented how much of this week was chaotic in the Dáil.A motion of no confidence is coming next week for Ceann Comhairle, and the Government will place confidence in Verona Murphy... all while, at least in the view of the public, not a lot else is being done.So, why would a new TD want to come into this?Sinead Gibney is Social Democrats TD for Dublin Rathdown, and is former Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. She joins Kieran to discuss.

EU citizens are being advised to stockpile food, water and essentials as part of a European strategy that aims to increase readiness for potentially catastrophic floods, fires, pandemics and military attacks.“72 hours of self-sufficiency is what we recommend...” said European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib.But, is that enough? Joining Kieran to discuss is Frank Deegan, Founder of the Irish Survivalist & Prepper group.

Earlier in the show, a debate on if religion should be taught in schools was had, but how is it taught today?To discuss, Kieran is joined by Edward Platt, School Development Officer with Educate together  and Hazel McWey, Principal of Catholic Ballinabranna National School Carlow…

A woman who said she was penalised for taking time off to have a child has settled a discrimination case with her former employer for 260 thousand euro.Maeve Bradley was an Assistant Vice President at Citibank in Belfast when she took maternity leave in 2023. She alleged that she was excluded from a promotion opportunity during her maternity leave, and says the firm promoted the person who had covered her absence.So, how vulnerable are women in the workplace to this, and what are your rights when it comes to maternity leave?Joining Kieran to discuss this is Caroline Reidy from the HR Suite…

US President Donald Trump has promised to put tariffs on pharmaceutical products coming into the country - specifically mentioning Ireland’s large pharmaceutical industry.With 7 out of the world's top 10 pharmaceutical companies being based in the Rebel County, Newstalk Reporter Josh Crosbie has been speaking with workers in Cork to get their thoughts on what the future may look like, and joins Kieran to discuss.

The issue of whether or not religion should be taught in schools will later be debated by Kieran’s guests: Ronán Mullen, Independent Senator and Bríd Smith, former People Before Profit TD.They join to give a preview on their thoughts on the topic.

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 Kieran to discuss how you can properly pull off an April Fool’s prank!Image: Murphy’s Toymaster

Ambulance services are back in the spotlight again following an incident earlier this week, in which a woman from county Clare was left waiting 4 hours on the roadside for an ambulance following a collision…To discuss the wider issue of ambulance wait times, Kieran is joined by David Hall, CEO of Lifeline Ambulance Services. Also joining is Graham Helps, whose son Alex was forced to wait over 45 minutes when he was knocked down by car in Celbridge, County Kildare in June 2022 - where he sadly later passed away from his injuries...

The release of the ‘Snow White’ remake has led to a seemingly commercial and definitely critical flop - with projections not looking positive when it comes to the film recouping its massive $370 million budget. How did the movie get to this stage, and what is the landscape of the movie business at the moment?Joining Kieran to discuss is Andy McCarroll, Host of the Extra Vision Podcast.

The Oxford English Dictionary has announced that multiple ‘Irishishms’ will be added to its next edition. This includes the spice bag, debs and blaa! What do you think of these additions, and what other Irish words should be included?Henry McKean has been asking the public, and joins Kieran to discuss.

The Dáil returned this afternoon after a day of chaos yesterday. Where did all of this come from, and will it eventually lead to Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy’s resignation?Kieran is joined by Daniel McConnell, Editor at the Business Post, Terry Prone, Chairman at the Communications Clinic and Niall Collins, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and  Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick to discuss.

From the roar of the crowd, smell of the pitch and getting decked out in your team’s colours – going to the football is an unmatched experience, but one aspect of the day out is going missing - and that’s the match programme.As match day programmes are beginning to disappear in UK and Irish clubs, does their absence take away from the experience?Joining Kieran to discuss is Aodhan O’Riordan, Labour MEP and Roddy Collins, former Footballer Manager.

Brace yourselves! We’re apparently in for a whole rake of price hikes coming our way over the next month. Health insurance, energy, mobile, television fees and more are all going up…Joining Kieran to discuss is Catriona Redmond, Consumer Columnist with the Irish Times...

There have been calls from Sinn Féin on the Government to release a review commissioned in 2019 on cardiac services, in hopes of improving services across the country.Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson David Cullinane believes that the report was sitting idle in the Department of Health for the last 9 months, and he joins Kieran to discuss this, and comment on the recent bit of Dáil chaos. Dr. Máire Finn, GP at Ennis Centric Health, also joins to discuss.

US President Donald Trump has pushed back at any allegation of security breaches or concerns after some of his top officials accidentally added a journalist to a group chat, on the messaging service Signal. On it, they discussed highly sensitive military information, including plans to make strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.Nial Stanage, White House Columnist with American publication, The Hill, joins Kieran to discuss.

The Irish College of Psychiatrists have made calls today to radically reform CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Services) governance to help address vital issues in the services.Dr. Patricia Byrne, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, and Chair of the Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the College of Psychiatrists joins Kieran to discuss. Naomi Connolly and Jenny Flaherty, who are among the thousands of parents who have been engaging with the system for years also join to discuss.

Broadcaster and Presenter on Ireland AM, Elaine Crowley joins Kieran to place her favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

World Athletics has said that it will introduce mandatory testing for anyone entering female competitions to verify their biological sex.In doing so, they have insisted that it is necessary to protect women's sport.Is this a good move?Former Olympian Sharron Davies joins Kieran to discuss.

The long-awaited resolution of the speaking rights debate has seemingly come to a head following a passing vote on speaking rights, with 94 votes to 74. So, what happens now?Kieran is joined by Louise O’Reilly, Sinn Fein TD for Dublin Fingal West and Timmy Dooley, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine and Fianna Fáil TD for Clare to discuss.

Is going out with friends for a pint a thing of the past? Replaced by an interactive experience where you become someone else and get served by a robot barman? Henry McKean checked out the world of 'competitive socialising' and sent in this report…

Chaos erupted in the Dáil Chamber once again over speaking time. For the last 3 months, political work has seemingly stalled.This ongoing row has been in the news agenda for months and massively disrupted the government from doing their work.Finally, a vote Dáil speaking time passes - 94 votes to 74.Kieran is joined by Newstalk’s Political Correspondent, Seán Defoe, to recap what has been happening and discuss.

The environmental project, PURE (Protecting Uplands & Rural Environments), has recorded a 22% increase in illegal dumping in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands when compared to 2023.Newstalk’s Henry McKean visited a secluded beauty spot on the Wicklow - Wexford Border, and sent in this report.

Ransom ‘79, a two-part documentary tracking veteran journalist Charlie Bird on his last investigation and quest for the truth following his diagnosis of Motor Neuron Disease in October 2022 is set to air later this month.Joining Kieran to discuss is John Kelleher, Producer of Ransom ‘79 and Journalist and Playwright Colin Murphy.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said that tens of thousands of jobs in Ireland could be at risk if US trade tariffs are introduced in early April. But, what does this mean for us, and what is the reality of these job losses?Joining Kieran to discuss is Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME and John Fitzgerald, Adjunct Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Kieran is joined by Aoife Lee, Parenting Coach at ParentSupport.ie, to discuss how you can help your child navigate the tricky world of friendships in school.

The Minister for Education has warned schools that she will not hesitate to use the legislative powers to compel them to open special classes to ensure there are enough school places for children with additional needs.To discuss this, Kieran is joined by two parents who have children with special needs.

Are developers the key to solving our housing crisis, or are we simply incentivizing the wrong people? As the government looks to lower developer investment and increase borrowing to speed up apartment building, questions remain about whether this will solve the deeper issues in housing delivery.Joining Kieran to unpack this is Karl Deeter, CEO of onlineapplication.com, and Rory Hearne, Social Democrats TD for Dublin North-West…The Minister for Education has warned schools that she will not hesitate to use the legislative powers to compel them to open special classes to ensure there are enough school places for children with additional needs.To discuss this, Kieran is joined by three parents who have children with special needs.