The Hard Shoulder

Pharmacist Sheena Mitchell joins The Hard Shoulder with advice for allergy sufferers on how to manage hay fever and pollen season symptoms, especially as temperatures rise.Listen here to put your pollen woes to rest.

Jonathan Healy is joined by John Fardy, host of Screentime, and entertainment journalist Sarina Bellissimo to preview the weekend’s best film and streaming picks — from hidden gems to blockbuster releases.Listen here

Architect and conservationist, Roisin Murphy, and UCD history professor, Conor Mulvagh join The Hard Shoulder to discuss why so many of Ireland’s heritage buildings are deteriorating.This comes after a viscious row erupted in the Dáil between Simon Harris and Sinn Féin on plans to redevelop the GPO.Listen here to hear if these plans will be positive, or yet another failure in the state acknowledging the past and present.

Comedian Jason Byrne joins The Hard Shoulder for the Thursday Interview this week.Get all the latest from Jason's career, his early life doing gigs in England and what's coming next.Listen to it all here.

Sean Defoe, Newstalk’s Political Correspondent, joins The Hard Shoulder to break down the latest in the race for Áras an Uachtaráin - or lackthereof - and to analyse a fiery exchange in the Dáil involving Tánaiste Simon Harris.Listen here for all the lates.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon attempts to break the barrier of the women’s four-minute mile this evening in Paris. She is already the world-record holder in the mile and the 1500m, but she now has her sights set on being the first woman to run the four-minute mile.  Sonia O’Sullivan, World Champion and Irish Olympian joins Jonathan to discuss what a milestone it will be for a woman to break the four-minute-mile.Listen to all the conversation here.

Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, and Cllr. Joe Kavanagh, former Lord Mayor of Cork, join The Hard Shoulder to respond to growing anger over Cork’s road conditions.According to figures released to NewsTalk, Cork ranks the highest in number of pothole related complaints to local council.Listen here for all the latest.

Barra Roantree, Director of the Masters in Economic Policy at Trinity College Dublin, joins The Hard Shoulder to discuss ESRI’s latest economic outlook — including fears about a construction slowdown and rising costs related to US foreign policy moves.Where will the next economic crash come, or what form might it take?Listen here for more.

Broadcaster Jennifer Zamparelli joins Jonathan Healy to talk about stepping into the iconic role of narrator in the new stage production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the Bórd Gáis— and how she’s putting her own spin on the cult classic.Listen here

According to new figures released to NewsTalk, there has been a 92% increase in pothole complaints to local councils.NewsTalk's own, Josh Crosbie has been asking motorists how badly affected their areas are.Listen here.

NewsTalk's Josh Crosbie hit the streets to ask parents their views on allowing kids to see their drinking habits.For discussion,June Shannon, medical journalist and mother, and Dr Malie Coyne, clinical psychologist and author, join Jonathan Healy on whether this sets a harmful example.Listen here

New research has found that more than 500 bird species, including the puffin and the European turtle dove, could vanish within the next century. Can it be stopped?Joining guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss is Niall Hatch of Bird Watch Ireland.

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 guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss how to pack a suitcase!

The Irish Postmasters' Union is calling on the Government to invest €15 million per year over the next five years to prevent a decline in post offices.It’s one of a number of issues brought up today at the Oireachtas Arts and Community Committee in relation to the future of our postal service.David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, was there, and joins Jonathan Healy to discuss.

With technology rapidly advancing, and artificial intelligence becoming more and more intelligent, should we be concerned about AI replicating us after death? Would we want our loved ones to talk to artificial models of us after we pass? Or is that something that we should be able to opt out of, like in our wills?Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss.

|reland has the third lowest childhood vaccine coverage among high-income nations globally.It also has the sixth lowest coverage among the countries on the European continent and the second lowest among western European nations.Why is this the case?To answer this and discuss further, guest host Jonathan Healy is joined by Professor of Experimental Immunology at Trinity College Dublin, Kingston Mills.

Women’s Aid recorded their highest number of calls ever in 2024, the organisation has confirmed in its annual report.Last year, the organisation was contacted 32,144 times - a figure 12% higher than the one in 2023 - of which 24,396 were made through the National Freephone Helpline.For more on this, guest host Jonathan Healy is joined by CEO of Women’s Aid, Sarah Benson. And later, Trina O’Connor, Criminologist and Pat Marry, former Detective join to discuss how well the Gardaí are trained for domestic violence calls.(Women’s Aid 24 Hour National Freephone Helpline: 1800 341 900)

First published in 1774, the classic nursery rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock has been given a trigger warning over 250 years since it was originally published.This comes after a theatre production of the kids’ classic Three Little Pigs was criticised for placing a similar trigger warning on its content.This begs the question, are we taking this trigger-happy approach to content warnings on children’s literature a step too far?Joining guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss this is Columnist with The Irish Daily Mail and Sunday Independent, Brenda Power.

UNICEF has warned that, with the world’s attention averted elsewhere, the situation in Gaza is hitting “rock bottom.”Famine conditions in the territory worsen as aid continues to be blocked, with hospital resources unable to accommodate the number of children being admitted for acute malnutrition.Over 500 people have been killed since last month, and almost 3,800 injured at Gazan aid sites, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.Executive Director of UNICEF, Peter Power, joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss.

Irish farmers have welcomed plans by the European Parliament to restrict “cynical” vegetarian and vegan food producers from using words such as sausage and burger to sell their products.Henry McKean has been getting thoughts from the public, and joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss.

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, Fionn joined guest host Jonathan to give his travel tips for the windy city of Chicago!

The Government last week authorised the purchase of the CityWest hotel in Saggart, Co Dublin, to become a state-owned International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre for asylum-seekers.According to Eoin O’Malley, Associate Professor of Politics at DCU, the CityWest hotel can be described as “a monument to Irish policy failure”.Eoin joins Jonathan Healy to discuss.

Comedian and actress Catherine Lynch joins guest host Jonathan Healy to place her favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Today, Sinn Féin brought a Private Member’s Bill on extending voting rights to Irish Citizens outside the state for the Presidential Election.This has been hotly debated for years, with the Constitutional Convention first recommending this extension in 2013.Sinn Féin Senator Conor Murphy joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss.

An agreement has been reached between the HSE and health unions on the introduction of an extended working day and week. This agreement is an attempt to free up beds, and have extended care to patients outside of 9 to 5 office hours.The agreement would see staff such as consultants, social workers, therapists and administrative staff rostered over seven days, as opposed to five.To discuss this, guest host Jonathan Healy is joined by Kevin Figgis, Divisional Head of SIPTU Health Division and Matthew Sadlier, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chair of the IMO’s Consultants Committee.

Today is the first of a two-day summit of NATO members, being held in the Hague.The summit has one main item on the agenda: defense spending. The aim is to increase spending to 5% of member’s GDP by 2035, in line with President Trump’s demands.Shona Murray, Europe Correspondent with Euronews joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss.Image: Reuters

Two explosions were heard in the Iranian capital on Tuesday, the judiciary news outlet Mizan and the Shargh newspaper reported, after U.S. President Donald Trump called on Israel not to bomb Iran following a ceasefire reached early on Tuesday.What’s next? And what might Iran do?Ali Ansari is the Founding Director of the Institute of Iranian Studies at St Andrews University and joins guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss.

From a favourite mug to the one spot on the couch you won’t let anyone else sit, what are the small, seemingly trivial things that bring you joy? Joining guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss is Comedian Julie Jay and Joe McGuken, Writer, actor and Producer.

The Dublin City Taskforce has been given the go-ahead by government in a bid to clean up the capital.A number of measures are set to be introduced over a 10-year plan. These include revitalising O’Connell Street, turning the GPO into a cultural destination and bringing derelict buildings back into use.Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie has been following the developments today and has spoken with those who are working, living and visiting Dublin.

Last Thursday, Cork Airport was announced as this year's Air Council International Best Airport in Europe award winner.This is the third time the airport has won this prestigious award.Joining guest host Jonathan Healy to discuss the achievement, and why Cork Airport continues to receive it is Airport Chief Executive, Niall McCarthy.

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…