The Hard Shoulder

Jamie O’Hara, Newstalk reporter travelling with An Taoiseach, joined Shane Coleman on the show with the latest on the St Patrick’s Day events in the US.

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

As the conflict in the Middle East goes on, attention continues to be distracted from the war in Ukraine. With fuel prices sky-rocketing around the world the US has temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian oil. Despite Iran being a Russian ally, this sanction lifting is a huge boost for Vladimir Putin.Shane is joined by Professor of Politics at DCU and author of ‘Unfinished Empire: Russian Imperialism in Ukraine and the Near Abroad’ Donnacha Ó Beacháin to discuss what this means for Putin…

Earlier in the week The Hard Shoulder spoke to Rob Cass, who co-designed the website onemillionhomes.ie, looking at housing across the country when it comes to young people being able to buy their first home.He named Drogheda as an area that is leading the way for housing, so why can’t we follow it?Joining to discuss is Tom Phillips, Managing Director of Tom Phillips and Associates and Adjunct Associate Professor of Town Planning in UCD.Image: Discover Boyne Valley

Off The Ball’s David Wilson joined Ciara and Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

Joining Ciara to give the latest updates from the conflict in the Middle East is Chief International Correspondent at The Independent, Bel Trew. Also joining to discuss the actual severity of the fuel crisis is the ESRI’s Muireann Lynch.Image: Reuters

€40 million worth of peat was exported from Ireland last year, despite there being no legal commercial peat extraction.So, how is this possible, and should we make it legal?Joining Shane to discuss is Michael Ring, former Fine Gael Minister of State for Community and Rural Development.

It seems like the long-awaited National Children’s Hospital is finally set to be finished in April. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill today announced that BAM has committed to “reach its substantial completion date of 30 April”, after years of delays.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Labour Health Spokesperson, Marie Sherlock.

The 98th Academy Awards takes place in Los Angeles this Sunday, but who will be taking home the trophies? Will Jessie Buckley win Best Actress?Newstalk’s Henry McKean joins from Los Angeles to share what he’s been hearing from people like J.J. Abrams, and Brian Lloyd, Film Critic and host of the ‘Screenland’ podcast joins to share some predictions…

If you’re looking for something to do this St Patrick’s Day weekend, would you be willing to spend €100 for entry to a nightclub? Well, if you are, Dicey’s Garden will be charging exactly that on Saturday night!Joining Ciara to discuss is Jane Cowan, Columnist with the Irish Independent and Pricewill Aguele, Entertainment Officer at Technological University Dublin.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and David O’Callaghan from the Here and Back Again podcast joined Ciara and Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

On Sunday, President Catherine Connolly issued a statement describing the “violations of international law” that we are witnessing in the Middle East, drawing a slight rebuke from Government, who responded by stating that international affairs rest solely with them. But politicians, including those of Government parties, are beginning to toe a line closer to that of President Connolly than the Government, including Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews.He joins Ciara to discuss.

The Newstalk Changemaker Business Awards, in association with FBD Insurance, will take place on Wednesday, 20th May 2026 in The Round Room at The Mansion House, Dublin. Last year’s awards saw over 60 businesses from across Ireland compete for their chance to be crowned the best in their field across 9 categories, including Innovative Technology, sponsored by Skillnet.Is this year your year? Get to newstalk.com/changemaker and nominate your team or individual now.The closing date for entries is Friday, 20th March.Joining Shane and Ciara to discuss is last year’s winner of Newstalk’s Changemaker Award, Rena Maycock, CEO of Chirp.

Comedian and Writer Peter Flanagan joins Ciara and Shane for this week’s Thursday Interview!

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khameni, has issued his first public statement since taking over from his father. In the statement, which was read out on Iranian state television, Khamenei said the closure of the Straits of Hormuz should continue and that US bases should be attacked in the region. In a moment we will get the latest from the region as well as taking a deeper look at how Iran has been able to fight back.And after what the Supreme Leader said in his message earlier today, what actually are the military capabilities of Iran, and can they inflict significant harm to the US and Israel?Joining to discuss is Patrick Bury, Senior Security Lecturer at The University of Bath, former NATO Analyst and Army Officer and William Christou, Journalist writing for The Guardian in Beirut.Image: Reuters

The sale of spice bags trebled last year. As they continue to gain popularity: what makes a spice bag great?Joining Ciara and Shane to discuss is Saba's Paul Cadden...

Ireland exported almost €40 million worth of peat last year despite there being no known legal commercial peat extraction operation in the country.That’s according to The Irish Times Climate and Science Correspondent, Caroline Doherty, who joins Ciara to discuss.

Yesterday the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and the CEO of the HSE Bernard Gloster issued a formal apology to the family of Bryonny Sainsbury, who died after being crushed by a horse in 2021.The Minister and Mr Gloster acknowledged that the health system failed both Bryonny and her family.Bryonny’s parents, Alison and Chris, join Shane to discuss…

Ireland has been ranked third in the world for long commutes.Commuters in Ireland spend 9 days, 14 hours and 10 minutes a year driving to and from work on average, according to research carried out by Autotrader.One man who experiences commuter hell regularly is Johnny Fallon, Strategy Director with Carr Communications, who commutes to Dublin most days from Longford. He joins Shane to discuss.

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 and Shane to discuss how to travel with kids!

A study has proved that the long-debated phenomenon of 'baby brain' may actually cause a profound 'rewiring' process during pregnancy to prepare a woman for the demands of parenthood, with expectant mothers losing an average of nearly 5% of the brain's grey matter.But, how does this affect people and are the effects long term?Joining Ciara to discuss is Ollwyn Moran, Neuro Development Therapist & Founder of Cogni Kids.

The International Energy Agency said that today its member countries would unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves, the biggest release ever, to ease the impact of the Middle East war.For more on this, Shane is joined by Aoife Foley, Professor in Energy Systems and Chair in Net Zero Infrastructure at the University of Manchester.

In a request for tender, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it wants to secure the supply of 4,500 woolen scarves, each with what the department describes as a “distinctive and uniquely Irish artistic character” to give to European dignitaries when Ireland takes on the EU Presidency later this year.So, what is the symbol of Ireland?Joining Shane and Ciara to discuss is Darren Kennedy, Broadcaster and style expert.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Ciara to discuss Google’s 4th annual Growing Up in the Digital Age Summit. She had the opportunity to speak with Mindy Brooks, VP of Google Kids and Families and YouTube’s Global Head of Health Dr Garth Graham to talk all things online safety.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned of a long "war of attrition", as the conflict with the US and Israel continues…Joining Ciara to discuss is Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent with The Independent and Niall Stanage, White House Columnist at The Hill.Image: Reuters

A new tool which has been designed to show how long it would take for a first-time buyer to obtain a home in their locality, based on current building rates, has found that it would take more than 100 years in 18 of 166 electoral districts in the State.Joining Shane to discuss is Rob Cass, who co-designed the website onemillionhomes.ie showcasing these findings...

The UK government has lost its appeal over a terror charge against a member of the Irish language rap trio Kneecap.Newstalk Reporter Emily Keegan was in Belfast today speaking with Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, also known as Mo Chara, and joins Shane to give the latest updates.

A two day national conference on road safety has opened in Killarney with the central theme of safer roads. 185 people lost their lives on roads in the Republic of Ireland last year and 57 north of the border. So far this year, 32 have lost their lives in the Republic. So, with the rise in road deaths, are we framing this wrong? And should we be framing this as a public health emergency?Sinéad O’Sullivan is a Business Economist, and joins Ciara to discuss this and her website tracking road deaths.

“St Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s national day. It marks the feast of our patron saint and celebrates Irish history, Irish music and Irish culture. Everyone is welcome to celebrate with us. Ireland has always been welcoming.But the day should remain about Ireland. Turning St Patrick’s Day into a global ‘celebrate every culture’ festival misses the point. Every nation deserves one day each year that honours its own heritage. Ireland deserves the same.”That was a tweet by Ken O’Flynn, Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central. He joins Ciara to discuss.

New statistics from the CSO over recent years show that December and August were the most popular months chosen by couples to get married. Surprisingly, despite its traditional association with weddings, not one date in June featured in the top ten.So, what is it about December and August?Joining Shane and Ciara to discuss this is Sarah Kennedy, Wedding Expert with the Irish Wedding Blog.

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, as part of his 12 best cities in the world, Fionn joined Ciara and Shane to give the ultimate guide to his favourite city in the world, Palm Springs!

Managing Director of Asia Market and host of Eva Pau's Asian Kitchen on RTÉ Eva Pau has dedicated her life and career to making Asian cooking accessible for home cooks across Ireland and beyond.Eva arrived in Ireland with her mum and dad at only one month old. Her dad grew up in Guangzhou, China and her mum in Hong Kong. Spotting a major gap in the market for Asian products in Ireland, the couple opened the Asia Market on Drury St, Dublin 2, 43 years ago…Henry McKean joined Eva to try and make wontons, and sent in this report.

The second day of a civil case brought against former Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams was held at the High Court in London today. Plaintiffs have accused him of being directly responsible for the decisions made by the IRA to detonate bombs in England. Adams denies any role in the Provisional IRA.Joining Ciara with the latest is Mark Paul, London Correspondent with The Irish Times.

Off the Ball’s John Duggan joins Ciara and Shane from Cheltenham to discuss the races, and the buzz around the festival on day one.

Political Correspondent with Virgin Media and author Gavan Reilly joins Ciara and Shane to place his favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

While we hear about the many Irish citizens endeavouring to leave the United Arab Emirates, one family that appears to be in no rush to leave are the Kinahans. Marooned there following sanctions imposed by the United States, the family appear to be living their lives in the open, including a sighting at an MMA event last summer.Joining Shane to discuss this is Conor Lally, Crime and Security Editor with The Irish Times.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says today will be the "most intense" of the US strikes on Iran…For more on this, Shane is joined by Tara Kangarlou, Global Affairs Journalist and author of ‘The Heartbeat of Iran’.Image: Reuters

Groups set up on social media to swap supermarket’s money-off vouchers, such as Dunnes 10 off 50 are gaining popularity, but what is it about a good discount voucher that makes us love them so much?Joining Ciara to discuss the reason why is Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin.

A protest is being held on Wednesday March 18th outside the Dáil to protest the approval of plans for 140 apartments on the site of the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork.This comes after a vigil was held last Sunday at the gates of the former Mother and Baby Home in Cork.In 2021, the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes found that 923 babies associated with Bessborough died between 1922 and 1998, and burial records for only 64 of them were found…Noelle Brown is a campaigner, Bessborough survivor and Social Democrat Councilor for Kimmage-Rathmines, and she joins Shane to discuss.

On the station today, we’ve been hearing that drivers have left behind more than €300,000 at toll booths last year by driving away without their change when passing through a motorway plaza.With record numbers passing through our tolls, and with frustrations building at the levels of congestion, is the solution to build more roads?Joining Ciara to discuss is Brian Caufield, Professor in Transportation in the Dept of Civil Engineering at Trinity College Dublin.

Ireland is nowhere near meeting its retrofit targets, that's according to a new ESRI report out today.So why are people not retrofitting?For more on this, Shane is joined by Claire McManus, Director of JFOC Architects and Housing Spokesperson for the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland.

There are at least 30 people diagnosed with dementia every day in Ireland, with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland saying that there are 64,000 people living with dementia…Today at Croke Park, a new service was launched that focuses on reminiscence therapy.The Replay is a collection of commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh’s iconic broadcasts.Josh Crosbie went along to the launch, and he sent in this report.

Iran's Foreign Ministry has said at a news conference that there's currently no room for ceasefire talks; stating that as long as attacks continue, there is "no point to talk about anything but defence and retaliation against enemies".Tara Kangarlou, Global Affairs Journalist and author of ‘The Heartbeat of Iran’ joins Shane to discuss…

On Friday we heard from Helen Joyce, Author of Trans; gender identity & the new battle for women’s rights & Director of Advocacy at Sex Matters to discuss the Gender Recognition Act, among other issues.Joining Ciara to return to the discussion is Karen Sugrue, Sociology Lecturer, Psychotherapist and member of Mammies for Trans Rights.

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Ciara and Shane are joined by TJ Hegarty, Founder of Breakthrough Maths and TikTok star to discuss the importance of times tables and spelling are for when your kids are young, and how they are vital for later in life.

Gerry Adams was “directly responsible for and complicit” in the decisions made by the IRA to detonate bombs in England, the High Court in London has heard. Adams denies that he had any role in the Provisional IRA, and is opposing the claim.Joining Shane with the latest updates on the civil trial is Enda Brady, London-based Journalist.

You will have heard throughout the day and over the weekend about fuel prices continuing to rise at forecourts across the country. Oil surged to prices not seen since 2022 this morning, hitting just under $120 a barrel. The Irish Road Hauliers Association has said that these rising prices could force them to take protest action,  which would result in supply chain disruption and rising prices in shops. So, is it time for some form of government intervention on the price of fuel?Joining Ciara to debate is Malcolm Byrne, Fianna Fáil TD and Spokesperson on Climate, Environment and Energy and Mairéad Farrell, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

At our beaches and along our waterways you may be well familiar with the yellow boxes holding lifebuoys. What you may not be familiar with is the people across the country who ensure that each and every lifebuoy remains up to standard, and is replaced after any vandalism, which can unfortunately be a regular occurrence…Fergal Wyckham is a ring buoy inspector with Water Safety Ireland, and joins Shane to explain the work and what they encounter as part of it.

President Catherine Connolly has said recent attacks in the Middle East are “deliberate assaults on international law”.President Connolly made these remarks in a statement which marked International Women’s Day. Her comments have concerned some in Government that it might affect the Taoiseach visit to the White House for St Patrick's Day…Joining Ciara for more on this is John Lee, Group Political Editor with the Irish Daily Mail.

Housing Minister James Browne has confirmed that the Government will soon relax planning regulations to allow more people to build one-off homes in rural areas.For more on this, Shane is joined by Carol Tallon of the Property District…