The Hard Shoulder

Walking around any supermarket today, it's hard not to notice the buzz words aimed at enticing us to buy, but has protein infiltrated that market now too? From oats to milk and now even protein water, has it become to current generations, what fat free was to those who lived through the 90s? Joining Ciara to discuss this is Shelly Gray, Today FM Presenter and Registered Dietitian.

How big is the clamping industry in Ireland? Figures from the National Transport Authority show that almost 143,000 vehicles were clamped last year. Have you ever been clamped unfairly, and do we really need clamping? Newstalk’s Chief Reporter Barry Whyte has been looking into the industry, and joins Shane to discuss.

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

Some cancer care, including up to 30% of chemotherapy, could be delivered outside of hospitals from next year, according to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The change could see patients access blood tests and other care in local clinics instead of travelling long distances to large hospitals. Joining Ciara to discuss this is Professor Seamus O’Reilly, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Co...

Rural counties now outperform urban ones for availability of the highest-speed broadband, according to a new league table published by telecoms regulator ComReg. Joining Shane to discuss this is Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor with the Irish Times.

Two senior officials have stepped down from the Reform party in the UK after a Channel 4 investigation claimed that Reform took funding from a US firm for advertisements. It’s the latest in a growing line of scandals for the party, and its leader Nigel Farage, said today that they have broken no laws and takes donor compliance "very seriously”. Joining Ciara with the latest is former Political Edi...

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

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien joins Ciara in studio to discuss new E-scooter regulations and transport fare hikes…

It might not be easy to admit it, but we all certainly experience jealousy, especially when we see a friend of ours killing it in life. So, is it ever okay to feel that way? Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with The Irish Independent, has been writing about this and joins Shane to discuss.

After a long and trailblazing career, Katie Taylor will close this chapter of her life with her final fight in Croke Park tomorrow. From growing up in Bray, County Wicklow to winning Olympic gold and becoming one of Ireland’s most decorated and beloved athletes, it’s set to be among the biggest ever nights for Irish sport. Someone who followed Katie throughout her career, former Sports Broadcaster...

This morning news broke that a 12-year-old boy was pronounced dead after a collision between a train and a car in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo yesterday evening. The father of the boy, a man in his forties, was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The family are heavily involved in the local GAA club, and joining Ciara to discuss is Chairman of Ballyhaunis GAA and LGFA club, William Nest...

Today in the headlines you would have heard that the squeezed middle is again bearing the brunt of high costs. This time in property being overvalued by 17%, according to the ESRI. Henry McKean has been looking into this, and joins Ciara to discuss.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and John Fardy, Presenter of Screentime on Newstalk joined Ciara and Shane to review the latest TV and movie releases…

The Orange Order has announced plans for a "limited" parade at Drumcree, one of the most contentious parade routes in Northern Ireland. It said the plans had been scaled back and it hoped the parade would be allowed along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road. Instead of 400 people and two bands taking part, only 60 members would march along the road in Portadown in silence on Sunday, September 27t...

The latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board were published today, and they show that rents have risen significantly across the country, with new tenants paying an average of €326 more per month than sitting tenants this year. However, the figures also found that evictions have gone down 42.9% in the last three months since the rental reforms were introduced in March. Joining Ciara to d...

College is just around the corner for many, or even beginning now. So, when you leave the nest for the first time, how should you handle cooking and cleaning - when it may have been your parents doing it all for you before? Newstalk’s Dylan Hand has been putting together the ultimate college survival guide, and joins Shane to discuss!

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

From today on, Brazilian beef is banned from entering the EU, as it is not compliant with EU food safety standards. Earlier this week, the EU commission said Brazil has failed to provide sufficient guarantees that its exports meet EU standards aimed at preventing the misuse of antibiotics in livestock farming. Joining Ciara to discuss this is Adam Woods, Irish Farmers Journal Editor.

US President Donald Trump will visit Áras an Uachtaráin to meet President Catherine Connolly next week, despite tensions between the pair earlier this year. But, what can we expect to see happen during this visit? Joining Shane to discuss this is Paul Johnston, former Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ireland.

Mortgage brokers have reported a new trend of parents selling their houses to their adult children to get them on the property ladder, but what happens when there is more than one child in the family? Family wills are notorious for causing conflict among siblings, especially when it comes to what happens to the family home or the farm or the business after someone dies… Joining Ciara to discuss ho...

El Niño, a pattern of changing ocean temperatures and wind patterns in the tropical Pacific that happens every few years, is expected to fuel extreme weather into early next year, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organisation. Joining Shane to discuss is Oisín Coughlan, Policy Advisor to the environmental pillar.

The UK Green Party Leader Zack Polanski has announced that he intends to stand in the by-election for Keir Starmer’s constituency, Holborn and St Pancras. Lucy Fisher, Whitehall Editor at the Financial Times, joins Ciara to discuss.

Bus and train fares for adults will increase by an average of 15% from January, the NTA confirmed today. Joining Shane to discuss this is Fejlin Jose, Green Party Councillor and Shane Moynihan, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community.

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 you should brush your teeth effectively!

We often hear about how acne can trouble teenagers and young people, but developing acne as an adult is more common than you might think. In fact, it can affect up to a fifth of adult men and 35% of adult women. Joining Ciara to discuss how best to manage adult acne is Professor Caitriona Ryan, Dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatology.