The Hard Shoulder

The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting from The Seaport Hotel in Boston this week with thanks to Gateway to Europe. Joining Kieran to look at local stories for both the United States and at home (including incredible reactions stateside over the first American Pope) is Adrian Walker, Associate Editor and Columnist with the Boston Globe and Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Tech Correspondent. Image: Britannica

White smoke! Robert Prevost has been voted to be the next Pope following the two-day conclave. It’s a historical moment, as he is the first Pope to be from the United States. He will be Pope Leo XIV. To discuss and give updates as it happens live, Kieran is joined by Fr Iggy O’Donovan, Augustinian Priest who studied with the new Pope in Rome, Gina Menzies, Theologian and Lecturer in Medical Ethics...

Fitness technology company Whoop has announced the new iteration of its fitness tracker product: the Whoop 5.0. Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly, was at the launch for the product, and has also been using it for a week. She joins Kieran to discuss if it’s worth getting. Image: Whoop

For most of modern history, the global order has been solidly anchored by the US and Nato cooperation, but that era may be over, partly due to the US administration’s shift away from these trusted alliances. Thomas Berger, is a Professor of International Relations at Boston University and he joins Kieran to answer why this shift may have happened (with a small interruption as white smoke billows o...

The Dublin-based biotech company Nuritas, which uses AI to identify supplements and new drugs by developing bioactive peptides, is changing the pharmaceutical industry. Their CEO, Nora Khaldi joins Kieran in Boston to discuss.

The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting from The Seaport Hotel in Boston this week with thanks to Gateway to Europe. Joining Kieran to look at local stories for both the United States and at home (including Trump’s new trade deal with the UK) is Adrian Walker, Associate Editor and Columnist with the Boston Globe and Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Tech Correspondent. Image: Reuters

From Hill 16 hero to high-performance coach, Jason Sherlock’s story is anything but typical. He’s worn the blue of Dublin and the green of Ireland, but now works behind the scenes as the Director of Development with the DCU Educational Trust. Jason is here in Boston just like the Hard Shoulder with thanks to Ireland Gateway to Europe, and he joins Kieran for a chat.

The Irish Council for Social Housing has launched its Housing Association Activity Report for 2024, which showed that over 4,000 new social homes were provided. All this is happening while the Housing Minister is still trying to find someone to head up the Housing Activation Office. Joining Kieran to discuss is the Minister for Housing himself, James Browne.

Boston was once an escape for many Irish immigrants looking for a new opportunity, but those coming to the city now will find a place with sky-high rents, rising childcare costs and groceries bills to match. What are some of the factors to these increasing costs, and what is the result of those feeling the pinch? Mike Urban, Realtor and Host of the Mike Urban Show joins Kieran to discuss.

Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joins Kieran in Boston to discuss humanoid robots, and how by 2030, we might have them in our homes doing household chores, but the big players like Boston Dynamics and Tesla may have their plans impacted by tariffs. Image: Boston Dynamics

The senior leaders of the Catholic Church are meeting in conclave today to elect the next pope. All eyes will be on the chimney of the Sistine Chapel to see if the successor to Pope Francis will be elected... Kieran is joined in Boston by Fr James di Perri, of Our Lady's Parish, Waltham Massachusetts to discuss.

At the beginning of April, US President Donald Trump made the announcement of his much-threatened 25% tariffs on Canadian imports. Later in April, the rest of the world felt the brunt of Trump’s desire for tariffs, with the EU and Ireland being hit with a 20% tariff on imports to the US. Despite Trump’s dialing back for the sake of negotiations, is it time now to forge new relationships and for Ir...

Canada has been described as having one of the most liberal systems of assisted dying in the world, similar to that operating in the Netherlands and Belgium. It introduced 'Medical Aid in Dying’ in 2016, initially for terminally ill adults with a serious and incurable physical illness, which causes intolerable suffering. In 2021, the need to be terminally ill was removed, and in two years' time, t...

Ever wonder who keeps the rich and famous safe when they touch down in Ireland? Kieran’s guest doesn’t just know, he runs the show! Terry McElvaney is the Group CEO of Sentinel Risk and joins to discuss. Image: Sentinel Risk

Shannon Airport saw a significant increase in passenger numbers, with an estimated 53,000 passengers passing through over the Bank Holiday weekend. Joining Kieran in Toronto for a discussion on the airport and broader Irish tourism is Ray O’Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer of The Shannon Airport Group.

After 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States, how different does it feel from his first run in 2017? Kieran went out to ask local Bostonians for their thoughts, and joins Jerry McDermott, owner of McDermott Realty Associates and former Sheriff of Norfolk County to discuss.

The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting in Boston from the Seaport Hotel this week! With thanks to Gateway to Europe. Joining Kieran to discuss some of the stories of the day that are affecting people stateside and back home is Business Reporter for the Boston Globe Jon Chesto and Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent.

The Hard Shoulder is in Toronto, Canada today as part of Ireland Gateway to Europe. Kieran was able to escape the makeshift studio and found his way to visit William Peat from the Canada Ireland Foundation. They discuss the work being done at the foundation, and the strong history of Irish in Canada.

The annual Ireland: Gateway to Europe trip to the US and Canada is underway. In its 13th year, it comprises an annual trade mission of 50 business leaders and Irish media to key cities across North America. This year, the Hard Shoulder will be broadcasting from Toronto and Boston! Kieran is joined by Robert Mac Giolla Phadraig, CEO of Skillstack and Director of Ireland Gateway to Europe to discuss...

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney barely has had little time to find his seat in Ottawa’s post-election, and today he’s face-to-face with US President Donald Trump. It’s the first big test for the new Prime Minister as he promised to be tough on Trump in face of sweeping tariffs and annexation threats. Brian Lilley, Chief Political Columnist for the Toronto Sun and Tasha Kheiriddin, Canadian Pub...

Former RTÉ Newsreader and Journalist Eileen Dunne joins Kieran to place her favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris, will inform the Cabinet today that he plans to fast-track legislation to ratify the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). This comes at a time when global trade uncertainty intensifies due to the US’s new tariff policies. Joining Kieran to discuss this and more is Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe.

The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrated a 5-4 win in game one of the second-round series against the Florida Panthers last night. Joining Kieran to discuss this, and the role ice hockey plays in Canada is "The Voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs", Joe Bowen, who has broadcast over three thousand leaf games throughout the course of his career.

In something that might sound familiar to people in Ireland: almost half of Canadians are worried by housing affordability. Obviously, an issue that isn’t confined to one country. But with a new Government on the way, can the crisis be solved? Joining Kieran to discuss is Tim Hudak, Chief Executive with High-Impact Advocacy, Tony Irwin, CEO and Interim President of the Federation of Rental Housing...

The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting from Toronto, Canada in PJ O’Brien’s Pub, a place known to many of the Irish diaspora in the city. Joining Kieran to discuss some of the stories of the day that are affecting people here and back home is Joe Callaghan, Freelance Feature and Sports Writer and Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent.