The Hard Shoulder

Activist group Teachers for Palestine announced on social media a two week campaign between 29th of April to the 10th of May in order to bring awareness to events in Gaza.  Alan Shatter has raised concerns about teaching kids in schools about the war in Gaza on X earlier today. Speaking with Kieran about the topic is Ian O’Doherty, columnist with the Irish Independent and Conall O’Dufaigh, me...

The GRA annual conference kicks off this evening but Justice Minister, Helen McEntee will not be in attendance along with Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris.   Will Fine Gael be able to keep up their reputation of ‘the law and order party’ if they won't face rank and file Gardai?  That's the question from Kieran’s guest: crime journalist, Paul Williams.

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s catch-up on the day's news.  Today, Kieran was joined by David Hall, CEO of iCare Housing and CEO of Lifeline Services, and Niam O’Reilly, freelance journalist.

The annual Ireland: Gateway to Europe trip to the US is underway. Now in its 12th year, it comprises an annual trade mission of 50 business leaders and Irish media to key cities across North America – this year, it’s Atlanta, Austin and Boston and Kieran Cuddihy has travelled along with them. Today Kieran is in Boston and joined by Adie McGennis, Executive Chairman of Sigmar Recruitment and one of...

Three different Irish people now living in Boston joined Kieran on the show to talk about why they left Ireland and how they're faring abroad. They are: musician Colm O'Brien, Tom Cahill, owner of the Chieftan Pub and Robbie Croft, Games Development Personnel for Boston GAA.

Taylor Swift’s latest album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ was released in the early hours of this morning. She sent Swifties into a frenzy when she announced 15 extra tracks... Here to review the album is Boston’s Greatest Swifte, Emily Bresnahan! 

Kieran has escaped the makeshift studio in Boston Massachusetts to check out Legal Sea Foods' Harborside location, after being told so many times to try a buttery lobster roll. He talks to CEO Matt King about the business. Jess Kelly also joins him to overcome her fear of seafood, hopefully.

The annual Ireland: Gateway to Europe trip to the US is underway. Now in its 12th year, it comprises an annual trade mission of 50 business leaders and Irish media to key cities across North America – this year, it’s Atlanta, Austin and Boston and Kieran Cuddihy has travelled along with them. Today Kieran is in Boston and joined by Robert Mac Giolla Phadraig, CEO of Skillstack and Director of Irel...

The Boston Duck tour will feel very familiar for everyone in Dublin! And it's one of the most recommended things to do. Joining Kieran to talk about the attraction is Boston Duck Tours' Director of Marketing & Sales Tom Vigna.

The Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, also known as NOAH, is a non profit community development organisation that aims to provide affordable housing in Boston.  Kieran is joined by the Executive Director of NOAH, Philip Giffee. 

Many Irish who left the shores of the island found themselves here in Boston.   One such man was Sligo man Tom Stenson who founded the Eire Pub in 1963, an Irish pub which has hosted many well-known Irish faces and politicians.    Tom’s son, John Stenson the owner of Eire Pub, joins Kieran to discuss the history of the establishment.

The Hard Shoulder is live in Boston which has the largest Brain Bank in the world.   Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center researches the long-term consequences of repetitive brain trauma in athletes.   Joining Kieran is Daniel Daneshvar, Chief of Brain Rehabilitation in Harvard Medical School to discuss.

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s catch-up on the day's news.  Today, Kieran was joined in Boston by Gayla Cawley, City Hall reporter for the Boston Herald and Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent and presenter of Tech Talk.

The annual Ireland: Gateway to Europe trip to the US is underway. Now in its 12th year, it comprises an annual trade mission of 50 business leaders and Irish media to key cities across North America – this year, it’s Atlanta, Austin and Boston and Kieran Cuddihy has travelled along with them. Today Kieran is in Boston and joined by Audrey Carney, Director with The HR Company, Angela O’Grady, Co-Fo...

The Dropkick Murphys will be playing live at The Iveagh Gardens in Dublin on the 7th of July   Now, we couldn’t come all the way to Boston and not feature the band Dropkick Murphys! So, Kieran is delighted to be joined by Ken Casey, singer and bassist with Dropkick Murphys.

The annual Ireland: Gateway to Europe trip to the US is underway. Now in its 12th year, it comprises an annual trade mission of 50 business leaders and Irish media to key cities across North America – this year, it’s Atlanta, Austin and Boston and Kieran Cuddihy has travelled along with them. Today Kieran is joined by Dublin GAA legend and now Director of Development with DCU's Educational Trust.

More and more Americans are finding themselves in financial debt when needing to avail of healthcare procedures.   This has resulted in many questions being raised around medical care in the US and if more needs to be done to improve the accessibility and affordability of health care.   Mardge Cohen from the Physicians for a National Health Program, joins Kieran to discuss.

The annual Ireland: Gateway to Europe trip to the US is underway. Now in its 12th year, it comprises an annual trade mission of 50 business leaders and Irish media to key cities across North America – this year, it’s Atlanta, Austin and Boston and Kieran Cuddihy has travelled along with them. Today Kieran is joined by three very impressive people, and all for very different reasons.  Tony War...

It would be remiss of us during our time here in the US not to speak with some members of the indigenous community.   Many of the issues facing these communities from language loss and identity from colonisation will be felt for many back home with our own history.   Amy Bruton, Bluemel Award-winning Native American Storyteller and Dr. Aaron Pyle from the Indigenous Cultures In...

Kieran has escaped the studio for a bit in Austin Texas to experience its famous barbeque! He talks to Matt from Terry Black’s BBQ to talk about the process. Kieran is also joined by Newstalk’s Jess Kelly and producer Peadar to try as much as possible! Image: @terryblacks_bbq on Instagram

Jess Kelly, Newstalk Technology Correspondent joined Kieran in Austin for the Tech Takeover. This week Jess looked at the Marcos Cervantes, who is a real-life Q, just like in James Bond as well as eSIMs, and how they can make travelling less of a hassle.

Now we are here in Austin with Ireland Gateway to Europe – today the group has been hearing from many of the multinationals here in Austin who also have a presence in Ireland.  One of those companies at the event is NFP, which is a leading global provider of benefits, insurance and wealth management services.  Ed O'Malley, Head of Insurance Brokerage and Consulting, NFP joins Kieran to d...

Fox news in Austin has reported several anti-Semitic incidents on University of Texas campus over the weekend. This comes after concerns that anti-Semitism is on the rise after Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th.  Joining Kieran is Mariette Hummel, Co-Founder of ATX Kind, a group of Jewish mothers working against anti-Semitism in Austin.

We’ve been comparing Texas to Ireland a lot here on this trip but how does the housing market compare to that here in Austin?   Joining Kieran is Housing Reporter with NPR in Austin, Audrey McGlinchey. 

It is setting up to be a bumper here for elections in Ireland but it is the same story here in the US with Trump and Biden set to battle it out for the US Presidency in November.   What are some of the issues which will play the most important part in this coming election cycle and what roadblocks lie ahead for the candidates? Kieran is joined by Niall Swan, an Irish Democrat in Austin,...