The Hard Shoulder

The funeral of Shane MacGowan has taken place in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. Fans from around the world travelled to pay their respects for the Pogues frontman. Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie was there to capture the atmosphere.

Off The Ball's Ger Gilroy joined Anton Savage on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action...

COP28 continued today and Sadhbh O’Neill, senior climate adviser for Friends of the Earth Ireland joined Anton to discuss...

There are record levels of respiratory syncytial (sin-seet-ee-al) virus (RSV) being recorded across the country. RSV mainly affects babies and is putting children’s hospitals under huge pressure.   Almost 1,000 cases of RSV were recorded last week, and almost 370 patients, most of them children, were hospitalised.   Dr Máire Finn, GP at Ennis Centric Health joined Anton to disc...

Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s new body for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services, and online media, and supporting media development, has opened a public consultation on its draft Online Safety Code for video-sharing platform services. Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly spoke to Niamh Hodnett, the Online Safety Commissioner about the new code today and she joined Anton Savage to d...

It’s the 8th of December and for many people of a certain vintage that can only mean one thing – it's Culchie Shopping Day! Rural Ireland’s annual pilgrimage to the big city for the Christmas shopping.  Anton Savage was joined by Columnist with the Farming Independent and Author of ‘Matters of Great Indifference’, Jim O’Brien and Comedian Katherine Lynch...    

The shops are filling up as Christmas shopping lists are being ticked off. Southern reg plates will be seen crossing the border in search of some bargains, while others are browsing online. Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie, has been looking at how shopping habits have changed around Christmas:

Today saw former Prime Minister Boris Johnson appear before the Covid-19 inquiry for a second day  Hard questioning brought out an emotion Johnson who insists “I do care and did care” about the pandemic and was not indifferent to it  Kieran was joined by Adam Boulton, political commentator to discuss...

Turkey and ham will be on the table for most dinner tables across the country this Christmas Day but for many Cork households there is another staple on the plate every Christmas – spiced beef.  And one man who is synonymous with this Cork dish is Tom Durcan from Durcan Meats in Cork's English Market, whose spiced beef has been recently named the best in Ireland.  Tom joined Kieran in st...

Buyers in Cork need a combined €100,000-plus in salary in order to buy a new house.  This goes up to over €120,000 if you go to Dublin. Is it harder to buy than ever, and why?  Kieran was joined by Brian McCarthy, Socialist Party councillor for Cork City North West and former Chair of the Fiscal Advisory Council and Lecturer in Economics at UCC, Seamus Coffey...

We have all reverted to checking out Doctor Google in recent years, but have we become cyberchondriacs?  Cyberchondria is defined as when searching the internet for medical information leads to extreme health anxiety.  For more on this Kieran was joined by Cork GP, Dr. Doireann O’Leary...

Yesterday we saw division in the Dail as TDs debated our immigration policies. The Rural independent TDs brought forward a motion looking for tighter rules  Leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns said that “Vulnerable asylum seekers are going to be freezing on our streets this Winter, and misinformation like this does nothing but put a target on their backs.”  Holly Cairns, TD for...

The Hard Shoulder was LIVE from Republic of Work in Cork today. To discuss some of the issues affecting the area and look at how Cork is performing as a city, Kieran was joined by Cáit Caden Business Reporter with the Irish Examiner, Tadhg Hickey, Comedian and Joe O’Shea, Editor of Cork Beo 

Beginning February 1, we will see a 15 cent levy added to every aluminium can or plastic bottle sold in Ireland. Customers will have to return their empties to the  'reverse vending machines’ to get their deposit back.   Kieran was joined by Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association and Ossian Smyth, Minister for Circular Economy to discuss...

Newstalk's own, Simon Tierney joined Kieran Cuddihy for the series 'The Shopping Trolley Hotline'. The series will give listeners pause when they’re filling their trolleys, to consider their options this festive season. This week Simon and Kieran put a variety of houmous to the test...

A private members motion was up for debate this morning in the Dáil by Rural Independent TDs on immigration.   This will be the first time in the Dáil’s history that a debate on immigration concerns was held.   Kieran was joined by Michael Healy Rae, Independent TD for Kerry and Aodhan O’Riordan, TD and Labour Party’s Education spokesperson... 

Taylor Swift has been named Time Magazine Person of the Year 2023.  She beat out tough competition for the accolade shaking off Barbie, King Charles and Vladimir Putin. She even out did the Trump prosecutors.   Newstalk’s Own Sean Reidy joined Kieran to discuss...

The government has today announced that four new special schools are to open to provide more places for students with special educational needs.  The schools will be located in the South Kildare area, Enfield in Meath, Limerick City, and Gorey in Wexford.  Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Josepha Madigan joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder...

With so much of the world revolving and spread out across social media, we’re taking a look back on the Year On TikTok 2023. Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie, has been checking who done has been growing their followers on the platform this year and what have been the most popular trends.

Beginning February 1, we will see a 15 cent levy added to every aluminium can or plastic bottle sold in Ireland. Customers will have to return their empties to the  'reverse vending machines’ to get their deposit back.   Kieran was joined Colin O’Byrne, Project manager at VOICE, Alan O’Reilly, from Carlow Weather and Seamus Boland, CEO of Irish Rural Link. 

Every week for Tuesday Travel 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 Kieran to give him tips for a trip to Koh Samui and Chiang Mai...

Sinn Fein has tabled a motion of no confidence for the Minister of Justice Helen McEntee.  Pressure has been mounting on the Justice Minister since the riots, with Mary Lou McDonald describing Minister McEntee’s position as no longer tenable.   Kieran was joined by Sean O’Regan, Newstalk Reporter and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Education & Skills.... 

Toll charges are set to increase from January 1st 2024.   The M50 toll charge is set to increase by 40 cent based on your type of vehicle where on national roads could see increases by 50 cent.  Kieran was joined by Sean O'Neill Director of Communications with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Michael Collins, Independent TD... 

Alex de Koning, spokesperson for British Environment group, Just Stop Oil will be speaking at a SciCom event tomorrow at the Aviva Stadium at a conference that focuses on the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.  Alex de Koning joined Kieran on The Hard Shoudler this afternoon...

The Government has today confirmed plans to hold referendums on constitutional references to family and care in March 2024.  The proposed referendums will be held on International Women's Day on 8 March would broaden the definition of family beyond marriage in the constitution.  Kieran was joined by Senator and Chair of the Green Party Pauline O’Reilly and David Quinn, the head of the Io...