The Hard Shoulder

The 13th of April celebrates Scrabble Day. Alfred Mosher Butts, the man who invented Scrabble, was born 93 years ago. Since Covid the rise in popularity of all board games has been significant. Kieran was joined by 2011 All Ireland Scrabble Champion, Fergal Weatherhead, Cathy Maguire from Bray Board Gaming Club and Ruth Roberts owner of Coggs game shop in Stephens Green Shopping Centre to dicuss.....

RTÉ dropped the broadcast of the Angelus to continue coverage of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Ireland, yesterday evening. The Angelus is usually broadcast at 6pm just prior to the broadcaster’s flagship news programme. Is it time the naitonal broadcaster got rid of the Angelus from it's daily broadcast? Kieran was joined by Jillian Brennan, CEO of Humanist Association of Ireland and Independe...

The INTO have condemned the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association for their remarks on teaching transgender issues in primary schools. In a letter sent to Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman the CPSMA said that teaching school children about "what it means to be trans" would generate "unnecessary divisions in school communities". Kieran was joined by Eric Nelligan, Aontú Spokesperson...

Yesterday, US President Joe Biden visited Co Louth and met with business owners and took a tour of a Carlingford Castle. Today, he visited President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin and watched juvenile hurling too. This evening, he will address TDs and Senators in Dáil Éireann. But, is the way we approach the presidential visit is all a bit twee? Kieran was joined by John O’Brennan, Politi...

Irish Rail has received complaints in relation to rowdiness on specifically marked "quiet carriages'' on the Dublin to Cork service. The initiative was launched in November last year to improve journeys for people with sensory issues and overall customer experience. Kieran was joined by Ken O’Flynn Independent Councillor in Cork City and Brianna Parkins, Irish Times Columnist and Broadcaster to di...

Sarina Bellissimo, host of The Bellissimo Files Podcast joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to take a look at some of the teen movies that took the leap from the big screen to the stage...

Yesterday on The Hard Shoulder, Kieran spoked to Linda, a mother who was highlighting the long waiting lists for a range disability services in Ireland and the impact this was having on families. For more on this, Kieran was joined by Fine Gael Senator, Mary Seery Kearney and Keith Enright, CEO of ASD Ireland...

Newstalk's own, Simon Tierney joined Kieran again for the series 'The Shopping Trolley Hotline'. The series will give listeners pause when they’re filling their trolleys, to consider their options. This week Simon and Kieran looked as some of the different kitchen rolls on our shelves...

Today, the FAI have jointly submitted along with UK Football Associations their final bid to host Euro 2028. The bid has caused some backlash as the FAI has chosen the Aviva Stadium as the host venue as opposed to the significantly higher capacity Croke Park. Kieran was joined by Sean Kelly, Fine Gael MEP and Newstalk Breakfast presenter Shane Coleman to discuss...

President Biden has arrived in the Republic and is now making his way to Dundalk in Co Louth. Newstalk reporter Josh Crosbie is on the ground there and he joins us live to tell us about the atmosphere.

Better Maternity Care campaigners are calling for less restrictions on partner and sibling access in the hospital's maternity services around Ireland. During the pandemic, partners were banned from appointments in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in clinical settings - and to this day, visitors are restricted to one 'designated support partner'. Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Bet...

Today, U.S. President Joe Biden was welcomed to Northern Ireland by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today as he flew in for his visit to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. However, the DUP haven’t been as keen on the visit. Kieran was joined by Sammy Wilson MP and Chief Whip for the DUP to discuss…

Today The FAI has confirmed that along with UK football associations, they have jointly submitted their final bid to host Euro 2028. If the bid is successful Games will be played on the Island in the Aviva and a renovated Casement Park in Belfast. Kieran was joined by Thomas Byrne, Minister for Sport and Physical Education  to discuss…

Every week, Tuesday Travel on The Hard Shoulder with thanks to Emirates, will take a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations Emirates fly to around the world. This week, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Fionn Davenport, travel writer and broadcaster to take a look at the city that never sleeps, New York...

Pop icon Taylor Swift has announced that she has split with her long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn. The breakup has got us thinking what are the greatest breakup songs of all time? Joining Kieran to discuss was Today FM presenter Louise Cantillon

We’re into week two of the Easter Holidays, and I’m sure many of you have done all the ‘make and do’ you can possibly do, so how about something different to keep the kids entertained? Kieran's guest Jungle Dave takes his Educational Reptile Zoo on the road and has brought some of his friendly critters to the studio today.

With today's spoiler online on the TV show Succession, we ask the question: is it ever ok to spoil a movie or TV show for someone? And in a world of social media rife with spoilers online from the minute it appears on screen, can we not avoid them anymore? Joined Kieran was Newstalk's own John Fardy and pop culture and entertainment expert Deirdre Molumby.

If you have ever travelled by Train in the UK or mainland Europe, you will notice Digital tickets have become the norm. Here in Ireland, physical proof of a ticket remains the only option. With users having to go to the ticket desk or print tickets bought online at station printers. Here to talk about his frustrating experience with Irish Rail and their outdated Ticket System is Writer and Broadca...

We received an email from a parent who feels let down by our government, and getting her autistic child the help he needs. It is a particularly upsetting email, when you read through the amount of time and energy, she, her husband and other families have put into campaigning for their children. Linda Whitmarsh joined Kieran today. She is the parent of two young children, and along with her husband...

Loneliness is as detrimental to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That’s according to the National Institute of Aging. The comments come as a recent study by AXA found more than half of men and women have felt lonely in the past month. Joined Kieran is Stella O’Malley psychotherapist and author of ‘What Your Teen Is Trying To Tell You’.

Stephen Donnelly has ruled out subsidised housing for healthcare workers. We were joined by David Cullinane, Sinn Feins health spokesperson and Dr. Rory Hearne Assistant Professor of Social Policy at Maynooth University to ask if minister was right to rule this out.

Easter is a time where we indulge ourselves with chocolate eggs and alcohol leading us to often forgetting what the real significance of the holiday is. Here to explain to us the importance and meaning of Easter is Father Brain D’Arcy.

As you’ll no doubt be aware, it’s 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, and the impact of that agreement has been felt in the North, in the South and throughout the world. Enda McNulty is a former Armagh footballer, and Managing Director of McNulty Performance. He grew up in the midst of the Troubles, and was playing for Armagh at the time the Agreement was signed. He joined Kie...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a digital twin? Today's show's guest, Roger Highfield has explored just that in his new book Virtual You: How Building Your Digital Twin Will Revolutionize Medicine and Change Your Life.

Pre-tax profits at the main Irish subsidiary of iPhone maker, Apple last year increased by 2pc to over 63 billion euro. The figures recorded by the Cork based Apple Operations International Ltd and subsidiaries equate to daily pre-tax profits of over 170 million euro for the 12 months to the end of September 24th 2022. It begs the question - should we be collecting more tax from the likes of Apple...