The Hard Shoulder

It’s Wish Week here on Newstalk, and we are highlighting the incredible work Make-A-Wish does in helping create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses… Ciara and Shane are joined by Shane Minto, who has spina bifida, and his mother Yvonne Minto who had a special wish granted by Make-a-Wish. Let’s make 2026 the biggest Wish Week yet. Every cent matters. Donate online at makeawish...

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Ciara and Shane are joined by Dr Suzanne Crowe, Consultant in Pediatric Intensive Care Crumlin to discuss how common it is for your child to pick up an illness when returning to school, and how to handle them.

Blindness, stroke or even death can result from receiving aesthetic treatments from unqualified practitioners, doctors warn. This is following a huge surge of illegal dermal fillers being seized over the past five years. Joining Ciara to discuss this is Isabel Haugh, Dermatologist with Dr. Haugh Dermatology & Aesthetics.

A package of energy supports was agreed to last night for the haulage and agriculture sector, following almost a full week of disruption across our road and transport networks. But, did the government act quick enough when it came to getting a handle on the protests and delivering a package of supports? Joining Shane to discuss is Fianna Fáil’s Niall Collins, Minister of State at the Department of...

The NHS have released data showing that in 2025 there were 100 admissions to English hospitals due to “contact with or from the toxic effect of spiders”. This is up from 47 in 2015, with much of this being attributed to the “false widow spider”. We in Ireland have also seen an uptick in the presence of this venomous spider in recent years… So, is there any reason to worry? Joining Ciara to discuss...

The ‌United Kingdom Maritime ‌Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency has been informed that maritime access ‌restrictions ‌are being enforced affecting Iranian ⁠ports and coastal areas, including ‌locations along the Gulf, Gulf of Oman, ⁠and ⁠Strait of Hormuz. This came into effect from 3pm (Irish time). This comes after this weekend's peace talks ended without a deal. Joining Shane to discuss is Fawaz G...

Celebrations continue in Holywood, Down, home to now back-to-back Masters Champion Rory McIlroy. Newstalk Reporter Sarah Madden spoke to excited locals to find out how they feel about the Holywood's golfing hero and Brian Keogh, Golf Writer with Irish Independent joins Ciara from Augusta to discuss the win. Image: Reuters

The Fianna Fáil parliamentary has been meeting this afternoon following last night’s announcement of a package of support for the haulage and agricultural sectors. What has the response been, and what are the full details of this package? Joining Shane to discuss is Newstalk’s Political Correspondent Seán Defoe and Ger Hyland, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association.

This week, Ciara and Shane were joined by the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis and Saoirse Hanley, Columnist with the Irish Independent, to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

The crew of the Artemis II are due to splash down after their historic lunar flyby. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are set to splash down in the Pacific off San Diego at 1.07am GMT, after voyaging further from Earth than anyone before… So, what does it feel like to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and splash down? Colonel Chris Hadfield, former Astronaut and best-sell...

Water cremation, also known as resomation, may be the future of cremation, while also being better for the environment. But, how does the process work? Joining Shane and Ciara to discuss is Elizabeth Oakes, Founder of Pure Reflections, a resomarium based in Navan, County Meath.

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

Despite the hopes of those involved in the blockades, no protest leaders were invited to talks today between the IFA, the Hauliers Association and Taoiseach Michael Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris. James Geoghegan, Spokesperson for the Fuels Protest, joins Ciara to discuss.

As blockades continue around the country and people have begun panic buying petrol, concerns have been raised about what these protests will mean for Ireland’s fuel supplies… Joining Shane to discuss is CEO of Fuels for Ireland, Kevin McPartlan.

Today, Newbridge Silverware have closed their factory doors, bringing to an end 92 years of making silver-plated cutlery. Have we stopped investing in fine silverware, and if so: why? Tara O’Connor from the Design Table joins Ciara and Shane to discuss.

Earlier today, Shane was joined by Taoiseach Michéal Martin to discuss the current state of the fuel protests, what could come from the meetings happening, and when we could return to a sense of normalcy…

David O’Callaghan from the Here and Back Again podcast and Dee Reddy, Podcaster and Cultural Commentator joined Ciara and Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

Whether it’s a light bulb moment in the shower, to a eureka moment on the loo, why do we do our best thinking in the bathroom? Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin joins Ciara and Shane to discuss!

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

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae joins Shane to discuss the current situation with the national fuel protest…

Protesters are continuing to block fuel sites this afternoon in Cork, Limerick and Galway as fuel price protests are on day three. Ciara and Shane are joined by Newstalk Reporters across the country to hear the situation on the ground, and are joined to discuss by Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association and Richard O’Donoghue is an Independent Ireland TD for Lime...

A campaign calling for postnatal care to be extended for up to a year for new mothers, with a focus on regular check-ups, mental health screenings and access to physical recovery services. Maternal health advocate and Founder of the ‘Year of Care Campaign, Aolish Gormley, joins Ciara to discuss…

The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, and the CEO of the HSE, Anne O’Connor, have called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear for emergency service access, for medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work and treat their patients. The Minister joins Ciara to discuss…

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, joins Ciara and Shane to discuss today’s national fuel protest, as well as whether or not we should introduce nuclear energy production to the country.

The Artemis II astronauts are returning home after conducting a historic lunar fly-by, which took them further from Earth than any humans have ever been. For more on what’s to come, Shane is joined by Space Commentator, Leo Enright… Image: NASA