The Hard Shoulder

According to the latest Children’s School Lives study, Junior infants are ‘over-prepared’ in numeracy and literacy. The study outlines emphasizing play-based learning for social and emotional development. Clara Maria Fiorentini, Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education, Literacy and Early Childhood Education in Marino, joined Emmet to discuss the inportance of play.

There was great excitement yesterday at Dublin Airport when the new North Runway officially opened, however the excitement was short lived as 24 hours on some residents are up in arms over the noise. Emmet was joined by Dean Mulligan, Independents for Change Councillor for the Fingal area and Adrian Kennedy, Broadcaster, to discuss the noise pollution brought on by the runway.

In November 2021, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly committed to enhancing the current Travel and Subsistence allowances for student nurses on their clinical placement by September 2022. As nursing placements start back this week, student nurses across Ireland are concerned as they are yet to see these allowances being implemented. Emmet was joined by Breeann, who is a student nurse and Roisin Shor...

Today marks 6 months since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Nadia Dobrianska fled Ukraine in March of this year and has since settled here. She joined Emmet to look back at the conflict and her new life in Ireland.

With holidays still in full swing, plenty of people will be doing their last minute shopping before the nights draw in and winter draws in. Emmet was joined by Laura Mullet, Fashion Expert for RSVP Magazine and Ireland AM to discuss if women still buy their partners clothes, or if that is a tradition that has fallen out of style.

Today marks 6 months since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, it fall's on the 24th August which is also Ukraine's Independence Day. Emmet was joined by Larysa Garesko Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland to mark the day.

The University of Texas at Austin will be offering students a chance to learn about Taylor Swift’s songwriting skills alongside classic literary greats like Shakespeare, Chaucer and Keats this Autumn. Emmet was joined by Deirdre Molumby, Film and TV Critic, to discuss what a Taylor Swift course might look like and if there are really enough fan's who would take it up.

Startling new worst -case scenario figures suggest almost 70 per cent of households face energy poverty. The figures paint a bleak picture as the summer draws to an end and Emmet was joined by Louise Bayliss, Spokesperson for SPARK and Verona Murphy Independent TD for Wexford, to give their reaction.

Kids are returning to school this week and there are thousands of families across the country waiting to hear if their children will have places on school buses. Caroline from Kilkenny, is a parent who is still waiting and she joined Emmet and Fine Gael Senator, Tim Lombard, to discuss how the wait is affecting parents across the country.

The Zutons will be playing at the Night and Day Festival in Roscommon, Craig Hughes is the political correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, and he joined Emmet to explain how he has teamed up with TG4 to launch the festival.

Aisling Larkin TV Chef and mindful eating coach joined Emmet to take a closer look at corn.

This week the Galway Rose, Clare Anne Irwin, spoke about her career change from teacher to undertaker. She discussed the family business and about how more and more people are coming in to plan their own funeral. Emmett was joined by David McGowan, of McGowan’s Funeral Directors in Ballina, who trained Clare and Brian Kennedy, to discuss end of life planning.

The world's largest and most powerful space telescope has revealed unprecedented views of the planet Jupiter. The James Webb Telescope captured images of the planet that astronomers say are unlike anything seen before, Emmet was joined by Leo Enright, Space Commentator and former member of the Board of Governors of the School of Cosmic Physics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, to discu...

The Rose of Tralee returned to TV screens on Monday night, much to the delight of fans across the country. Emmet Oliver was joined by Newstalk's Simon Tierney to look back at the history of the event.

The Teachers Union of Ireland yesterday announced that there is a severe teacher recruitment and retention problem in Ireland due to the cost of living crisis. Emmet was joined by Peter, a Dublin-based Secondary School Teacher who will be moving to Dubai and Sean Twomey, Principal of St Al’s College Secondary School in Carrigtohill to discuss the situation.

Even though we are coming to the end of summer, there is still time to get away with the family whether it’s before the school year starts, or a weekend break. Michelle Walsh Jackson is from thenoveltraveller.com, and she joined Kieran with recommendations, for those planning a family holiday.

Audrey Dalton is the daughter of Major General Emmet Dalton, who was with Michael Collins as he was killed, 100 years ago today. Audrey joined Lisa to mark the day and share the pride she has for her father.

Latest stats show Ireland ranking 40th out of 43 nations for access to fertility treatment. It comes as plans for legislation on the issue to be brought forward next month. Lisa was joined by Anne Marie Gillooley, who’s living in Dublinl Mary Wingfield, former Clinical Director Merrion Fertility Clinic and Katharina O’Cathair, Associate Professor of Health Law at the University of Copenhagan, to d...

Fans of Garth Brooks are being asked to pay more than €350 a month for a hotel room within walking distance of Croke Park when the country superstar plays his gigs next month. Dermott Jewell is Policy and Council Advisor for the Consumer Association of Ireland, and he joined Lisa, and Jim Waldron of the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, to discuss the impact of high priced large scale ev...

Pat Lawless a retired fisherman is set to sail around the world departing from France and joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show to discuss the event that he is due to take part in.

Off The Ball’s Ger Gilroy discusses all your sports news and talking points ahead of the weekend in sporting action.

Tinder celebrated its 10th birthday this week. After 10 years of online dating apps, has the dating landscape changed for the worse or for the better? Annie Lord, Vogue’s dating columnist and author of ‘Notes on Heartbreak’ joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show.

The cost of repairs on fire-safety defects at apartments in Park West Dublin first sold in the early 2000s, has risen from an estimated €5 million to €15 million. Residents were informed of this on Tuesday this week. Peter Byrne, an apartment owner at Park West, and Mick Clifford, Special Correspondent with the Irish Examiner joined Kieran uddihy on the show.

Harmful "forever chemicals" or PFAS, may not be forever anymore! New research from scientists at Northwestern University, claims, Chemists have identified how to destroy these "forever chemicals" in a low-cost way for the first time But what are PFAS and how are they harmful? Angela Ruttledge, Researcher and Policy Officer with VOICE Ireland joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show.

Nora Owen, the Grandniece of Michael Collins and the former Minister for Justice spoke to Kieran at Collins Barracks to mark the Michael Collins anniversary.