The Hard Shoulder

Ciara Doherty was joined by  Holocaust Survivor, Stephen Kapos and by Jonathan Folwer, from UNWRA, to discuss the ongoing situation in Gaza

As the Justice Minister, Jim O Callaghan, gets approval for Jennie’s Law, which seeks the establishment of a Domestic Violence Register. Ciara Doherty is joined by  Dr Caroline Forde, member of the Domestic Violence Advocacy Service, and by David Hall Former CEO of Sonas Domestic Abuse Charity for reaction.

Since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there have been many calls for support and aid. The latest comes from Irish citizen and Ukraine native, Luba Healy, who is set to journey to the region later this year. Ciara Doherty spoke to Luba on the Hard Shoulder about her journey.

As a man is charged with sexual assault of 10 year old girl, Ciara Doherty is joined by Conor Lally, Crime and Security Editor for The Irish Times with the latest update.  

Following the launch of new bus connects services in recent days across Dublin, several commuters in the Finglas area feel the issues they are facing are more than just teething problems with the routes, urging the NTA to review the rollout immediately.   Ciara Doherty was joined by Brian Caulfield,  Professor of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin and by Finglas residen...

With Halloween next week, you may have heard of an increase in fireworks and bangers in your area, but how do you ensure your pets are protected during these weeks? Ciara Doherty was joined by Pete Wedderburn to discuss this.

Reports are suggesting that police are facing a race against time to recover priceless objects stolen by thieves in a heist at the Louvre museum in Paris. The world-famous museum was forced to close yesterday, and remained closed today after thieves accessed a gallery containing the French Crown Jewels at around 9.30am local time. CBS Correspondent for Paris, Elaine Cobbe, joins Ciara Doherty with...

The European Union Court of Justice ruled last week that pets can be considered as baggage. This was in response to a case where an airline lost a dog, and paid out €5,000 in compensation to the owner. To discuss this, Ciara is joined by Co-Founder of My Lovely Horse Rescue, Martina Hickey and Eoghan Corry, Travel and Aviation Journalist at TravelExtra.ie .

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Ciara Doherty is joined by Aoife Lee, Parenting Coach at ParentSupport.ie , to discuss how you can handle bedtime anxiety with your children.

Yesterday evening, Fine Gael posted a video on its X account where it questions Catherine Connolly’s previous career as a Barrister. Titled ‘Catherine Connolly’s hypocrisy’, the video shows some of Connolly’s Dáil dealings when working on housing and the banks in a legal capacity. Many in opposition have criticised this type of video and type of politics… Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Louse...

Figures from TUSLA show that it inquired into less than one-in-five referrals it received about child welfare issues in parts of Dublin earlier this year. What does this say about the system? And, what needs to change? Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrats TD for Wicklow and Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection.

Penguin and Club bars can no longer be described as chocolate biscuits as they contain more types of oils than cocoa. So, what is really chocolate? And how can people know if what they’re buying isn’t actually chocolate? Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Chocolate Expert, Shobitha Ramadasan.

Breege Quinn, the mother of Paul Quinn, a 21-year-old man who was murdered in County Monaghan, is appealing for “justice” on the 18th anniversary of his death… She joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Co-Creator and star of the hit Netflix TV series ‘Adolescence’, Stephen Graham, has launched a new project asking fathers to write letters to their sons about what it means to be a man, to form a book about masculinity. Due to technology, Stephen Graham says “There is arguably an even bigger disconnect between fathers and sons than ever before.” Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Comedian an...

This week, Jonathan Healy was joined by the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis and Saoirse Hanley, Feature Writer with the Irish Independent to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

While the show is broadcasting from Croke Park, it would be remiss for Jonathan not to visit their GAA Museum! He’s joined by Tour Guide Gerry McGarry to get the VIP treatment and see what’s on show!

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joins Jonathan Healy to discuss how you can mix up the classic roast dinner!

Off The Ball's Eoin Sheahan joined Jonathan Healy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action. Bernard Jackman, former Leinster and Ireland international also joins to discuss the upcoming Leinster and Munster match.

The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting from Croke Park, and while we are looking ahead to tomorrow’s Leinster vs Munster game this weekend, we also should discuss Ireland’s historic Six Nations win over England in 2007! Joining Jonathan Healy to discuss is Shane Byrne, former Ireland Player and Ryle Nugent, who was Commentator on the day...

Jonathan Healy is joined in Croke Park by the most capped player in Ireland’s Women’s Rugby History, a Hall of Famer, and currently the Head of Women’s strategy with the IRFU, Lynne Cantwell to discuss her current role and more.

We talk a lot in this country about the culture around underage drinking in this country, as kids become teenagers, invites to house parties become more common. These parties often have a drinking element, either with or without the parents’ knowledge… But, do they put parents in an awkward position, and is underage drinking a bit of an inevitably in our culture? Joining Jonathan Healy from Croke...

John Fardy, Presenter of Screentime on Newstalk and Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast joined Ciara Doherty on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

Claims have been made against Prince Andrew in a posthumous memoir of sex-trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre wrote that, on Epstein’s Island, the Prince believed having sex with her “was his birthright”... Mark Paul, London Correspondent for the Irish Times joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

The Arts Council currently does not recognise Comedy as an artform, which means comedians receive no funding as result. However, the Comedy Amendment Bill is going to the Dáil on October 23rd to try and change this. Comedian Ailish McCarthy has been campaigning on this issue for many years, and joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Former Ireland International and two-time Six Nations winner Fiona Hayes joins Ciara Doherty for this week’s Thursday Interview!