The Hard Shoulder

Every week Kieran Cuddihy will be joined by writer and broadcaster, Keith Walsh and the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists..

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joined Kieran today to chat about alliums and Three Cornered Leeks…

How important is laughter to our general health and wellbeing?  Kieran was joined by Dr Sabina Brennan , Chartered Psychologist and Neuroscientist to discuss...

It is almost one year since Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch walked free from the Special Criminal Court after being acquitted of murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.   Next Wednesday marks the anniversary of Gerard Hutch’s acquittal and Paul Williams, Crime Journalist with the Irish Independent joined Kieran to discuss…

Off The Ball's Ger Gilroy joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

A Dublin pub has been getting a bit of flack online for its choice of name and shop front.   Biddy Mulligans Old Ale and Stale house, formally the Sackville Lounge, has been criticized online by Dubliners who feel the new signage and name is appealing to tourists which is a move away from its traditional pub roots.   Bobby Gainer Last operator of the Sackville Lounge and Roy Cu...

Kieran was joined by Michael McGrath, Minister for Finance and Fianna Fail TD for Cork South Central ahead of the Fianna Fáil Árd Fheis…

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s catch-up on the day's news.  Today, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Gerard Howlin  Public Affairs consultant and Irish Times columnist and Laura Donnelly, Bauer Media Group News Editor…

Today mark’s World Parkinson's Disease Day, an illness that effects more then 15,000 people in Ireland.   Kieran was joined by Shane O’Brien CEO of Parkinson's Ireland and Sinead O’Kane who was diagnosed at the age of 39...

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 week Simon brought a selection of wheat breakfasts cereals...

More than 1,600 students attended a road safety event in Co Mayo today. Frontline workers and survivors highlighted the impact road deaths can have at the AXA Road Safe Roadshow at the TF Royal Theatre. Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie spoke to the students and those taking part.

Jess Kelly, Newstalk Technology Correspondent joined Anton for the Tech Takeover. This week Jess looked at the crackdown on password sharing by Disney+...

It is setting up to be a bumper here for elections in Ireland but it is the same story here in the US with Trump and Biden set to battle it out for the US Presidency in November.   What are some of the issues which will play the most important part in this coming election cycle and what roadblocks lie ahead for the candidates? Kieran is joined by Niall Swan, an Irish Democrat in Austin,...

This is The Soapbox. Today, Kieran was joined by Sadhbh O’Neill, Senior climate advisor for Friends of the Earth to discuss why the electorate is now caring more for climate... Image: Sadhbh O’Neill

Mick Clifford, Special Correspondent The Irish Examiner joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss some of his favourite books...

Simon Harris was elected Taoiseach earlier this afternoon.  Kieran was joined by Political Editor with the Irish Independent, Philip Ryan, Fine Gael Justice Spokesperson and senator, Barry Ward and Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Matt Carthy...

This week there has been much talk of this new airport to be build in Arklow. Middle Eastern investors have secured 600 acres at the Wicklow site with plans to build the East Leinster International Airport    What other mad ideas have people tried to build in Ireland? Newstalk's Simon Tierney has been looking in to this and he joined Kieran to discuss...

Outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in his farewell speech made some interesting comments around Ireland’s defence strategy. But how prepared is Ireland for such an attack and is our Defence Forces up to scratch if needs be?   Kieran was joined by Conor King Lieutenant Colonel, and General Secretary of RACO and Patrick Bury, Senior Security lecturer at the University of Bath, former NATO analyst...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s catch-up on the day's news.  Today, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by John Lee, Executive Editor of the Irish Daily Mail and Stefanie Preissner, writer and broadcaster to discuss...

This is The Soapbox. Today, Kieran was joined by Shane O'Donoghue, Editor of CompleteCar.ie   to discuss why the rules of the road are important...

It's International Romani Day. Henry McKean met the Roma community up and down the country to find out about their culture...

This week in our Kid's Health Check, Lucy Perrem, Paediatric Respiratory Consultant with Children’s Health Ireland and Member of the Asthma Society of Ireland’s Medical Advisory Group joined Kieran to chat about asthma in children...

Today is Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s last day in the role.   Minister Simon Harris is set to take the hot seat tomorrow but what challenges lay ahead for the incoming Taoiseach  Kieran was joined by Alison O'Connor Columnist with Sunday Times and Broadcaster and Fionnan Sheahan Ireland Editor with the Irish Independent joins me now... 

The Dublin Fruit and Veg Market is set to reopen in August 2026 according to Dublin City Council chief executive Richard Shakespeare. The building has only been used since private events since 2018. Does Dublin need a commercial food market and how will it compare to those abroad?   Kieran was joined by Social Democrat TD, Gary Gannon and CEO of The Temple Bar Trading Company, Martin Harte......

Tomorrow is a seismic day for Ireland as Simon Harris gets set to take over as Taoiseach and if his speech at this past weekend’s Ard Fheis is anything to go by he is hoping to achieve big things in his short tenure.  He also spoke about law and order, health and  a lot more – however today marks Leo Varadkar’s last day as Taoiseach as he prepares to resign this evening. Today he wa...