The Hard Shoulder

Change is on the way to Ireland’s electoral system is due to be revealed this Wednesday which could be set to be one of the most radical overhauls of the system in generations.    Our political correspondent Sean Defoe has the details... 

Eoghan Corry, Travel and Aviation journalist and Editor of Air and Travel Magazine joined Kieran to discuss the cancellation of flights from Irish airports following problems with Air Traffic Control in Britain.

David Quinn, in his article in the Sunday Independent yesterday, questioned if Down Syndrome was disappearing from the world.    David details that because of ever more sophisticated screening tests, conditions such as Down syndrome can be detected in the womb at ever earlier stages of pregnancy. David stated that in almost every case where the condition is detected, the baby is aborted....

Fine Gael TD Colm Burke has been calling for the age limit to buy tobacco to be raised to 21 years of age. He wants the change in order to help Ireland meet its public health target of a less-than-5 percent smoking rate by 2025.  John Mallon, spokesperson for Forest Ireland and Professor Des Cox is chair of the Policy Group on Tobacco at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and Consulta...

“I feel like Chicken tonight! Chicken tonight!” What autumn dinners did your hard-working parents serve up night after night growing up? And what did they make for your packed lunch? Newstalk reporter Henry McKean joined Kieran Cuddihy on the show...

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joined Kieran today to back to school lunches...

More than 40,000 international visitors have descended on Dublin for an American football game on Saturday. Notre Dame will take on Navy at the Aviva Stadium in an event that is thought to be worth more than 140 million euro to the Irish economy. Tours and accommodation are booked out with US tourists enjoying what’s on offer. Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie has been meeting with them to see what...

Access to the HPV vaccine is being expanded to include young men aged 21 and under.  That vaccine is named after Laura Brennan, who campaigned for higher uptake of the vaccine, and her father Larry joined Kieran to discuss...

Leaving Certificate results will be available from Friday morning, with first round CAO offers out next Wednesday. To discuss grade inflation and Leaving Cert reform, Kieran was joined by Eric Nelligan, Assistant Principal at St Munchins College Limerick and Aontú spokesperson on education alongside John Walshe, Former Advisor to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn...

Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins has suggested a streamlining of the process for licenses for taxi drivers to help tackle the ongoing shortage in Dublin City and around the country.   Kieran was joined by Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins, Jim Waldron, spokesperson for the National Private Hire and Taxi Association and Kieran Harte, General Manager for Uber…

The fallout is continuing in Russia from the apparent death of the head of the Wagner Group and orchestrator of an attempted coup in June Yegveny Prigozhin.    Prigozhin was listed as a passenger of the private jet which crashed 185 miles north of Moscow.    For more on this, Kieran was joined by General Richard Barrons, former head of the UK’s joint forces command & leadin...

Ahead of Leaving Cert Results being announced tomorrow, there have been calls that we should have harsher grading for the Leaving Cert.    Calls have been made by some universities that post-pandemic measures for students have led to grade inflation which has been attributed to high dropout rates for first year students.    Carl O’Brien, Education Editor with Irish Times joined...

There was lots of reaction on the show yesterday to the new Fair City, Fergal, who was introduced last Sunday. He seems to be a conspiracy theorist with views that lean to the right.   Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Killian O’Sullivan, director and producer, and former actor on Fair City to discuss...

Earlier this week, Mary Earps, the goalie for the English Women’s team was criticised for swearing in a moment of passion during the World Cup final. She was called disgusting and un-ladylike.    In 2023, is swearing still frowned upon and seen as unladylike if a woman swears?    Kieran was joined by Holly Carpenter, Former model and social media influencer and Michelle Harding...

Yesterday we saw the UK's first-ever succesful womb transplant. It was hailed by doctors as 'dawn of new era' in fertility treatment.    The recipient's sister, who already has children, donated her womb to her younger sibling, who was born without a uterus.    Kieran was joined by Dr. Peter Boylan, former master of the National Maternity Hospital...

Over 100 public houses have closed their doors permanently so far this year.    That number is expected to increase by the end of the year, as an average of 152 pubs have closed annually since 2019.    Kieran was joined by Adrienne McCarthy, owner of McCarthy Bar is Castletown Bere in West Cork and Independent TD for Tipperary, Mattie McGrath...

Kieran Cuddihy went to Powerscourt Hotel in Wicklow to meet with the legendary journalist and broadcaster, Charlie Bird and his wife Claire, who is looking to help raising funds for Together for Hospice, the National Hospice Movement.     Anyone or any businesses can register now to host a coffee morning on September 21, or on a date that suits them, at hospicecoffeemorning.ie or ca...

A new survey out today says four in five Gen Zs, aged between 9 and 24, rate it as the ultimate decade. But is it? Henry McKean went to find out what people think...

The space race is back!    India has today become the first country to land in the lunar south pole region of the moon.    The Vikram lander from Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down just after half 12 today making India just the fourth country to reach the moon.    Space Commentator Leo Enright joined Kieran to discuss...

Business owners in Dublin City have been meeting with senior Gardaí today to discuss tackling crime.    It is because of concerns about an increase in shop-lifting, aggression and anti-social behaviour.    Kieran was joined by Alan Campbell is the owner of The Bankers Bar and former Assistant Garda Commissioner, Pat Leahy to discuss...

Fergal, the newest addition to the cast of Fair City, a conspiracy theorist believes that the pandemic was planned to aid the banks and 'the country is full.'    John McGuirk, editor of Gript and Stefanie Preissner, writer and broadcaster joined Kieran to discuss...  Image: RTÉ

Every week for Tuesday Travel on The Hard Shoulder we take a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world. This week, travel journalist, Nicola Brady joined Kieran to give him tips for a trip to the Beehive State, Utah...

Have you seen noticed an increase in the use of recreational drugs like cocaine? The use of the drug has been suggested to be commonplace and cocaine use in society is 'mind-blowing.' That’s according to Rory O’Connor of Rory’s Stories who joined Kieran to discuss...

Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Fine Gael Senator, Regina Doherty, and Socialist Party TD for Cork North Central, Mick Barry. Continuing the series, ‘Common Ground’, they will debate some of the biggest, most divisive topics around. The series continued with a debate on 'Could we use our Garda force better?'

One of the UK’s most prolific serial killers Lucy Letby was sentenced to 14 whole life sentences for the murder of 7 babies however she was not in court for the sentencing or to hear any of the victim impact statements. And indeed, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has suggested the UK will potentially change the law to compel those found guilty to be in court to hear the statements when they are read...