The Hard Shoulder

“Thirty years on, I can relate to the annoyance that the parents and older people of nineties Ireland must have felt when ‘My So-Called Life’ and the 1995 film ‘Clueless’ breached our shores with the ‘like’ phenomenon. Except this time, it’s ‘bro’.” So, says Emer McLysaght in her recent article in The Journal. But, what importance does slang hold in our vocabulary? Joining Shane to discuss this is...

Due to increasing violence onboard buses which sees bus drivers being spat at and verbally and physically assaulted, many bus drivers have no choice but to leave their jobs. Figures from Bus Éireann show 654 incidents of antisocial behaviour on its vehicles in 2025, which is 5% increase on the previous year. Thomas O’Connor, Assistant General Secretary with the National Bus and Rail Union, joins S...

Cape Verde’s World Cup dream came to an end on Friday night as Argentina edged past them, but that was far from the only sporting drama over the weekend! Joining Shane to discuss what happened and what’s coming up tonight is Ben Symes, Off The Ball’s Football Correspondent.

Over the weekend, five people lost their lives due to collisions on our roads. The number of road deaths has soared by 11% this year when compared to the same period in 2025, but Offaly is the only county in the country that has managed to avoid any road deaths so far this year… Joe Wynne, Driving Instructor from Wynne’s School of Motoring in Tullamore and Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy and Chairpers...

This week, Ciara was joined by Off The Ball's Ger Gilroy and Freelance Journalist Niamh O’Reilly to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists...

Tomorrow, the 4th of July, America is celebrating its 250th birthday, for which the U.S. government will host two marquee events on opposite coasts of the country. One of which being as Trump calls it “The most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all”... For more on this, Ciara is joined by David Smith, Washington Bureau Chief with The Guardian.

If you haven’t heard of NeeDoh yet, chances are you’re about to, as these unassuming-looking fidgets are the latest craze to take over the toy world… There have been plenty of trends over the years from Furbies and Fidget Spinners to Tickle Me Elmo, but what crazes have lived longest in our memory? Joining Ciara to discuss this is Ruth Roberts, owner of Cogs Toys & Games.

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

The wedding of the century starts tonight at midnight Irish Time, 7pm New York time. Taylor Swift will today marry Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden, with 1,000 stars and family to be in attendance. Top secrecy around this wedding has made it difficult for the press to be accurate, so a vacuum has been created, but this only encouraged Henry McKean, who joins Ciara to discuss from the Big Appl...

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has said he is "not for turning" on reforms to the criminal legal aid system, despite pressure from solicitors as services continue to be withdrawn from the District Court. To discuss this further I am joined by a solicitor from Maguire McNeice solicitors in Bray, Mark Maguire.

This week, Lily Allen performed her ‘West End Girl’ tour at Dublin's Three Arena, debuting her no-holds-barred revenge album discussing the breakdown of her marriage to David Harbour. So, what makes a good revenge album? Joining Ciara to discuss is Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with the Irish Independent.

Three men have been found not guilty of murdering journalist Lyra McKee in Derry in 2019. Joining Ciara to discuss is Susan McKay, Journalist, Author and friend of Lyra McKee.

Ask yourself a question: what cars fill Irish roads now? The answer is quite clear, SUVs, everywhere! Fewer small cars, saloons and hatchbacks are being bought, but why? Joining Ciara to discuss is Paddy Comyn, Head of Automotive Content and Communications with DoneDeal Cars.

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

Summer is in full swing and with that comes the holidays! So, why do we overspend when we are on our holidays? Joining Shane and Ciara to discuss is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Brendan Kelly.

Today, new research was published on the prevalence and impact of gender-based violence experienced by women TDs and Senators. Its stark findings from Women for Election found over 96% of female TDs and Senators have experienced threats of violence online… Fianna Fáil Senator Alison Comyn is Chair of the Irish Parliamentary Women's Caucus and launched this research today. She joins Shane to discus...

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 week’s action…

Aviation leaders have warned of delays of “up to five hours” at EU borders this summer due to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), with no signs the EC is considering relaxing its rules. Eoghan Corry, Editor of TravelExtra.ie , joins Shane to discuss.

A €10m pilot scrappage scheme to encourage motorists to buy an electric vehicle opened up for applications yesterday was fully subscribed within one hour. The scheme funds around 2,000 cars and works by making a €5,000 grant available to replace petrol and diesel cars that are 13 years old or older with EVs. That is in addition to the existing €3,500 SEAI grant. The scheme was introduced by Minist...

A study of 2,000 people has found that 27% enjoy apple slices with cheddar cheese, while 18% of people love chips and milkshakes. So, what are the strangest food combinations? JP McMahon, Chef, Restaurateur & Author joins Shane to discuss.

A People Before Profit Bill to ban hare coursing, the controversial activity of letting muzzled dogs chase hares before they are released, is being debated in the Dáil today before a vote on Wednesday, with Government parties enforcing a whip on TDs. But, as TDs were recently allowed a free vote on relaxing abortion laws, some TDS are calling for a non-whipped vote again. One such TD is Jennifer W...

Significant inheritance tax changes are being considered by the Government for budget 2027, but should they be? Some argue the current system is discriminatory to those without children, while others say a change to current thresholds is essentially a tax cut for the wealthy. Joining Shane to discuss is Green Party Councillor and Party Finance Spokesperson, Michael Pidgeon and Wexford Councillor M...

It has been announced today that on-the-spot fines for littering will increase from €150 to €250 from the 1st of September. Despite litter levels dropping, the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System found that pedestrians are the most likely to litter. But, are the Irish public the problem, or is it a global issue? Joining Ciara to discuss is Brian Gaynor, Freelance Journalist based in Japan,...

Did you know that today is World UFO Day? A day that invites enthusiasts and skeptics alike to cast their gaze skyward. But, what do you think: are aliens real? Are they up there above the clouds whizzing about in flying saucers, or are we right to be skeptical? Joining Ciara to discuss is Leo Enright, Space Commentator.

Life can be full of confusing things, but no need to worry! Every Wednesday, Simon Tierney will be showing you ‘How to do Stuff’ - bringing his best tips for those things you might not think about. This week, Simon joins Ciara and Shane to discuss how to name a baby!