Podcasts · Society & Culture

The Hard Shoulder

Newstalk

300 episodes

The Hard Shoulder Podcast with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman is your essential drivetime companion—bringing fresh perspective and energy to your drive home.

More about the show

CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and entertainment

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Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. A week of protests at Leinster House - Bairbre Holmes Reports

    · 7:49

    Leinster House is a place of routine and repetition. Strict timetables and rules govern life inside and how much airtime deputies and senators get in their chambers. But outside on Kildare St, anyone can have their…

  2. How to do Stuff: Trick or Treating!

    · 8:49

    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…

  3. Government increases An Post’s Statutory Borrowing Limit - why?

    · 8:03

    The Government has today approved the drafting of legislation to increase An Post’s Statutory Borrowing Limit, from its current level of just under €75m to €620m. This is the first such increase since it was…

  4. Tech Takeover: Anthropic prepare to go public

    · 11 min

    For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, joins Ciara who exactly Anthropic are as a company as they prepare to go public...

  5. Sport with John Duggan: James McClean leaves Derry City

    · 8:52

    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 weekend’s action…

  6. Israel election polls - the results so far

    · 6:13

    Benjamin Netanyahu won the support of an unexpectedly clear majority of Israeli Jews in an election billed as a major turning point in his nation’s history, apparently ensuring he will survive as Prime Minister at…

  7. Sinn Féin sets out citizenship reform proposals

    · 12 min

    Sinn Féin has proposed increasing standard residency to eight years and the implementation of basic language competency, as an alternative to the Government’s proposals on citizenship. Joining me now is Matt Carthy,…

  8. Train crash in Spain - what we know

    · 6:07

    The local government in Spain have confirmed at least 64 people have been killed and dozens seriously injured in a high-speed train crash south of the Spanish capital, Madrid. This comes after another train crash on…

  9. What happened in Ireland’s last witch trial?

    · 11 min

    Dr Marie Cassidy, former State Pathologist, is part of ‘Dr Marie Cassidy Investigates Ireland’s Last Witch Trial’, a new documentary exploring the 1711 trial of eight women accused of witchcraft, which premieres on RTÉ…

  10. Rolling Stone names top 200 rock songs of the century!

    · 8:35

    Rolling Stone has named this century’s 200 greatest rock songs with two Irish bands making the cut: U2's Beautiful Day comes in at number 22, while Fontaines D.C.’s Starburster takes 61st place. However, there is…

  11. How close is your home to a high frequency bus service?

    · 12 min

    New figures from the Central Statistics Office reveal that eight in ten households are located within two kilometres of a bus stop while almost seven in ten are near a high frequency bus service. Joining Ciara to…

  12. Diet advice - what should you actually follow?

    · 12 min

    When it comes to our diet, we seem to be constantly bombarded with evolving nutritional advice, from new fads and trends to ultra-processed foods and superfoods. How do we cut through the noise and know who or what to…

  13. Midnight launch for new ‘romantasy’ novel - Ciara Treacy Reports

    · 6:35

    Book lovers flocked to Chapters Bookstore in Dublin last night for a sold-out midnight release party for the latest edition of the global phenomenon 'romantasy' series, ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’. Newstalk's Ciara…

  14. What are the common misconceptions about epilepsy?

    · 9:20

    Kelly Earley, columnist at The Journal and co-host of podcast ‘For Tech's Sake’, like many of us thought she had a fair understanding of what epilepsy was; that is until she was recently diagnosed with it. Since then,…

  15. New Oxfam report reveals greenhouse gas emissions of top 0.1%

    · 6:25

    The richest 0.1% of the world’s population produces more greenhouse gas emissions than the poorest 44% combined, according to a new report from Oxfam. Joining Shane to discuss this is Sadhbh O’Neill, Climate and…

  16. The Bookshelf with Lindsey Fitzharris

    · 9:47

    Lindsey Fitzharris, American author and Medical Historian joins Shane to place her favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

  17. INMO reports dangerous overcrowding with 777 patients without a bed

    · 8:44

    There are 777 admitted patients without a bed in hospitals around the country, according to figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. Today's figure marks the second highest number of patients waiting…

  18. Consumer watchdog reminds retailers to have clear pricing for paper bags

    · 6:58

    Retailers across Ireland have been reminded by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to clearly display prices for paper bags. The CCPC has written to retailers around the country to remind them they must…

  19. Israel elections take place today - where do things stand now?

    · 9:05

    Millions of Israelis are heading to the polls today to vote in a pivotal election. For the first time since the October 7th attacks, voters are choosing a government in the shadow of the Gaza war, a conflict that has…

  20. Is ‘Mé Féinism’ ruining society as we know it?

    · 8:26

    There was an interesting piece by Justine McCarthy in The Irish Times last week in which she argues the more we tolerate ‘Mé Féinism’ the less likely we are to treat each other as human beings... Be it cyclists on…

  21. LED lights and issues with driving attitudes - what is going on?

    · 10 min

    Drivers are being warned about the dangers of increasingly bright vehicle headlights. Separately, 3,500 speeding fines, 146 drink or drug driving arrests, 300 caught driving with mobile phones all occurred over the…

  22. New CSO paper shows how inflation impacts different households

    · 8:44

    The Central Statistics Office (CSO) published a paper today on how it estimates the inflation rate affects different types of households in Ireland depending on age, household composition, income, and other…

  23. Does remote work impact productivity?

    · 12 min

    A forthcoming study by the National Economic and Social Council is expected to conclude there's no clear-cut evidence about the impact of remote and hybrid employment arrangements on productivity in the workplace… But…

  24. Looking ahead to the Israeli election

    · 15 min

    Israelis go to the polls tomorrow for the first time in 4 years in what is anticipated to be one of their most consequential elections ever. Polls suggest that Gadi Eisenkot, the former head of the IDF, is currently…

  25. U.S. elections: what to expect

    · 10 min

    Election season is in full swing at the moment, having just had elections in Brazil and Serbia, and with an election due in Israel tomorrow. But one of the most important elections this year will happen next week in…

  26. Breast Cancer Awareness Month: how to manage the news

    · 15 min

    Every year around 3,600 women in Ireland, and around 30 men, are told they have breast cancer. But when the treatment ends and hospital appointments stop, the questions don’t, and neither does the impact on the people…

  27. Dublin Marathon: How to recover

    · 9:58

    If you were one of the thousands who crossed the finish line in the Dublin Marathon yesterday, you may be sitting there this morning with legs that don’t want to work, and wondering what comes next. The months of…

  28. Winners and Sinners

    · 28 min

    This week, Ciara and Shane were joined by Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill and presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis, to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists...

  29. Rex Ryan on his new show ‘The Witness’

    · 13 min

    Rex Ryan, Founder of Glass Mask Theatre joins Ciara to discuss his new show ‘The Witness’!

  30. John Simpson on 60 years with the BBC

    · 7:56

    John Simpson, BBC World Affairs Editor, joins Shane to reflect on his career after recently celebrating 60 years with the BBC!

  31. Sport with John Duggan: Michael Carrick fights for Man United position

    · 10 min

    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 weekend’s action…

  32. Why has DUP MP Carla Lockhart resigned?

    · 6:14

    DUP MP Carla Lockhart has resigned as a party officer amid a deepening row with the leadership over the future of Stormont. Lockhart’s move comes amid a difference of opinion between her and DUP leader Gavin Robinson…

  33. Should you use plug in solar panels?

    · 5:17

    A Government-ordered report has approved the introduction of plug-in solar panel technology. But what are plug-in solar panels, and what makes them unique? Lisa Ryan, Professor of Energy Economics at UCD, joins Ciara…

  34. Halloween Kidstalk! - Henry McKean Reports

    · 7:30

    Halloween is a week away, but today was the last day before the kids break up for midterm. Henry McKean sent this special Halloween Kidstalk from Balbriggan in North County Dublin.

  35. French protests and ongoing terror probe - latest updates

    · 9:37

    A shooting has taken place, and a terror probe is underway after one person was killed and four others injured in a drive-by shooting in a Paris suburb. For more on this, Shane is joined by Henry Samuel, Paris…

  36. Another storm set to arrive - what to know about Storm Boelo

    · 5:07

    As one storm passes, another is set to arrive! Met Éireann has issued Status Orange weather warnings, which are due to come into effect tomorrow, as Storm Boelo arrives. Joining Ciara to explain what this means for…

  37. Remembering Dónal Lunny

    · 15 min

    Dónal Lunny, the pioneering Irish traditional musician, has died at the age of 79. A central figure in folk and traditional music since the 1960s, he was a founding member of a number of bands, including Planxty,…

  38. Movies and TV: Clayface, Klara and the Sun, Nobody Wants This

    · 17 min

    Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Film Reviewer Ken Doran joined Ciara and Seán to review the latest TV and movie releases…

  39. What is this PHP issue taking websites offline?

    · 7:16

    Websites across the globe have gone offline over the last day following the exposure of critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language that underpins much of the internet. The exposed flaw would have allowed…

  40. Why do we engage in celebrity worship?

    · 12 min

    Why do we put celebrities on a pedestal? We trust their judgement from political opinions to healthcare tips minus the medical degree. We are inclined to take their word as gospel… Joining Ciara and Seán to discuss is…

  41. Charity being investigated amid money-laundering allegations

    · 6:31

    Conor Lally, Crime and Security Correspondent with The Irish Times joins Seán Defoe with the latest on a charity at the centre of an investigation amid money-laundering allegations, following the seizure of BMWs, Louis…

  42. Sport with John Duggan: Leinster make changes after injuries

    · 7:19

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

  43. Were you offended by this ‘We Consent’ campaign ad?

    · 12 min

    The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has taken down three online video ads related to its 'We Consent' campaign, following criticism of one ad in particular. The ad shows grandparents going to give their teenage…

  44. Should Airbnb guests be expected to clean up after themselves?

    · 8:36

    Airbnb has introduced new rules limiting what hosts can ask guests to do before checking out. From washing the dishes to stripping the beds, guests have often been left with a list of chores to complete before they can…

  45. Are people being served properly in emergency departments?

    · 8:29

    New figures from the HSE show that more than 70,000 people did not wait, or left before completing their treatment, in emergency departments during the first seven months of this year. Chairperson of the Oireachtas…

  46. What is the role of a parish priest in modern Ireland?

    · 9:18

    In some of the loneliest moments of our lives, we trust in the wisdom of a priest, born of years spent attending scenes of human devastation. So writes Kathy Sheridan in The Irish Times. But, Ireland has changed…

  47. What can we expect from Storm Austen?

    · 9:47

    Met Éireann has issued a number of status-orange weather warnings for intense rain and wind from around 7pm Thursday evening, continuing into Friday morning. Local authorities are preparing for flooding as heavy…

  48. Backstage at the Cork Jazz Festival! - Henry McKean Reports

    · 7:05

    The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is now in its 48th year with Boney M headlining. It's 5 days of music, 500 musicians and 100,000 revellers. Henry McKean went backstage to soak up the atmosphere and sent in this report.

  49. How to do Stuff: Watching horror movies

    · 11 min

    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…

  50. Results of a UN Emissions Gap report described as “sobering”

    · 9:26

    A UN report has shown that global temperatures are set to rise far in excess of the 1.5% threshold pledged in the Paris Agreement. Emissions from oil, gas & coal rose globally again last year as countries failed to…

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