The Hard Shoulder

The Ultimate Guide: Halloween in IrelandEvery week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world.This week, Fionn joined Ciara and Shane to give his ultimate guide to celebrating Halloween, or Samhain, in Ireland!

Just how big does a security operation need to be when a US President visits Ireland, especially when that person is Donald Trump? And, how much does it cost?Joining Ciara to discuss is Declan Power, Security and Defence Analyst.

We have all heard of the issue of derelict houses, but they are not the only empty buildings in this country. The latest figures show that one in seven commercial units are empty.Newstalk Reporter Bairbre Holmes has been looking into this, and joins Shane to discuss.

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister of State Neale Richmond has said there is an “appeal” to reform the current inheritance tax to boost what people can receive.He stated that the reform is needed because the current model does not reflect modern families.For more on this, Shane is joined by Financial Advisor and Analyst, Karl Deeter...

Nora Owen, former Minister for Justice, joins Ciara to place her favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Twelve countries including Britain, Canada and France have said they would put sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, after increasing attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages in the occupied territory.Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden also plan to limit trade with the settlements, the nations' foreign ministers said in a joint statement.For more on this, Shane is joined by Vincent McAviney, London-based Journalist and Bobby McDonagh, former Ambassador to the European Union and the UK.

Coimisiún na Meán are commencing an investigation into the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, under the Online Safety Code. What does this mean, and what exactly is the platform being investigated for?Joining Ciara to discuss is Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor with The Irish Independent.

PING! A mes­sage on your phone from your part­ner. What do you anti­cip­ate? A request for your ETA for din­ner, or a kiss-strewn ‘can’t wait to see you – let’s go to our favour­ite Italian?’Joining Shane is Divorce Lawyer Sheela Macintosh-Stewart, who argues she can tell if your mar­riage is on the rocks by read­ing the last ten texts between you and your partner.

An international study shows Irish 15-year-olds outperform their EU counterparts when it comes to reading, and perform strongly in Science and Maths.The report from the 2025 study concludes that Irish students are first for reading, third for science, and fourth for mathematics out of 27 EU countries.Joining Ciara to react to this is TJ Hegarty, maths teacher and Founder of BreakthroughMaths.ie and Conor Murphy, English teacher in Skibbereen Community School.

(Spoilers for last night’s episode of The Traitors Ireland ahead!)Páraic, who was banished last night as a Traitor, joins Ciara and Shane to share his experience in the castle!

New research by Aviva Insurance has found that almost 75% of drivers in Ireland support using technology that tracks driving behaviour for new and young motorists, but should telematics be extended to all drivers?Joining Ciara to discuss is Alan Behan, Product and Underwriting Manager at Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC.

The US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff travelled to Ukraine for the first time yesterday for talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an attempt to end the war with Russia.Russia has since said they do not rule out fresh talks with Washington and Kyiv on the Ukraine war, but it has been reported that Kyiv air raid alerts are at a record high as Russia launches round-the-clock strikes…For more on this, Ciara is joined by Professor of Politics at DCU, Donnacha Ó Beacháin...

The price of Netflix’s monthly subscription is set to increase in the coming weeks, with the platform’s ‘standard’ plan, which previously cost €16.99 for Irish customers, to now cost €18.99…But, how can you get the best value for money for your subscriptions if you have multiple?Joining Ciara to discuss is Darragh Cassidy of Bonkers.ie.

Earlier this year we heard that the DublinBikes bicycle-hire scheme, operated by advertising company JCDecaux, is to be discontinued by Dublin City Council after 18 years.With a new scheme being proposed by Dublin City Council, what ideally would the new scheme need to improve cycling in Dublin?Joining Shane to discuss is Michael Pidgeon, Green Party Councillor for Dublin Southwest Inner City.

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Ciara is joined by Dr Anne Keogh, Clinical Psychologist, to discuss how to broach the topic of food and eating habits with your child without causing body image issues.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party surged to a resounding victory in the Saxony-Anhalt regional election yesterday.Right-leaning and anti-immigration parties around Europe will be buoyed by this result, but will it make any difference to Europe's policy if more elections show similar results?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Shona Murray, Europe Correspondent with Euronews.

People seeking Irish citizenship would have to be resident in the country for eight years, as well as undertake language testing and be required to be economically self-sufficient under a proposed overhaul of Ireland’s naturalisation system expected to go to Cabinet this week…Joining Shane for more on this is the Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy.

(Spoilers ahead!)Off the back of the latest episode of The Traitors Ireland, Ciara is joined by Saoirse, who was murdered by The Traitors and Fionnuala, who was banished, to share their experiences of the show!

US Republicans will gather in Texas this week for a two-day convention dubbed ‘Trumpapalooza’ by organisers.The convention is an unusual midterm experiment, designed to rally voters around Trump’s record as the party faces increasingly grim forecasts for elections that could cost it control of Congress…Joining Shane to discuss this is Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer with University of Galway and Columnist with the Journal.

Walking around any supermarket today, it's hard not to notice the buzz words aimed at enticing us to buy, but has protein infiltrated that market now too?From oats to milk and now even protein water, has it become to current generations, what fat free was to those who lived through the 90s?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Shelly Gray, Today FM Presenter and Registered Dietitian.

How big is the clamping industry in Ireland? Figures from the National Transport Authority show that almost 143,000 vehicles were clamped last year. Have you ever been clamped unfairly, and do we really need clamping?Newstalk’s Chief Reporter Barry Whyte has been looking into the industry, and joins Shane to discuss.

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...

Some cancer care, including up to 30% of chemotherapy, could be delivered outside of hospitals from next year, according to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.The change could see patients access blood tests and other care in local clinics instead of travelling long distances to large hospitals.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Professor Seamus O’Reilly, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Cork University Hospital.

Rural counties now outperform urban ones for availability of the highest-speed broadband, according to a new league table published by telecoms regulator ComReg.Joining Shane to discuss this is Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor with the Irish Times.

Two senior officials have stepped down from the Reform party in the UK after a Channel 4 investigation claimed that Reform took funding from a US firm for advertisements.It’s the latest in a growing line of scandals for the party, and its leader Nigel Farage, said today that they have broken no laws and takes donor compliance "very seriously”.Joining Ciara with the latest is former Political Editor of the Times of London, Phillip Webster.

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

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien joins Ciara in studio to discuss new E-scooter regulations and transport fare hikes…

It might not be easy to admit it, but we all certainly experience jealousy, especially when we see a friend of ours killing it in life. So, is it ever okay to feel that way?Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with The Irish Independent, has been writing about this and joins Shane to discuss.

After a long and trailblazing career, Katie Taylor will close this chapter of her life with her final fight in Croke Park tomorrow.From growing up in Bray, County Wicklow to winning Olympic gold and becoming one of Ireland’s most decorated and beloved athletes, it’s set to be among the biggest ever nights for Irish sport.Someone who followed Katie throughout her career, former Sports Broadcaster and the first female head coach of a Professional Irish men’s football team Lisa Fallon, joins Shane to discuss her career ahead of the bout.

This morning news broke that a 12-year-old boy was pronounced dead after a collision between a train and a car in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo yesterday evening.The father of the boy, a man in his forties, was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.The family are heavily involved in the local GAA club, and joining Ciara to discuss is Chairman of Ballyhaunis GAA and LGFA club, William Nestor.

Today in the headlines you would have heard that the squeezed middle is again bearing the brunt of high costs. This time in property being overvalued by 17%, according to the ESRI.Henry McKean has been looking into this, and joins Ciara to discuss.

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…

The Orange Order has announced plans for a "limited" parade at Drumcree, one of the most contentious parade routes in Northern Ireland.It said the plans had been scaled back and it hoped the parade would be allowed along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road. Instead of 400 people and two bands taking part, only 60 members would march along the road in Portadown in silence on Sunday, September 27th.Joining Shane to discuss is DUP MP, Carla Lockhart and Newstalk’s own Eamonn Torsney.

The latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board were published today, and they show that rents have risen significantly across the country, with new tenants paying an average of €326 more per month than sitting tenants this year.However, the figures also found that evictions have gone down 42.9% in the last three months since the rental reforms were introduced in March.Joining Ciara to discuss the figures is Social Democrats Spokesperson on Housing and Dublin West TD, Rory Hearne.

College is just around the corner for many, or even beginning now. So, when you leave the nest for the first time, how should you handle cooking and cleaning - when it may have been your parents doing it all for you before?Newstalk’s Dylan Hand has been putting together the ultimate college survival guide, and joins Shane to discuss!

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

From today on, Brazilian beef is banned from entering the EU, as it is not compliant with EU food safety standards.Earlier this week, the EU commission said Brazil has failed to provide sufficient guarantees that its exports meet EU standards aimed at preventing the misuse of antibiotics in livestock farming.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Adam Woods, Irish Farmers Journal Editor.

US President Donald Trump will visit Áras an Uachtaráin to meet President Catherine Connolly next week, despite tensions between the pair earlier this year.But, what can we expect to see happen during this visit?Joining Shane to discuss this is Paul Johnston, former Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ireland.

Mortgage brokers have reported a new trend of parents selling their houses to their adult children to get them on the property ladder, but what happens when there is more than one child in the family?Family wills are notorious for causing conflict among siblings, especially when it comes to what happens to the family home or the farm or the business after someone dies…Joining Ciara to discuss how to deal with family mediation and estrangement over wills is Family Mediator and author Sharon Morrissey and Psychotherapist specialising in Family Estrangement and Conflict, Karl Melvin.

El Niño, a pattern of changing ocean temperatures and wind patterns in the tropical Pacific that happens every few years, is expected to fuel extreme weather into early next year, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organisation.Joining Shane to discuss is Oisín Coughlan, Policy Advisor to the environmental pillar.

The UK Green Party Leader Zack Polanski has announced that he intends to stand in the by-election for Keir Starmer’s constituency, Holborn and St Pancras.Lucy Fisher, Whitehall Editor at the Financial Times, joins Ciara to discuss.

Bus and train fares for adults will increase by an average of 15% from January, the NTA confirmed today.Joining Shane to discuss this is Fejlin Jose, Green Party Councillor and Shane Moynihan, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community.

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 you should brush your teeth effectively!

We often hear about how acne can trouble teenagers and young people, but developing acne as an adult is more common than you might think. In fact, it can affect up to a fifth of adult men and 35% of adult women.Joining Ciara to discuss how best to manage adult acne is Professor Caitriona Ryan, Dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatology.

Over the last day the fighting between Iran and the US has reached its highest peak since July with both sides heavily striking.Iran has accused the US of hitting a wedding party with one of these strikes, calling it a 'war crime' and retaliating with their own strikes on US bases.Ciara is joined by former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Founder of Red Matrix productions, Sean Bell for the latest, and to discuss what could make both sides come back to the negotiating table.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has said she believes that "in the future we will have a border poll" at the 2nd day of EU Defence Ministers meeting at Druid's Glen in County Wicklow.Joining Shane to discuss this is Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach.

If you’re trying to save at the moment, but still want to stay fit, what is the best way to effectively spend on your health if you still want to go to the gym?Newstalk’s Meghan O’Halloran has been investigating, and joins Ciara to discuss!

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, joins Shane to discuss digital media ownership, and what your rights are as a consumer versus physical media ownership.

A new report from the UN Environmental Programme has found that temperatures are on course to rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the next few years. In fact, the most optimistic estimate in the report sets the temperature rise to 1.8 degrees Celsius…Meanwhile in April this year, the Government pushed carbon tax increases back to October, and there have been hints it could be paused again. There have also been calls that more action is needed at a European level as the EU has backed off from banning petrol and diesel cars by 2035.Joining Ciara to discuss the report and whether more climate action is needed is Co-Chair of the European Greens and former Green Party MEP for Dublin, Ciarán Cuffe.

Ireland is the only country in the EU in which you can become a citizen without speaking the language of that country.We obviously have two official state languages, so should aspiring citizens be tested on their ability to speak English or Irish, or indeed both?Peadar Tóibín is the Leader of Aontú and TD for Meath West, and joins Ciara to discuss.