The Hard Shoulder

Every 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 the ultimate guide to Stockport in Manchester!

Parents and teachers across Ireland are being asked to complete a new national survey which will be used to develop new guidelines for primary schools to best support families and children through separation, divorce and other family changes.The survey, which is conducted by One Family, The Separation Network and ‘WHAT WORKS’ aims to provide a broader picture of the best support that can be put in place for children and parents during parental separation.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family...

The National Lottery operator is rolling out a new campaign to reduce what its regulator has called an “unacceptable” number of retailers who are failing to implement rules around the sale of lotto products to children…Joining Ciara to discuss is Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery.

A new proposal for the EU Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, would allow farmers more room to take holidays and sick leave, with farmers getting an average of only 10.3 days of holiday a year, slightly more than the 20 an industrial worker gets. However, some farmers are still to be convinced about the viability of the scheme.Joining Shane to discuss is Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, an organic beef and dairy farmer from Limerick, and Eamon Sheehan, a dairy farmer and horse breeder from Kilkenny.

The French courts have shortened Marine Le Pen’s ban ⁠on running for elected office after they upheld her conviction for embezzling European parliament funds. This could potentially open up a path for the far-right leader to run in the 2027 presidential race.Joining Ciara to discuss is David Herszenhorn, European Affairs Editor at the Washington Post...

Frances Fitzgerald, member of the Gender Equality Advisory Committee to the G7, former Minister, Tánaiste and MEP, joins Ciara and Shane to place her favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced he is resigning as an MP, triggering a by-election in Clacton.For more on this and Prince Harry losing his Daily Mail privacy case, Shane is joined by Adam Boulton, Political Commentator and former Sky News Political Editor...

New figures from the CSO shows data centres account for nearly a-quarter of electricity usage in Ireland, while electricity consumption rose by ten per cent last year alone…Leader of the Green Party, Roderic O’Gorman, joins Ciara to discuss.

As part of the press tour for their new movie ‘The Invite’ actors Olivia Wilde and Edward Norton were speaking with Sky News reporter Debbie Ridgard and Norton’s Irish ancestry came up, and he mentioned Limerick as ‘Stab City’.While some have found it funny, he’s upset others who feel it's an outdated stereotype and not representative of Limerick currently…Joining Shane to discuss is singer-songwriter and Limerick native Emma Langford, and long-time Limerick resident actor and comedian, Pat Shortt.

A vote will be held tomorrow on a non-binding motion that seeks to impose EU sanctions preventing the Aughinish Alumina refinery in Limerick from exporting to Russia.Fine Gael are voting in favour of the amendment, but Fianna Fáil are abstaining from the vote, believing sanctions would hurt Europe more than Russia.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Regina Doherty, Fine Gael MEP for Dublin and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Fianna Fáil MEP for Ireland South.

Jude Bellingham told England fans to text your bosses and say you're not coming into work.Even though the Republic of Ireland didn't qualify for this World Cup, is your boss giving you some wriggle room to enjoy the weather and watch the late night matches in the tournament?Henry McKean in this report…

Junior Minister with Responsibility for Road Safety Seán Canney has said he is “not ruling anything out” when it comes to tackling road safety.One issue on our roads the Minister wants to tackle surrounds e-scooters. There has been an increase in incidents and injuries, with many hospital consultants warning about the dangers of them…Minister Canney says he wants to see mandatory registration for e-scooters as well as tax and insurance obligations like cars in a new crackdown on personal vehicles.Joining Ciara to discuss is Sean Canney, Minister of State at the Department of Transport and Independent TD for Galway East.

Former swimming coach George Gibney has been found guilty of the attempted rape of a girl in the 1970s. He was also convicted of abusing three other girls on various dates in the 1970s and 1980s.Joining Shane with the latest updates is Newstalk’s Courts Correspondent, Frank Greaney.

As Ireland transitions away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources, we are bound to see more on and off-shore wind turbines popping up around the country. But, one TD has taken issue with turbines around the country, saying the noise they emit is affecting the sleep of local communities…Joining Shane to discuss is Richard O’Donoghue, Independent Ireland TD for Limerick County, and Justin Moran, Director of External Affairs at Wind Energy Ireland.

Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes has returned to Ireland after representing Cape Verde in the World Cup. The team was eliminated by Argentina, despite a strong effort from the team.He was met with huge support in Dublin Airport, with Newstalk Reporter Maggie Chambers being able to catch up with him and his family.She joins Shane to discuss.

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Shane is joined by Iseult White, Psychotherapist and author, to discuss how you can maintain structure for your kids during the summer holidays.

Nigel Farage said he has "done no wrongdoing" after it emerged he did not declare benefits provided by an ally once convicted of fraud in the United States.For more on this, Shane is joined by LBC’s Shelagh Fogarty...

Mark Cullen, who was shot dead on Sunday morning in Dun Laoghaire, had gone to a pre-arranged meeting before being wounded in the leg and bleeding to death, according to Gardaí. This was the country’s first fatal shooting since 2024.Joining Shane to discuss this incident is Social Democrats Spokesperson for Justice, Gary Gannon.

Controversy over the weekend as US President Donald Trump intervened in the World Cup by calling FIFA to review the red card placed on team USA player Folarin Balogun during their match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.Sports Writer Kieran Cunningham joins Shane to discuss why people are not happy over this interference…

“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 Stephen Lucek, Assistant Professor in Linguistics and head of linguistics at UCD.

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 Seán to discuss.

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 Chairperson of the Oireachtas Transport Committee join Shane to discuss.

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 Apple!

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 discuss.

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 Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, who joins Ciara to discuss this and more.

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 Whitmore, the Social Democrat TD for Wicklow and party Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, and the Marine.She joins Ciara to discuss.

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 Michael Sheehan.

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, Vincent McAviney, UK-based Journalist and Simon Hunter, Spain-based Journalist.

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!

New customs charges for goods purchased outside the EU come into effect from midnight tonight, but how will this affect us when ordering from Irish brands if items are coming from outside the EU?Joining Shane to shed some light on this is Ray Ryan, Head of Revenue’s National Customs Policies and Procedures Branch.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has issued new guidance to food businesses on how to comply with stricter EU food-safety legal limits for the control of listeria in ready-to-eat foods.Dr Michelle Minihan, Director of Audit, Incidents and Investigation with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, joins Ciara to discuss.

Renewed calls for Grace’s Law to be enforced have been made after a hit and run incident. Jayden Deans, who has special needs, suffered serious injuries after being struck by a scrambler.Newstalk’s Chief Reporter Barry Whyte, has been looking into this, including speaking with the mother of the victim, and joins Shane to discuss.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Shane and Ciara to discuss the right to repair directive for your technology.

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

Irish employees at TikTok are preparing for up to 300 job cuts after management informed them that they plan to restructure the organisation…What does this mean for the tech sector here in Ireland?Joining Ciara to discuss is Donal O'Donoghue, Managing Director at Sanderson Recruitment.