
The Hard Shoulder Highlights
The Hard Shoulder Highlights with Kieran Cuddihy on Newstalk.
Join Kieran every weekday afternoon from 4-7pm for a round-up of the day’s events, interviews with the people at the centre of the stories – and a bit of craic along the way.
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Latest episodes

Jun 26, 2025 • 10min
What to Watch
Jonathan Healy is joined by John Fardy, host of Screentime, and entertainment journalist Sarina Bellissimo to preview the weekend’s best film and streaming picks — from hidden gems to blockbuster releases.Listen here

Jun 26, 2025 • 13min
Why Is Ireland So Bad at Preserving Historical Buildings?
Architect and conservationist, Roisin Murphy, and UCD history professor, Conor Mulvagh join The Hard Shoulder to discuss why so many of Ireland’s heritage buildings are deteriorating.This comes after a viscious row erupted in the Dáil between Simon Harris and Sinn Féin on plans to redevelop the GPO.Listen here to hear if these plans will be positive, or yet another failure in the state acknowledging the past and present.

Jun 26, 2025 • 13min
Thursday Interview – Jason Byrne
Comedian Jason Byrne joins The Hard Shoulder for the Thursday Interview this week.Get all the latest from Jason's career, his early life doing gigs in England and what's coming next.Listen to it all here.

Jun 26, 2025 • 7min
Presidential Race Latest
Sean Defoe, Newstalk’s Political Correspondent, joins The Hard Shoulder to break down the latest in the race for Áras an Uachtaráin - or lackthereof - and to analyse a fiery exchange in the Dáil involving Tánaiste Simon Harris.Listen here for all the lates.

Jun 26, 2025 • 7min
Sonia O’Sullivan on Breaking the 4-Minute-Mile
Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon attempts to break the barrier of the women’s four-minute mile this evening in Paris. She is already the world-record holder in the mile and the 1500m, but she now has her sights set on being the first woman to run the four-minute mile. Sonia O’Sullivan, World Champion and Irish Olympian joins Jonathan to discuss what a milestone it will be for a woman to break the four-minute-mile.Listen to all the conversation here.

Jun 26, 2025 • 16min
Is Cork the Capital of Potholes?
Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, and Cllr. Joe Kavanagh, former Lord Mayor of Cork, join The Hard Shoulder to respond to growing anger over Cork’s road conditions.According to figures released to NewsTalk, Cork ranks the highest in number of pothole related complaints to local council.Listen here for all the latest.

Jun 26, 2025 • 8min
Jennifer Zamparelli on Narrating Rocky Horror
Broadcaster Jennifer Zamparelli joins Jonathan Healy to talk about stepping into the iconic role of narrator in the new stage production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the Bórd Gáis— and how she’s putting her own spin on the cult classic.Listen here

Jun 26, 2025 • 6min
Warnings About the Irish Economy
Barra Roantree, Director of the Masters in Economic Policy at Trinity College Dublin, joins The Hard Shoulder to discuss ESRI’s latest economic outlook — including fears about a construction slowdown and rising costs related to US foreign policy moves.Where will the next economic crash come, or what form might it take?Listen here for more.

Jun 26, 2025 • 4min
Potholes – How Bad has it Gotten?
According to new figures released to NewsTalk, there has been a 92% increase in pothole complaints to local councils.NewsTalk's own, Josh Crosbie has been asking motorists how badly affected their areas are.Listen here.

Jun 26, 2025 • 14min
Drinking in Front of Your Kids?
NewsTalk's Josh Crosbie hit the streets to ask parents their views on allowing kids to see their drinking habits.For discussion,June Shannon, medical journalist and mother, and Dr Malie Coyne, clinical psychologist and author, join Jonathan Healy on whether this sets a harmful example.Listen here