

The Hard Shoulder
Newstalk
The Hard Shoulder 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. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 8, 2025 • 9min
Why we don't like food we haven't eaten - Josh Crosbie Reports
A new survey has shown that adults have on average 8 things that they refuse to eat, with 5 of them being things they haven't even tried? Why are there things we just refuse to eat?Newstalk's Josh Crosbie reports!

Aug 8, 2025 • 17min
You Are What You Eat: Peas
Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joins Kieran Cuddihy to discuss peas - and how you should eat them!

Aug 8, 2025 • 7min
Sport with Eoin Sheahan
Off The Ball's Eoin Sheahan joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action.

Aug 8, 2025 • 17min
Will Israel do a full military takeover of Gaza?
This week we learned that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is planning to fully occupy the Gaza strip. With thousands of Palestinians killed over the last 22 months, Kieran is joined by Ria Czerniak Lebov, granddaughter of a Holocaust escapee and Lecturer in NCAD, who has been speaking out against Zionism and the Israeli Government.

Aug 8, 2025 • 8min
Cork and Galway Camogie Final - who will win?
This Sunday is the All-Ireland Camogie Championship Final in Croke Park, where Cork and Galway will battle it out for the title.For a preview of this weekend’s final, Kieran is joined by two former GAA players from both counties, Valerie Mulcahy from Cork and Susan Earner from Galway.

Aug 8, 2025 • 6min
Ryan Tubridy pays back €150,000 to RTÉ
Former Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy has paid back the €150,000 he received from a RTÉ barter account for two events that did not take place.Joining Kieran to give the latest is Muiris O’Cearbhaill, Journalist with The Journal.

Aug 8, 2025 • 16min
Is television as funny as it was anymore?
A discussion throughout the show this week is of the quality of television these days.Whether that be you’re not getting a good laugh out of it, or it just isn't as interesting anymore, something seems to be off…Like, is television as funny as it used to be?To discuss this more, Kieran is joined by a panel of experts, including Comedian Steve Cummins, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly and Alexandra Ryan from Goss.ie.

Aug 7, 2025 • 18min
Movies and TV: Freakier Friday, Wednesday, Platonic
Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast, Dee Reddy, Entertainment Journalist and Podcaster and David O’Callaghan, from the Here and Back Again podcast joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

Aug 7, 2025 • 16min
Crises and controversies in Irish presidential history
As party campaigns kick off, The Hard Shoulder’s series learning more about the history of the presidential office continues.Patrick Geoghegan, Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub, Trinity’s Arts and Humanities Research Institute, and Presenter of Talking History joins Kieran to look back on some of the biggest controversies and crises in Irish presidential history.

Aug 7, 2025 • 19min
Colorado Dentist found guilty after poisoning wife’s protein shakes
A former Dentist has been found guilty of murdering his wife by poisoning her morning protein shakes.This case comes from the state of Colorado, where a Denver resident, named James Craig, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife, Angela Craig, two years after her mysterious death.But, not only was Craig convicted of murder, but also of several other counts, including solicitation to commit murder, which came about when he tried to enlist a fellow inmate to kill the lead detective investigating his wife’s death. And to make matters worse, at one point Craig asked one of his six daughters to create a fake video of her mom asking for the ingredients which ultimately led to her death in hopes of being found not guilty!To delve deeper into the details of this bizarre case, Kieran is by American Journalist and Host of the ‘Hidden True Crime’ Podcast and YouTube Channel, Lauren Matthias.