The Hard Shoulder
Newstalk
The Hard Shoulder on Newstalk. Join us 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. CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and entertainmentListen to Newstalk at http://newstalk.com/listenlive | Download the GoLoud app now, the new home for Newstalk
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 12, 2025 • 15min
Movies and TV: Wake Up Dead Man, Man vs Baby, Deadly Night
John Fardy, Presenter of Screentime on Newstalk and Dee Reddy, Entertainment Journalist and Podcaster joined Ciara Doherty on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…
Dec 11, 2025 • 10min
Should we be investing instead of saving?
What should you know when it comes to investing, and should you do it instead of saving?Robert Whelan, Managing Director of Rockwell Finance, joins Ciara to discuss.
Dec 11, 2025 • 5min
Rate of inflation at highest point since February 2024
Latest figures from the CSO have revealed that the annual rate of inflation has risen to its highest point since February 2024, at 3.2%.To chat about the significance of this, Ciara is joined by Economist at TU Dublin, Emma Howard.
Dec 11, 2025 • 15min
The Thursday Interview: Síomha Ní Ruairc
Broadcaster, Gaeilgeoir and Presenter of new podcast ‘Labour of Love’ Síomha Ní Ruairc joins Ciara Doherty for this week’s Thursday Interview!
Dec 11, 2025 • 16min
How much should Ireland spend on defence?
Minister for Defence Helen McEntee today unveiled a €1.7 billion defence spending plan that will run until 2030.The Minister described this plan as "absolutely essential". Its aim is to speed up the modernisation of the Defence Forces and improve defence capabilities across land, air, and sea, as well as online from cyber attacks.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Paul Murphy, People Before Profit TD for Dublin South-West, Catherine Callaghan, Fine Gael TD for Carlow-Kilkenny and member of the Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security and Conor Gallagher, Crime and Security Correspondent for The Irish Times.
Dec 11, 2025 • 9min
What is the ‘12 Dips in December’ challenge?
TV Presenter and Fashion Designer, Brendan Courtney joins Ciara to discuss the Irish Heart Foundation’s ‘12 Dips in December’ challenge, and why you should take part!
Dec 11, 2025 • 8min
Should we tolerate our public transport failing?
The suspension of the LUAS Green Line has caused chaos for many.But, is this just part of having a public transport network, that things will occasionally go awry, or should we be concerned?Sadhbh O’Neill is Project Lead for Feminist Communities for Climate Justice - a joint project of the National Women’s Council and Community Work Ireland, and she joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.
Dec 11, 2025 • 10min
Why do we care about fonts?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomatic correspondence to stop using the Calibri font and return to the more traditional Times New Roman, reversing a shift by Joe Biden’s administration to the less formal typeface, which Mr Rubio called “...wasteful, confusing and unbefitting the dignity of US government documents”.Should we care about the fonts we use?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with the Irish Independent and Red FM’s Eimear Hallahan.
Dec 11, 2025 • 14min
Would expanding income limits help the childcare industry?
Under a Department of Children plan, more families could be eligible for higher childcare subsidies.Will this help the industry?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Elaine Dunne, Chairperson of the Federation of Early Childcare Providers and Averil Sheehan, owner of Care-a-lot Childcare, Upton, West Cork.
Dec 11, 2025 • 10min
Newsmakers: The NFL in Dublin
The Hard Shoulder is looking back on 2025’s biggest moments in the news, and who were at the heart of it.The NFL came to Dublin this year, where the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings faced off in a game that practically took over the city for weeks…Joining Jonathan Healy to look back is Kieran O'Donovan from the Irish NFL Show.
