

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. 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 25, 2025 • 3min
Medvedev meltdown: How to deal with outbursts and remain cool in sport
Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock first round lost at The US Open to Benjamin Bonzi, during which play was interrupted by a photographer, leading to Medvedev going on a rant to the umpire, along with smashing his own racquet at the end of the game. Sports psychologist Dr Aoife Quinn joins Kieran to discuss.

Aug 25, 2025 • 12min
Siobhán McSweeney on hosting The Traitors Ireland
Actress Siobhan McSweeney, best known for her role as Sister Michael on Derry Girls, is set to host The Traitors Ireland. Siobhán joins Kieran to discuss.

Aug 25, 2025 • 5min
Keeping roads safe as school restarts
As primary schools head back to school, everything is going to get that little bit more busy on our roads. So, how congested will things become, and how do we make it as safe as possible? Former Green Party Senator Pauline O’Reilly and Chair of the Dublin Commuters Group Jason Cullen join Kieran to discuss.

Aug 25, 2025 • 11min
The impact of missed BreastCheck screening targets
The BreastCheck national cancer-screening programme has missed its targets for the last two years, according to figures from the HSE The aim was for 195,000 women to be screened last year, but only 137,134 checks were carried out.CEO of the Irish Cancer Society Aevril Power joins Kieran to discuss.

Aug 25, 2025 • 7min
Is former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin running for President of Ireland?
It’s been reported that former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin has been courted by Fianna Fail as a possible presidential candidate. Irish editor for The Independent, Fionnan Sheehan, joins Kieran to discuss.

Aug 25, 2025 • 8min
Up to 40,000 children under three are on crèche waiting lists
Up to 40,000 children under the age of three are currently on crèche waiting lists.This has led to calls for the government to bring in pay parity for early years graduates in line with primary school teachers.Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie has been meeting with parents and those working in the sector to see how difficult it is to get a place in a crèche.

Aug 22, 2025 • 31min
Winners and Sinners
This week, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Off the Ball’s Ger Gilroy and Saoirse Hanley, Feature Writer with the Irish Independent, to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Aug 22, 2025 • 13min
College Football takes over Dublin - will you be watching?
20,000 college football fanatics are flocking to Dublin this weekend as the Iowa State Cyclones take on Kansas State Wildcats in the Aviva tomorrow.But, what is college football, and why is this game such a big deal?Joining Kieran in studio are two mega fans from the respective teams, Jake Brend, Chief Content Producer at the Cyclone Fanatic and Mason Voth, Head of Media for K-State Online.

Aug 22, 2025 • 16min
You Are What You Eat: Breakfast Reimagined
Aisling Larkin, a Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef, joins to shake up your breakfast routine! She emphasizes that breakfast can be savory and packed with protein, steering clear of the usual sweet options. Aisling explores nutritious ingredients, including fiber and healthy fats, while also introducing innovative recipes, like hearty breakfast burritos and air fryer bagels. She even delves into adaptogens, showcasing their potential in granola. Get ready to rethink how you start your day!

Aug 22, 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.


