All this month the Hard Shoulder is looking back on 2024’s biggest moments in the news, and who were at the heart of it.You don't have to look back far to find one of the biggest stories of the year, and that was the election of the 47th President of the United States: Donald J. Trump.What led to that moment, and how has America settled into the prospect of four more years of Trump?Joining Kieran to look back is Martin Nutty and John Lee, hosts of the Irish Stew Podcast.Image: Evan Vucci / AP

The Irish Greens are hosting the 39th European Green Party Congress this weekend.The Green vote here was wiped this day last week, but this is a trend which is being  witnessed European wide…So what does the future hold for the Green agenda?Oisín Coughlan, Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth joins Kieran to discuss.

Up and down the country, trees and lights will be up in preparation of the biggest event (for some) of the year: The Late Late Toy Show!Do we love this institution, or is it a glorified advert?Joining Kieran to discuss are Comedians Jim Elliot and Julie Jay. And Newstalk’s Henry McKean got thoughts from the public!

For this week’s Thursday Interview, Kieran is joined by Donal O’Shea Consultant Endocrinologist and HSE National Clinical Lead for Obesity to discuss his concerns regarding the scale of processed food we are eating, how to tackle obesity and why he chose to dedicate his career to healthcare.

Dermot Whelan, author and Host of The Mind Full Podcast is about to go on tour with his new show Busy & Wrecked. He joined Kieran to discuss how his life experience and research have led him to undergo the mission of his tour to calm the Irish people's minds!For tickets to Dermot's new show "Busy and Wrecked" visit Dermotwhelan.com

Leaving Cert students will soon be allowed to use AI. From next year, Artificial Intelligence will be allowed for certain parts of project work.  How will this work and is it a good thing?  Joining Kieran to discuss was Elaine Burke, Host of “For Tech’s Sake” and “The Connected AI” podcasts and  Dr Eamon Costello  Associate professor of digital learning at Dublin City University. 

Gino Kenny, former People Before Profit TD and assisted dying rights activist joins Kieran to discuss whether or not the next Dáil will introduce assisted dying laws.

Following the conclusion of the 2024 General Election, there will be a massive change of the guard as regards to TDs. Leaving are the Haugheys, Cowens, Coveneys, and MacSharrys amongst others – stalwarts of Dáil life.Joining Kieran to discuss this phenomenon is Fergus Finlay, former Labour Party Adviser, Campaigner, and Columnist with the Irish Examiner.

A man in his 30s has been arrested after the death of eight-year-old Malika Noor Al Katib in New Ross, Co. Wexford…Newstalk’s Chief Reporter Barry Whyte joins Kieran to give the latest updates.

More than 300 hundred people attended the funeral of Mary Regan in Carlow after the Funeral Director Rory Healy made a public appeal to “not send off Mary alone” as she had no next of kin.But, what happens when there is no next of kin, and who tracks them down? Padraic Grennan, Managing Director of Irish probate genealogy firm Erin International joins Kieran to discuss.