The Hard Shoulder

The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting from The Seaport Hotel in Boston this week with thanks to Gateway to Europe.Joining Kieran to look at local stories for both the United States and at home (including Trump’s new trade deal with the UK) is Adrian Walker, Associate Editor and Columnist with the Boston Globe and Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Tech Correspondent.Image: Reuters

From Hill 16 hero to high-performance coach, Jason Sherlock’s story is anything but typical. He’s worn the blue of Dublin and the green of Ireland, but now works behind the scenes as the Director of Development with the DCU Educational Trust.Jason is here in Boston just like the Hard Shoulder with thanks to Ireland Gateway to Europe, and he joins Kieran for a chat.

The Irish Council for Social Housing has launched its Housing Association Activity Report for 2024, which showed that over 4,000 new social homes were provided.All this is happening while the Housing Minister is still trying to find someone to head up the Housing Activation Office.Joining Kieran to discuss is the Minister for Housing himself, James Browne.

Boston was once an escape for many Irish immigrants looking for a new opportunity, but those coming to the city now will find a place with sky-high rents, rising childcare costs and groceries bills to match.What are some of the factors to these increasing costs, and what is the result of those feeling the pinch?Mike Urban, Realtor and Host of the Mike Urban Show joins Kieran to discuss.

Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joins Kieran in Boston to discuss humanoid robots, and how by 2030, we might have them in our homes doing household chores, but the big players like Boston Dynamics and Tesla may have their plans impacted by tariffs.Image: Boston Dynamics

The senior leaders of the Catholic Church are meeting in conclave today to elect the next pope.All eyes will be on the chimney of the Sistine Chapel to see if the successor to Pope Francis will be elected...Kieran is joined in Boston by Fr James di Perri, of Our Lady's Parish, Waltham Massachusetts to discuss.

At the beginning of April, US President Donald Trump made the announcement of his much-threatened 25% tariffs on Canadian imports.Later in April, the rest of the world felt the brunt of Trump’s desire for tariffs, with the EU and Ireland being hit with a 20% tariff on imports to the US.Despite Trump’s dialing back for the sake of negotiations, is it time now to forge new relationships and for Ireland and Canada businesses to join forces in a more meaningful way?Joining Kieran in Toronto to discuss is Gemma Healy Murphy, Partner, Litigation & Dispute Resolution Lawyer at McMillan LLP in Toronto and Craig Sowman, Partner and Co-Head of Restructuring & Insolvency at Addleshaw Goddard Ireland.

Canada has been described as having one of the most liberal systems of assisted dying in the world, similar to that operating in the Netherlands and Belgium.It introduced 'Medical Aid in Dying’ in 2016, initially for terminally ill adults with a serious and incurable physical illness, which causes intolerable suffering.In 2021, the need to be terminally ill was removed, and in two years' time, the Canadian government plans to open Maid to adults solely with a mental illness and no physical ailment.Joining Kieran in Toronto to discuss this is Dr Chantal Perrot, board member at DWDC and a MAID Assessor and Provider as well as Dr Sonu Gaind, Chief of Psychiatry at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Ever wonder who keeps the rich and famous safe when they touch down in Ireland? Kieran’s guest doesn’t just know, he runs the show!Terry McElvaney is the Group CEO of Sentinel Risk and joins to discuss.Image: Sentinel Risk

Shannon Airport saw a significant increase in passenger numbers, with an estimated 53,000 passengers passing through over the Bank Holiday weekend.Joining Kieran in Toronto for a discussion on the airport and broader Irish tourism is Ray O’Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer of The Shannon Airport Group.