

The Hard Shoulder
Newstalk
The Hard Shoulder Podcast with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman is your essential drivetime companion—bringing fresh perspective and energy to your drive home. 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
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Oct 8, 2024 • 8min
More OPW overspending revealed - Children’s Science Museum
The OPW has landed in more hot water; it has been revealed that the OPW has paid more than €300,000 in legal fees in an arbitration case on the proposed building of a National Children’s Science Museum in Dublin.Joining Seán to discuss is Social Democrat TD and member of the Public Accounts Committee, Catherine Murphy...

Oct 8, 2024 • 6min
Cork University Hospital faces massive overcrowding
There are record levels of patients waiting on trolleys in Cork University Hospital the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation have said, with 98 patients waiting for admission to a bed.Overall in Ireland there are 641 patients on trolleys, with 444 of those in emergency departments.How can we tackle this and stop it from escalating?Kieran is joined by Anthony Staines, Professor of Health Systems at the School of Nursing in DCU to discuss.Image: MWP

Oct 8, 2024 • 11min
When is the next general election?
There has been a lot of speculation as to when the next general election is going to be, but there do seem to be some signs that it’s sooner than you may think!Newstalk’s Political Correspondent, Sean Defoe, joins Kieran to discuss.

Oct 8, 2024 • 6min
What is the Body ‘Roundness’ Index?
Recent studies have found that the famous ‘Body Mass Index’ is a flawed system. Instead, we should be using a new measurement: the Body Roundness Index or BRI. Simply, the process calculates how round you are, with high and low scores being dangerous.Joining Kieran to discuss is Diana Thomas from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Oct 7, 2024 • 15min
Anna Geary returns to TV for Love in the Country!
Anna Geary has her cupid bow at the ready as she is back on our screens from tonight helping the men and women from rural Ireland find love once more.Season 2 of her show Love in the Country Airs tonight at 9.35pm on RTÉ 2, and Anna joins Kieran to talk about what you can expect.

Oct 7, 2024 • 6min
What is the endgame for conflict in the Middle East?
A year on from the Hamas terror attack on Israel, the conflict in the Middle East is continuing to escalate by the day.But what, if anything, does the endgame to all of this look like?Walt Kilroy, Lecturer in International Relations at DCU and Co-Director of its Conflict Institute.

Oct 7, 2024 • 10min
Kids Health Check: Clothing Choices
For this week’s Kids Health Check, Kieran is joined by Aoife Lee, Parenting Coach at ParentSupport.ie to discuss the clothes your children or teenagers might choose to wear, and having conversations around it.

Oct 7, 2024 • 10min
Dublin Bus launches security pilot programme
Starting from today, Dublin Bus has launched a pilot program of security guards for their services. It will run for 20 weeks, and is aiming to curb 'antisocial behaviour'.Newstalk Reporter Josh Crosbie has been getting more information, and joins Kieran to discuss.

Oct 7, 2024 • 12min
Do we need education on gender-based violence in schools?
There has been a “worrying regression” in some boys with increasing misogyny in recent years. So says Jason Poole, whose sister Jennifer was stabbed to death by an ex-partner in April 2021.Jason is calling for the introduction of standardised education on gender-based violence into our classrooms. He joins me now...

Oct 7, 2024 • 6min
Is ‘Let It Go’ actually a good song?
The actress who plays Princess Anna in Frozen, Kristen Bell, has apologised to parents for getting ‘Let it Go’ from Frozen stuck in their heads for years! But, is it an earworm, or just a great tune?Joining Kieran to discuss is Charlie McGettigan, Musician, Song Writer and Eurovision winner and Jen Hogan, Columnist with the Irish Times.Image: Disney


