The Hard Shoulder

Staring up at a sky full of stars is an incredible experience, but unfortunately, the majority of people who live in towns and cities never get to truly appreciate its rare beauty due to light pollution.Kerry is home to the International Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserve, which means it is a prime spot for stargazing!Joining Kieran to tell more is Aoibheann Lambe, tour guide with Kerry Dark Sky Tourism.

As part of Newstalk’s Summer Tour, The Hard Shoulder is in beautiful Kenmare town!Kieran Cuddihy has escaped the makeshift studio to talk with none other than the Host of ‘At your service’ and legendary hotelier John Brennan. They discuss the best things to see in his hometown, visiting spots and talking to locals.

You have probably heard alot lately about price gouging of hotels during big events, specifically in the capital, but is this common practice? And why are hotels raising their prices lately?Joining Kieran to discuss is Independent Kerry County Cllr and Hotelier, Niall ‘ Botty’ O'Callaghan and Patrick Hanley, owner of the Lansdowne Kenmare.

Host of ‘At Your Service’ and hotelier John Brennan joined Kieran Cuddihy in Kenmare to discuss the ups and downs of the hospitality sector in the town, and Kerry in general.

The Hard Shoulder is in Kenmare as part of Newstalk’s Summer Tour, and the team got the sense that the place is a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities ,and that there are those who ended up here as ‘blow-ins’.Peter Zoeller, former professional photographer and of German descent, joins Kieran to discuss why he moved to Kenmare, and why he loves the town so much.

The Hard Shoulder is in Kenmare as part of Newstalk’s Summer Tour, and one interesting place to visit is the Tom Crean Brewery in town! Yes, a microbrewery run by Tom Crean’s granddaughter! Kieran visits the location and speaks to Aileen Crean O’Brien to learn more about the business.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joined Kieran Cuddihy to discuss the Esports Olympics - an official event that will determine the best video game players in the world. How will it work? And can you really compare them to the regular Olympics?Image: IOC

With the show taking place in Kenmare, it made sense to invite some Kerry royalty on. Kieran is joined by Jackie Healy-Rae, Independent Councillor for Kerry and Maura Healy-Rae, Independent councillor for the Killarney Municipal District to discuss their family, careers and life in Kerry.

Kenmare is just a few hundred metres back from Kenmare Bay, with beautiful coastal scenery and wildlife. Newstalk’s Henry McKean got ship shape and went on the Kenmare Bay Boat Tour! He joined Kieran to discuss, and share what he experienced.

The Hard Shoulder is in the beautiful Kenmare and the Lansdowne Hotel for the Newstalk Summer Tour!Joining Kieran are Karen Coakley, founder of Kenmare Foodie, Paul O’Connor former Kerry Footballer  and Joe Thoma, artist and fiddle player with band, “Doctor Strangely Strange”. They discuss what makes this part of Kerry so special.