Podcast
The Hard Shoulder
Hosted by Newstalk · EN
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 entertainment
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199episodes
Episodes
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George Gibney found guilty of sexually abusing four girls
1w ago00:07:32Tap to summarizeFormer swimming coach George Gibney has been found guilty of the attempted rape of a girl in the 1970s. He was also convicted of abusing three other girls on various dates in the 1970s and 1980s.Joining Shane with the latest updates is Newstalk’s Courts Correspondent, Frank Greaney.
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Are wind turbines too noisy?
1w ago00:08:31Tap to summarizeAs Ireland transitions away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources, we are bound to see more on and off-shore wind turbines popping up around the country. But, one TD has taken issue with turbines around the country, saying the noise they emit is affecting the sleep of local communities…Joining Shane to discuss is Richard O’Donoghue, Independent Ireland TD for Limerick County, and Justin Moran, Director of External Affairs at Wind Energy Ireland.
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Pico Lopes returns from the World Cup! - Maggie Chambers Reports
1w ago00:09:41Tap to summarizeRoberto ‘Pico’ Lopes has returned to Ireland after representing Cape Verde in the World Cup. The team was eliminated by Argentina, despite a strong effort from the team.He was met with huge support in Dublin Airport, with Newstalk Reporter Maggie Chambers being able to catch up with him and his family.She joins Shane to discuss.
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Kids Clinic: Keeping structure in the summer
1w ago00:07:09Tap to summarizeFor this week’s Kids Clinic, Shane is joined by Iseult White, Psychotherapist and author, to discuss how you can maintain structure for your kids during the summer holidays.
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Nigel Farage faces new allegations about his finances
1w ago00:05:32Tap to summarizeNigel Farage said he has "done no wrongdoing" after it emerged he did not declare benefits provided by an ally once convicted of fraud in the United States.For more on this, Shane is joined by LBC’s Shelagh Fogarty...
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Gardaí suspect fatal Dún Laoghaire shooting was a botched intimidation attack
1w ago00:06:45Tap to summarizeMark Cullen, who was shot dead on Sunday morning in Dun Laoghaire, had gone to a pre-arranged meeting before being wounded in the leg and bleeding to death, according to Gardaí. This was the country’s first fatal shooting since 2024.Joining Shane to discuss this incident is Social Democrats Spokesperson for Justice, Gary Gannon.
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Why is Trump interfering with the World Cup?
1w ago00:08:53Tap to summarizeControversy over the weekend as US President Donald Trump intervened in the World Cup by calling FIFA to review the red card placed on team USA player Folarin Balogun during their match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.Sports Writer Kieran Cunningham joins Shane to discuss why people are not happy over this interference…
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Why do we say ‘like’ so much?
1w ago00:08:10Tap to summarize“Thirty years on, I can relate to the annoyance that the parents and older people of nineties Ireland must have felt when ‘My So-Called Life’ and the 1995 film ‘Clueless’ breached our shores with the ‘like’ phenomenon. Except this time, it’s ‘bro’.” So, says Emer McLysaght in her recent article in The Journal.But, what importance does slang hold in our vocabulary?Joining Shane to discuss this is Stephen Lucek, Assistant Professor in Linguistics and head of linguistics at UCD.
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How bad is antisocial behaviour on buses?
1w ago00:06:10Tap to summarizeDue to increasing violence onboard buses which sees bus drivers being spat at and verbally and physically assaulted, many bus drivers have no choice but to leave their jobs.Figures from Bus Éireann show 654 incidents of antisocial behaviour on its vehicles in 2025, which is 5% increase on the previous year.Thomas O’Connor, Assistant General Secretary with the National Bus and Rail Union, joins Seán to discuss.
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World Cup roundup - what happened over the weekend?
1w ago00:08:01Tap to summarizeCape Verde’s World Cup dream came to an end on Friday night as Argentina edged past them, but that was far from the only sporting drama over the weekend!Joining Shane to discuss what happened and what’s coming up tonight is Ben Symes, Off The Ball’s Football Correspondent.
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