Highlights from The Hard Shoulder

This week, Ciara and Shane were joined Off the Ball's Cameron Hill and Freelance Journalist Niamh O'Reilly to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists...

Microsoft paid more tax in Ireland than the US Federal Government in the past financial year, netting the Irish government $6.5 billion.Joining Shane to discuss this is Barra Roantree, Director of the Masters in Economic Policy at Trinity college Dublin.

A US study has found a 70% drop in hospital admissions and days off from work or school when people with poorly controlled asthma had their gas stove and hob replaced with electricity. So, should you ditch gas for cooking if you have asthma?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Dr Sandra Green, Respiratory Registrar in Beaumont Hospital.

The Law Society of Ireland held a national criminal defence solicitors meeting today after a long running dispute over the legal aid flat rate fee. Yesterday, criminal defence solicitors in Dublin overwhelmingly agreed to continue into next month with their withdrawal of services over opposition to the payment model. Meanwhile, Tipperary is just down to one solicitor to take on free legal aid cases after 33 others in the county resigned.Maura Derivan, a member of the Tipperary Solicitors' Bar Association and former President of the Law Society joins Shane to discuss.

The mood in Kerry may be sombre, but it's onto the next All-Ireland final after Sunday's shock defeat to Mayo.The county's ladies football team are in their fourth decider in five years, looking to regain the Brendan Martin Cup as they face Galway in Croke Park on Sunday.Joining Ciara to look ahead to Sunday is Kathleen Curran, 7 time all Ireland winner and winning captain of Kerry in 1989.

Around 60,000 migrants have crossed into Spain's ‘Ceuta', which is Spain's North African territory, in the last 24 hours. This comes after Spain's supreme court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.Simon Hunter, a Journalist based in Spain joins Ciara to discuss.

US President Donald Trump says the Board of Peace has reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.It is part of the second phase of a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan that includes the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the reconstruction of Gaza.Joining Shane for more on this is Law Lecturer at the University of Galway and Columnist with the Journal, Larry Donnelly and Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University, Paul Rogers…

The 7th All Together Now Festival is taking place in the Curraghmore Estate, County Waterford. Newstalk is live all weekend in the GoLoud Lounge, a big tent in the ‘the road to nowhere' section beside the big house.Henry McKean is there, and joins to discuss!

A 22-year-old soldier from Drogheda, Co Louth, who fought for Ukraine in Donetsk, has been sentenced by the Russian authorities to 14 years' imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony.Joining Shane for more on this is Freelance Journalist, Darragh McDonagh.

Have you ever gone into the supermarket for milk, and come out with a trolley full of things? You're not alone. It turns out shopping is as much about psychology as it is about groceries, and retailers know exactly how to encourage us to spend a little more…To explain the psychology behind the way we shop, Ciara is joined by Consumer Affairs Correspondent for the Irish Times, Conor Pope…

€60 million euro - that is the amount left unclaimed by Irish consumers from the Deposit Return Scheme. This means that so far, €127 million is in Re-Turn's hands, so how is that money used?Newstalk's Chief Reporter Barry Whyte has been investigating, and joins Shane to discuss.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Chris Wasser, Arts Journalist and Sunday Independent Film Critic joined Ciara and Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

Buskers have come together on Grafton Street to hold a vigil for Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard.Newstalk Reporter Emily Keegan joins Ciara to discuss what happened.

The US has launched a “heavy wave” of strikes on Iran following a pause in attacks. US President Donald Trump vowed to hit back hard at Iran after it attacked US bases in Jordan, as the Middle East war reignited and once again drew in the Islamic republic's proxies.For more on this, Shane is joined now by Anthony Zurcher, BBC's North America Correspondent.

Gossip is a way of life in social circles, but why do we like to engage in it so much?Joining Shane and Ciara to discuss is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Brendan Kelly.

European nations have agreed to boycott the World Cup if Gianni Infantino goes ahead with selling off part of the tournament to private investors. The agreement was made at an emergency meeting held by UEFA today, which comes a couple days after the President of FIFA made the announcement.Sports Writer, Kieran Cunningham joins Ciara and Shane to discuss.

Three Greek firefighters have died tackling wildfires in Crete and in the Peloponnese. Meanwhile, a fourth heatwave of the summer has begun in Spain and France, as firefighters try to prevent a flare-up from major wildfires that have only just been brought under control.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Elaine Cobbe, Paris-based Journalist, Cian Murphy, who has been living in Bordeaux for the past 12 years with his family and Helena Smith, the Guardian's Athens-based Correspondent.

Ten women have accused the actor and singer Jared Leto of sexual misconduct in a new BBC documentary and report, including several who were underage when they were assaulted, claims Mr. Leto has denied.Joining Shane for more on this is Harriet Alexander, Senior Features Writer with the Daily Mail.

Barely have the keys to Number 10 changed hands, and the pastime of tearing down a woman for what she wears has swung into depressingly predictable action. Forget about the NHS, the economy, and the housing crisis — the real scandal is Andy Burnham's wife's wardrobe. So writes Suzanne Breen from the Belfast Telegraph.She joins Shane to discuss.

In recent days, female Councillors all across the country have been receiving “harassing” and “disturbing” calls of a “sexual nature” from withheld numbers.The Association of Irish Local Government has expressed “serious concern” after it was made aware of incidents of repeated calls from an individual who has subjected up to 70 female elected members to inappropriate sexual comments.Elaine Lynch is Head of Operations with the The Association of Irish Local Government, and joins Ciara to discuss.

With the good weather, there's a strong chance that every house around the country has had doors and winds open for some fresh air to cool the house down, but with that, comes the open invite for flies and moths to enter and never leave!What's the best way to get rid of them without the use of a fly swatter and protect your carpets and clothes from moths?Collie Ennis is Biodiversity Officer at Trinity College Dublin, and joins Shane and Ciara to discuss.

SIPTU say they will support workers' boycott of Ireland's UEFA Nations League match against Israel, and continues to call on the Government to cancel their games, but will this impact the rest of Ireland's Nation's League games, particularly Ireland's home match against Austria, which takes place in between the two games between Ireland and Israel?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Greg Ennis, SIPTU's Deputy General Secretary…

Oscar winner Glen Hansard, who found fame after starring in ‘The Commitments' and with his band The Frames, has been killed in a motorcycle crash in County Dublin…To pay tribute to Glen, Shane and Ciara are joined by Singer Mary Coughlan, long time friend of Glen's, Sparkie, Stuart Clarke, Deputy Editor of Hot Press Magazine and Senator Frances Black. Newstalk's Henry McKean also went out to Ballymun in Dublin to speak with his friends and neighbours.

Life can be full of confusing things, but no need to worry! Every Wednesday, Simon Tierney will be showing you ‘How to do Stuff' - bringing his best tips for those things you might not think about.This week, Simon joins Ciara and Shane to discuss how to properly say sorry!

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has promised that five city-owned grocery stores will bring down prices for shoppers. On Monday, he announced the exact discount: 30% for some basic groceries, including vegetables, meat, bread and milk.It got us thinking, should we follow New York's lead with state owned grocery stores?Joining Shane to discuss is Suzanne Rogers, from Social Justice Ireland.

An Irish author has been named alongside 12 others on the longlist for the 2026 Booker Prize for his debut novel ‘All Them Dogs'. At 28 years old, Djamel White is the youngest author in this list!He joins Shane to discuss the achievement and his novel.

For this week's Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk's Technology Correspondent joins Shane and Ciara to discuss Apple's new technology leasing program…

Households will soon face higher electricity bills after the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities approved a new €41 network charge for this October. What does this mean for the consumer in the already most expensive country in Europe for electricity, and what else could we expect?Joining Ciara to discuss is Daragh Cassidy from the bill switching site Bonkers.ie…

Luke Littler is giving darts fans the chance to take him on for a life-changing £501,000 (€585,737) prize in a brand-new live Netflix event.The reigning world champion Luke Littler will face a one-off special that will see 20 amateur players go head-to-head with one of the biggest names in the sport.But the question remains: why is it that when we look at people at the pinnacle of sport, we sometimes get a feeling that we could do better?Joining Ciara to discuss is John Belton, Personal and Wellness Trainer.

Cork City Council has been warned that "countless" people are tripping and falling on footpaths along South Mall, with many of those injured described as elderly or having mobility issues.The warning comes as new figures show the council has paid out more than €2 million in public liability claims since June of last year, with almost two-thirds of the total relating to footpaths.Joining Shane to discuss is Joe O'Shea, Editor of Cork Beo.

Today in the Irish Times Seán Moncrieff writes about how established Dublin neighbourhoods are being hollowed out, with too much construction to deal with the housing crisis. Do people even know their neighbours these days?Henry McKean took a look at urban sprawl, and sent in this report.

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world.This week, Fionn joined Ciara and Shane to give the ultimate guide to, where else after such a great sporting story, Mayo!

Domestic abuse calls to Gardaí have soared by 45% in the past four years, with the figure on track to increase again this year.AXA Ireland has launched new financial and legal support for customers experiencing domestic abuse. The new services will provide access to initial legal guidance and an Emergency Support Payment to victims.Joining Ciara to discuss is Mick Comerford, the Direct Retail Director of AXA Ireland and Mary Doherty, a Founding Member of Lifeline Inishowen, a domestic abuse counselling and support service...Women's Aid National Freephone Helpline1800 341 90024 hours a day, 7 days a weekMen's Aid National Support Line01-5543811 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pmIn an emergency, call An Garda Síochána on 999 or 112

Author of ‘Buyer Beware' Catherine Ryan Howard joins Ciara to place her favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Ahead of All Together Now, which will take place this Bank Holiday weekend from this Thursday to Monday, many people across the country will be thinking about what to pack, but what really is essential when it comes to festival packing?Joining Shane to discuss Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with The Irish Independent!

A new report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland has found serious affordability challenges for couples looking to get on the property ladder.According to the research, a couple on a combined income of €113,000 who want to buy a new privately built 3-bedroom semi-detached home and who have the 10% deposit would be unable to afford to do so in the Dublin commuter belt counties…Joining Ciara to discuss the new research is John O'Suvillan, member of The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland & Dublin-based Estate Agent and Conor O'Connell, Director of Housing and Planning at Construction Industry Federation.

A wildfire on Slievenamon in Co Tipperary has "reduced significantly", according to Tipperary County Council announced yesterday, however firefighters are continuing to tackle a number of isolated hotspots.But, what needs to be done to prevent wildfires in Ireland in the first place?Joining Ciara to discuss is Ecologist and author, Pádraic Fogarty.Also joining me now to discuss the ongoing struggles to contain wildfires on the European continent are Elaine Cobbe, Paris-based Journalist and Stephen Burgen, Freelance Journalist in Barcelona.

A new community safety model running across the country has replaced old policing committees, with 36 groups around the country and one in each local authority area.The groups meet around every three months and are made up of a large cast: local politicians, people working in the HSE and Tusla, drug addiction workers and local gardaí, all with the aim of crime prevention. Is this an effective move to tackle crime and make our towns feel safer?Joining Shane to discuss Paul Ross, Councillor in Ballymahon municipal district, Longford.

Comedian Rosie O'Donnell recently appeared on the Seth Meyers show in the US, and she had plenty to say about the supposedly excessive drinking culture she's encountered since she moved to Ireland…Is she right, or are we the butt of another stereotypical joke?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Aoife Carrigy cookbook author and food and wine writer.

The Hard Shoulder is broadcasting from MacHale Park ahead of a homecoming for Mayo's historic All-Ireland win!It comes after the team ended a 75-year losing streak after beating Kerry by 1-20 to 1-17 at Croke Park on Sunday.Joining Shane across the show to discuss is:Former Mayo Footballer and 11 time all-star winner Cora StauntonFormer Mayo player Austin O'MalleyPublican in Castlebar Mick ByrneMinister for Social Protection of Ireland, Dara CallearyBroadcaster with Midwest Radio, Stephen GrealisMinister of State for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail & Circular Economy, Alan DillonLaurita BlewittFormer Mayo player and Mayo Selector Colm BoyleNewstalk's Henry McKeanMayo player Fiona McHaleFormer Mayo Footballer Pádraig O'HoraOff The Ball's GAA Correspondent, Tommy Rooney

For this week's Kids Clinic, Ciara is joined by Ollwyn Moran, Founder of Cognikids and CogniClinic.ie to discuss the impact of screen use on developing brains.

Fans have been queuing for the last few hours to get into MacHale Park after Mayo's monumental, curse-breaking All-Ireland win.Henry McKean has been meeting fans to get their feelings and hear how they are celebrating, and joins Ciara and Shane to discuss.