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The Hard Shoulder

Newstalk
Olympics
Kellie Harrington
Rhasidat Adeleke
Metro Link
Twitter
Olive Oil
Dublin Airport
Driving Safety
Paul O'donovan
Fintan Mccarthy
Camogie
Social Media
RFK Jr.
US Election
Driver Behavior
Housing Market
Paris 2024 Olympics
Transportation Infrastructure
Corinthians Boxing Club
Nigel Farage

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

Listen to Newstalk at newstalk.com/listenlive | Download the GoLoud app now, the new home for Newstalk

PublishesDailyEpisodes6702Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for The Hard Shoulder

Latest Episodes

He may be better known as Dr Derek Shepard at the Seattle Grace Hospital, but since departing our screens on Grey’s Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey has turned his attention to slightly darker, more sinister roles. His latest venture is that a photocopier sa... more

The United States Supreme Court has struck down the majority of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The court, which has a conservative majority, saw two of the conservative justices side with their liberal counterparts to strike down the tariffs in a ... more

After week one of cheating on and off the ice, what are the big stories of week two of the Winter Olympics?

Joining Ciara and Shane to discuss is Barry Kenny, Communications Manager with Iarnród Éireann, and Olympics superfan!

Image: Reuters

This week the National Bus and Railworkers’ Union called for high visibility clothing for cyclists and e-scooter users to reduce the risks for both drivers and riders, but is this more of an enforcement issue given that high vis clothing is already s... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Barry Cummins
Author of Missing and RTÉ journalist for The Latest
RTÉ
Episode: Gardaí begin search for Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob
Adrian Barry
Managing Editor of Off The Ball
Off The Ball
Episode: Are fathers working less than they ever have?
Charlie McConalogue
Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications, and Sport, and Fianna Fail TD for Donegal
Department of Culture, Communications and Sport
Episode: Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport joins us as Ireland to play Israel in the Nations League
John Crowne
Consultant oncologist at St Vincent's University Hospital Group
St Vincent's University Hospital Group
Episode: Are tougher restrictions on vaping needed?
Janet Horner
Councillor for Dublin North Inner City, member of The Green Party
The Green Party
Episode: Are tougher restrictions on vaping needed?
Aidan Pryor
Founder of Macdus, a card retailer
Macdus
Episode: Is Valentine's unaffordable?
David O'Callaghan
Podcaster from Here and Back Again Podcast
Episode: Movies and TV: Wuthering Heights, Crime 101 and Cross Season 2
Sarina Bellissimo
Entertainment Journalist
Episode: Movies and TV: Wuthering Heights, Crime 101 and Cross Season 2
Jason O'Mara
Renowned actor known for his roles as Batman and Jerry in These Sacred Vows
Episode: The Thursday Interview: Jason O’Mara

Host

Jonathan
Host of a weekday afternoon talk show focusing on current events, culture, and interviews with leading figures around timely topics of interest.

Reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars from 223 ratings
  • Stop shouting

    In all the Newstalk podcasts I have to turn up volume to hear guests and turn it down to hear presenter . Also you do not know more than your guest and stop talking across them and trying to be funny …grow up !

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    nxxxtt
    Ireland5 months ago
  • No Barrel Left Unscraped

    Friday’s show is always underwhelming.

    Maybe time for a new producer and someone to replace the bumpkin.

    Need to do something. The rest of the week is not much better these days. Disappointed!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mac an tSionnaigh
    United States10 months ago
  • Deeee seeeevning

    It’s “this evening” - awful show with terrible overuse of THEEEEEEE before everything. Note to presenter: reading a quotations book and spouting random clever references does not make you clever.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Johanes989
    Irelanda year ago
  • Cringe

    This guy is so disingenuous. The posh accent is actually cringe

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    El Sham
    Ireland2 years ago
  • Great!

    Kieran is a breath of fresh air after George/Ivan. Good command of detail and wry sense of humour at times. I like the travel slot, the head to head/common ground. Better week in review possible of a Friday. Very good at uploading podcasts quickly which is great.. V good on insta/social. So far this show is my preference to last word/Drivetime. Great show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    polcoranoraknot
    Ireland2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback includes concerns about audio quality, specifically with volume inconsistencies during episodes.
Some listeners have expressed a need for more engaging content, particularly around frequent or familiar topics.
Mixed reviews exist regarding some hosts' presentation styles, with calls for improved interview techniques.
Listeners appreciate the humorous take on serious topics and the depth of discussion with guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#156
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#25
Ireland/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Residential Tenancies Bill debated
Q: What about this argument against the right to increase rents between tenancies?
Michael expresses concern that without the ability to raise rents, landlords like him would be compelled to exit the market altogether.
Residential Tenancies Bill debated
Q: Is that something that you welcome?
Helen acknowledges that while they welcome strengthening tenants' rights, the bill does not go far enough, emphasizing the need for universal public housing.
Residential Tenancies Bill debated
Q: What is this protest outside the Dáil about? What's the knob of the protest?
Helen explains that the protest is a response to the detrimental effects of the Residential Tenancies Bill on tenants, who are already facing eviction and unaffordable rents.
1 in 4 workers would run out of money in a month if they lost their job. How can we better manage our savings?
Q: What advice would you give to people? How do you start saving and what's the best way to do it?
Start with small amounts, like one euro this week, and increase the savings incrementally to build an emergency fund.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien, on government plans to scrap the airport cap, pay increases for senior civil servants and rolling out contact payments on public transport
Q: Do you understand people's disquiet at the cabinet decision to approve salary hikes for top bosses, including one more by more than 50 percent?
The opposition is critical of this, but the salary levels of senior executives in state bodies were assessed independently of government, to ensure we retain good people at leadership levels.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Hard Shoulder

What is The Hard Shoulder about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A mix of discussions focused on contemporary social and cultural issues, featuring interviews with noteworthy figures at the forefront of current stories. The content often balances serious topics with light-hearted banter, creating a dynamic flow between analysis, opinion, and entertainment. Typical episodes explore various themes such as political developments, health, and local events, aiming to engage listeners with a blend of information and humor that helps to contextualize newsworthy events while inviting audience participation in critical conversations.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Hard Shoulder?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Hard Shoulder. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Hard Shoulder and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Hard Shoulder get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Hard Shoulder?

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How many subscribers and views does The Hard Shoulder have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Hard Shoulder has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Hard Shoulder?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Hard Shoulder:

1. The Pat Kenny Show
2. The Last Word with Matt Cooper
3. Today with David McCullagh
4. Brendan O'Connor
5. Path to Power

How many episodes of The Hard Shoulder are there?

The Hard Shoulder launched 9 years ago and published 6702 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Hard Shoulder?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Hard Shoulder?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Hard Shoulder from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Hard Shoulder. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Hard Shoulder?

Recent guests on The Hard Shoulder include:

1. Barry Cummins
2. Adrian Barry
3. Charlie McConalogue
4. John Crowne
5. Janet Horner
6. Aidan Pryor
7. David O'Callaghan
8. Sarina Bellissimo

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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