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The Hard Shoulder

Newstalk
Ireland
World Cup
Dublin
United States
Donald Trump
Iran
European Union
Fianna Fáil
Newstalk
Dublin, Ireland
Ryder Cup
Artificial Intelligence
Labour Party
Pogues
Data Centers
Transition Year
Ireland Gateway To Europe
Keir Starmer
HSE
Chicago

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes7671Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for The Hard Shoulder

Latest Episodes

Unfortunately, many laws to reduce public harm gather dust after drafting, delayed for years before being finally tabled for debate by elected representatives.

With only 14 bills enacted in the first year of this Government, such a low legislative o... more

According to a new survey, 65% of us listen to the same songs on loop. Why do we do it, and are you open to new music? Henry McKean met music lovers and experts, and sent in this report.

Off The Ball’s John Duggan joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

Oscar-winning Irish actor Brenda Fricker, who starred in ‘My Left Foot’ and ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’, has passed away at the age of 81…

Joining Ciara to look back on her life and career is John Fardy, Presenter of Screentime on Newstalk, and... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

John Fardy
Presenter of Screentime and Entertainment Journalist
Screentime (RTÉ)
Episode: Movies and TV: Elle, Enola Holmes 3, Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie
Alison Comyn
Fianna Fáil Senator, Chair of the Irish Parliamentary Women's Caucus
Fianna Fáil
Episode: Research finds that 96% of female TDs & Senators have had violent threats online
Darragh O'Brien
Minister for Transport
Government of Ireland
Episode: Minister Darragh O’Brien on new car scrappage EV scheme
JP McMahon
Chef, restaurateur and author
Self-employed (JP McMahon)
Episode: Do you have a favourite weird food combination?
Jennifer Whitmore
Social Democrat TD for Wicklow; party spokesperson on agriculture, food, fisheries and the marine
Social Democrats
Episode: Should TDs always follow their party’s vote?
Michael Sheehan
Wexford Councillor
Fianna Fáil
Episode: Should we reform the inheritance tax system?
Michael Pidgeon
Green Party Councillor and Party Finance Spokesperson
Green Party
Episode: Should we reform the inheritance tax system?
Brian Gaynor
Freelance journalist in Japan
Independent/journalist
Episode: How does Ireland’s litter compare to the rest of the world?
Simon Hunter
Spain-based journalist
News affiliate
Episode: How does Ireland’s litter compare to the rest of the world?

Hosts

Ciara Kelly
Host of The Hard Shoulder, Newstalk
Shane Colman
Co-host of The Hard Shoulder

Reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars from 231 ratings
  • Desperate interviewing

    Any chance Shane Colman could take a pause and let the interviewee speak? God that man loves the sound of his own voice.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    YerOne73
    Australia4 months ago
  • 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
    Ireland10 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 Statesa year 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

Listeners Say

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

Listeners crave blunt, energetic discussion and strong host presence.
Fans appreciate the show's willingness to tackle housing, transport, and policy with on-the-ground insight.
Some listeners feel the hosting can overly steer conversations, though guests often provide counterpoints.
Critics note volume and pacing issues but praise timely topics and guest variety.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#176
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#33
Ireland/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

US envoys arrive in Qatar for Iran talks - latest updates
Q: What's going on with the Doha talks and the lack of a meeting with Iranian officials?
There is no scheduled meeting yet; Kushner and Witkoff are engaging through intermediaries via Qatari and Pakistani mediators, with parties disputing the meaning of the memorandum of understanding and broader tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and sanctions.
US envoys arrive in Qatar for Iran talks - latest updates
Q: Has there been reaction from Donald Trump, or those people around him, to this ruling?
They condemned it and had been anticipating a loss; Stephen Miller said they would try to end birthright citizenship despite the ruling, framing it as a disgrace while continuing opposition to the decision.
The Bookshelf with David McRedmond
Q: Tell us your favorite book that you want to put on the bookshelf.
David McRedmond describes Austerlitz as his pick, a book that deftly intertwines history, memory, and a poignant exploration of Europe in the 20th century, illustrating how fiction can illuminate deep truths about the human condition.
Does Ireland have the infrastructure to support more EVs?
Q: When we talk about 1600 public charges and they can only take up to 1400 charging at the same time, is that the overall ESB network that can't handle that?
The issue seems tied to local load and substations rather than the entire ESB network; some fast chargers are linked to specific substations, so capacity varies by location.
Is referee abuse getting worse?
Q: What happened in Kilrush and how did it unfold emotionally for the officials involved?
The incident involved the referee being assaulted after an under-15 game, with colleagues and administrators rallying to support him, and a sense that such events are not representative of the GA community; the discussion emphasizes the need for resilience and proper conduct.

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?

Grounded, opinion-forward discussions cover politics, current affairs, society, culture, and urban policy with a focus on Ireland. Episodes frequently feature live updates, panel debates, and long-form interviews with politicians, journalists, academics, and notable figures, producing a candid, sometimes confrontational, but always topical conversation. Notable strengths include a steady host dynamic, timely coverage of breaking events, and a willingness to tackle evidence-based policy debates, housing, transport, and social issues. The show's format tends to blend sharp analysis with accessible storytelling, making it suitable for listeners who want clear opinions, real-world context, and practical takeaways for public discourse, sponsorsh... more

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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. Today with David McCullagh
3. The Last Word with Matt Cooper
4. The Claire Byrne Show
5. Brendan O'Connor

How many episodes of The Hard Shoulder are there?

The Hard Shoulder launched 9 years ago and published 7671 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.

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What guests have appeared on The Hard Shoulder?

Recent guests on The Hard Shoulder include:

1. John Fardy
2. Alison Comyn
3. Darragh O'Brien
4. JP McMahon
5. Jennifer Whitmore
6. Michael Sheehan
7. Michael Pidgeon
8. Brian Gaynor

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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