Highlights From The Hard Shoulder

Children’s reading enjoyment has fallen to the lowest recorded level in the UK…An annual survey of young people’s reading habits, which began two decades ago, shows its lowest-ever result, most pronounced among boys aged 11 to 16.How do we encourage them to read when there is so much grabbing their attention?Joining Kieran to discuss is author Eoin Colfer.

John Fardy, Presenter of 'Screentime' and Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

Actress Eilish O'Carroll joins Kieran for this week's Thursday Interview!

How would you like to take a ‘workation’? In this new world of remote working, a ‘workation’ combines work with a vacation.So, how prevalent is this practice, and what does it take to stay productive while sipping coconut water on the beach?One large multinational offering a ‘workation’ to employees is Deloitte, their Chief People Officer, Sinead Gogan, joins Kieran to discuss.

Over 200 people are now confirmed dead following an Air India crash, which was en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. It plummeted into a hostel housing medical students, with casualties reported on the ground.The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.Joining Kieran to discuss is Rahul Bedi, Journalist based in New Delhi and Sean Bell, former Fighter Pilot.Image: Reuters

1980’s Kids TV Presenter Timmy Mallett is cycling around Ireland, meeting people and painting along the way. Henry McKean brought along his old bike, met up with Timmy Mallett, and went for a bike ride!

Ryanair has introduced a €500 fine for disruptive passengers whose "unruly" behavior results in them being taken off the plane. The hope is that the fine will act as a deterrent for passengers who cause disruptions, but is this enough to stop this behavior?Joining Kieran to discuss is Eoghan Corry, Owner and Editor of Travel Extra and Michelle Walsh Jackson, AKA the Novel Traveller.

Weight-loss jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro have been hailed as game-changers in the fight against obesity, but now, serious health warnings are emerging…Experts fear these drugs may interfere with common medications like the contraceptive pill and HRT, potentially increasing cancer risk. So, what do patients really need to know?Joining Kieran to discuss is Donal O’Shea is the Clinical Lead on Obesity for the HSE.

Beach Boys co-founder and frontman Brian Wilson has passed away at the age of 82...Joining Kieran to reflect on his legacy is Arts Journalist Pat Carty.

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 Kieran to discuss how to get down on one knee and propose!

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, or DMD as it is commonly known, is a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes the weakening of muscles over time.It affects almost exclusively boys, with symptoms typically appearing between the ages of one and three. In Ireland today, around 110 people are known to be living with DMD. Most of them are under the age of 18.Fianna Fáil Senator Teresa Costello has called on the European Commission, HSE and Minister of Health to regulate the drug Givinostat here for children with DMD.Joining Kieran to discuss is Senator Teresa Costello, as well as Úna and Eilish, both parents of children who suffer from Muscular Dystrophy.

Newstalk’s Henry McKean’s reporting today looked into devices that can transform the screen of a car to allow the use of video streaming services, even while driving.So, what should be done about these devices, and how can we combat this epidemic of distracted driving?Shane O’Donoghue, Editor of completecar.ie, joins Kieran to discuss.

Can the National Development Plan deliver on all its projects? With a €165 billion investment in transport, housing and infrastructure - will everything be met by 2040?Joining Kieran to discuss is Brian Caulfield, Professor in the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin.

Macra, an organisation that represents young people in rural Ireland, have said that young farmers are almost an “endangered species”, but are they really in decline, and what is it that is driving them out?Joining Kieran to discuss is Josephine O’Neill, National President of Macra and Limerick Dairy Farmer, Louise Crowley.

In recent weeks we have seen a rise in TVs in cars. Touch screens converted to TVs or TVs added to the dashboard playing videos. Driving around and watching TV. But is it allowed and is it safe? Henry McKean has been finding out for us.

What are your least favourite DIY jobs? And, what is your limit when it comes to being handy?Joining Kieran to discuss is Building Expert and TV personality Pete the Builder and DIY Educator and Content Creator Suzanne Armstrong.

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 Kieran Cuddihy to give his travel tips for the Isle of Man!

The Government today officially announced plans to implement a new national rent control system.The new rental regulations will mean that the current system, which caps yearly rent increases at 2%, or in line with inflation, will be retained for existing tenancies.Landlords will also be allowed to hike rents in instances where tenants leave homes voluntarily.To discuss, Kieran is joined by Daniel McConnell, Editor of the Business Post, Kate English, Deloitte Chief Economist and later Pat Davitt, CEO at IPAV.

Former People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith joins Kieran to place her favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Martin Scorsese has said that people talking, snacking and using their phones during a film has put him off going to the cinema, and a survey found that over 50% of Irish people agree with him.The debate over declining cinema etiquette has been in the spotlight recently, including when a viral TikTok trend saw teenagers erupting into chaos during a scene in the new Minecraft film.Joining Kieran to discuss is Dr Jenny O’Connor, School of Humanities in SETU PHD Film Studies and Chris Wasser, Arts Journalist and Sunday Independent Film Critic.