The Hard Shoulder

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 properly tie a tie!

Writing in the Irish Independent, Kirsty Blake Knox says there are too many relationship gaps, from wellness gaps, to bedtime gaps and age gaps, but is difference in a relationship a good thing?

Kirsty Blake Knox, Features Journalist with The Irish Independent, joins Shane to discuss.

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

Today marks the third anniversary of the October 7th Hamas-led attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

This attack sparked a devastating war in Gaza which has left much of the territory in ruins and its 2 million people living in dire conditions…

For more on this, Ciara is joined by Sky News’ Adam Parsons.

Speaking before the Oireachtas Sports Committee today, the GAA has said that integration remains “on course” but the process could take “a number of years”.

Alan Kelly, Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport and Labour TD joins Shane to discuss.

What chores could you not do when you left home? 20% of young people avoid laundry because they can't work a washing machine. A fruited barmbrack cake now gives instructions on its label explaining how to use a knife to cut it into slices! Have young people completely lost their way, and are we to blame?

Joining Ciara to make sense of it all is Ann Russell, author, online creator and cleaning expert.

US President Donald Trump said he would speak very soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the reported plague death of a laboratory technician.

Russian authorities denied that they were imposing anti-plague measures and played down the reports of an incident at an anti-plague institute in Siberia last week…

Joining Shane to discuss this is Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America Correspondent.

New body armour is being rolled out to members of the Defence Forces for the first time in two decades.

Newstalk Reporter Jessica Woodlock got a first look at this special equipment, and joins Ciara to discuss.

Children under 10 should not be given obesity drugs or GLP-1 weight-loss injections such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, new global guidelines from the World Health Organization say.

For more on this, Shane is joined by Dónal O’Shea, Specialist in Obesity.

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 his ultimate guide to Nashville in Tennessee!