Podcast artwork thumbnail for The Hard Shoulder

The Hard Shoulder

Ciara Kelly, Shane Coleman

Booking Overview

This is a daily current-affairs and drivetime talk show covering Irish and international news, politics, health, consumer issues, travel and business through short interviews with journalists, specialists, advocates and organizational leaders. Agencies could credibly pitch recognized subject-matter experts, policy commentators, health professionals, consumer-finance specialists and leaders of relevant organizations; booking difficulty is medium because the show has national reach but regularly uses accessible professional experts for timely topics.

Metrics

Episodes: 8273

Frequency: Daily

Rating: 3.6/5.0

Estimated listeners: 1,000 - 10,000

Gender skew: Neutral

Listener location: Ireland

YouTube: 109.0k subscribers

Instagram: 216.0k followers

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

thehardshoulder@newstalk.com

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

Host

Ciara Kelly - Irish doctor, broadcaster and media commentator with expertise in health and public affairs.

Shane Coleman - Irish journalist, broadcaster and current-affairs commentator.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium
Typical Credentials:  
Recognized journalists and correspondents, medical and public-health professionals, policy specialists, consumer-finance experts, charity or nonprofit leaders, and organizational representatives with timely expertise relevant to Ireland and current affairs.
Required Achievements:  
Leadership of a recognized charity, nonprofit or organization, Professional expertise in medicine, public health, journalism, finance or policy, Senior correspondent or commentator roles at established media organizations, Public advocacy or specialist knowledge relevant to an active news issue

Recent Guest Discussions

Darragh Cassidy - Ways For Households To Manage Grocery Spending And Stretch Their Budgets

Adam Harris - Favourite Books And Perspectives On Autism Advocacy And Social Entrepreneurship

Emmet O'Brien - The Feasibility And Potential Effects Of A Proposed Smoke-free Generation Policy Covering Cigarettes And Vapes

Shona Murray - The United Nations General Assembly And European Developments Involving Russia Sanctions

Anthony Zurcher - The United Nations General Assembly And International Developments Involving Russia Sanctions

Recent Topics

News, Current Affairs, Politics, Public Health, Personal Finance

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
The Hard Shoulder
:

The Ultimate Guide: Getting the best airfare deals

October 13, 2026

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, we take a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world.This week, Eoghan Corry, Editor of Air and Travel Magazine, joined Ciara and Shane to give his ultimate guide to getting the best deals on air travel!

Could you be in the next big boyband? - Henry McKean Reports

October 13, 2026

The search is on for Ireland's next big boyband, potentially bigger than Boyzone or Westlife. Brian McFadden has brought together the people behind One Direction and the Sugerbabes.Henry McKean sat down with Brian McFadden, and sent us this interview.If you think you have what it takes,  and you are between 17 and 19 years of age check out Brian McFadden's instagram page or eu.castitreach.com.

What is the Government's reaction to the public sector strike?

October 13, 2026

More than 300,000 public sector workers including nurses, doctors, teachers and civil servants, will engage in a 24-hour strike tomorrow over delays in agreeing a new public sector pay deal.Joining me now to discuss this is Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West, Shane Moynihan.

Frequently asked questions

Here's some frequently asked questions for
The Hard Shoulder
:

How do I get in touch with The Hard Shoulder?

The Hard Shoulder is hosted by Ciara Kelly and Shane Coleman. Its publicly listed email is thehardshoulder@newstalk.com. For guest bookings, the host or producer is usually the best person to reach. Podseeker helps you find direct host and producer contacts and pitch from your own inbox.

What is the email for The Hard Shoulder?

The publicly listed email for The Hard Shoulder: thehardshoulder@newstalk.com.

How many listeners does The Hard Shoulder have?

Podseeker estimates The Hard Shoulder reaches 1,000 to 10,000 listeners per episode. Only the publisher has exact numbers.

Who is an ideal guest for The Hard Shoulder?

The Hard Shoulder typically books working professionals with real expertise. Typical guest background: Recognized journalists and correspondents, medical and public-health professionals, policy specialists, consumer-finance experts, charity or nonprofit leaders, and organizational representatives with timely expertise relevant to Ireland and current affairs. Common among recent guests: Leadership of a recognized charity, nonprofit or organization; Professional expertise in medicine, public health, journalism, finance or policy; Senior correspondent or commentator roles at established media organizations. Recent guests include Darragh Cassidy, Adam Harris, and Emmet O'Brien.

How hard is it to get booked on The Hard Shoulder?

Medium. Guests usually need solid credentials in the topic and an idea that fits the show.

What topics does The Hard Shoulder cover?

Recent episodes cover News, Current Affairs, Politics, Public Health, and Personal Finance. Pitch an idea tied to one of these topics and mention a recent episode.

Publicly listed emails

thehardshoulder@newstalk.com

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

Get your clients booked on top podcasts

Try us risk free with a FREE 3 days trial.

Start Your Free Trial

Join hundreds of PR teams using Podseeker to pitch and land bookings