Henry McKean on the Hard Shoulder Newstalk

Henry's Christmas Cracker! Christmas Day at 10am-12pm then 8pm to 10pm on Newstalk. A 2 hour celebration with Daniel O’Donnell, Neven Maguire, a Christmas cracker record attempt, the 30th anniversary of Home Alone Lost in New York. Tom Dunne looks behind the Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy the David Bowie and Bing Crosby classic, and lots more surprises...

It’s the 2nd semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest, this year, it's hosted by Italy. Ireland are 10th on the stage tonight with ‘That’s Rich’. Henry McKean is in a hot Turin, its 28 degrees, If Ireland win outright it will cost Paddy Power a €1million. We hope she could snatch a place, Henry saw Brooke in rehearsals just now, she was relaxed, confident and strong and momentum. Henry McKean reports from Turin. 
 

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock live at the Oscars in response to a joke the comedian made about Smith’s Wife Jada’s hair loss as a result of alopecia. The Show went on and the Academy said later it did not condone violence in any form. Will Smith a few minutes later went on to win the best actor award for King Richard based on the tennis father of the Williams sisters, he made an apology in a tearful acceptance speech. LAPD said Chris Rock declined to press charges. Was this out of order or a man defending his wife? Henry McKean has been getting reaction.

According to the CSO two thirds of people living in rural areas would be very comfortable asking a neighbour to keep a set of keys to their home for emergencies for example if they were locked out, but in towns and cities this drops to half. We are asking today what is trust and would you trust your neighbour with your house key? Henry McKean is in the rural Irish town of Ardee. 

It’s Day one of The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to the republic. Today Charles and Camilla visited Waterford. Henry McKean was there to capture the mood for us.

In Bray County Wicklow a new sustainable suspension bridge proposed for Bray Harbour has run into protests from locals who want to save the swans. The 100 swans who live on the River Dargle can't see suspension cables and fly straight into them causing their wings to be damaged or even death, as happens at the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin. Henry McKean travelled to Bray and met locals who care about the welfare of the swans. With Swan conservationist Marcia Nicholson and Bray based vet Pete Wedderburn.