Cash-and-Carry On Carrickmacross

It’s not a great start to the interview, as I ask Michael Downey if coming from Navan has helped him in comedy career?

“Not especially,” he grins, “’cos I’m not from Navan. I’m from Carrickmacross in Co. Monaghan. It’s the same town that Ardal O’Hanlon comes from, so I suppose it does have a comedy pedigree. Although I came from the other side of the tracks, so to speak, and I didn’t hang around with Ardal. He was at boarding school and I was, uh, poor. He’s a very funny guy though.”

How did Michael’s interest in comedy develop?

“I hung around with a group of guys at school and we thought we were the funniest people in the world. It was largely just us doing skits to amuse ourselves. I’d always fancied being a writer, but I actually got into stand-up due to a bet. A friend of mine said that if I went down and did a spot at the Comedy Cellar at the International Bar in Dublin he’d also give it a go. That first night went really well, and I went back a couple of weeks later accompanied by half of Carrick and that also went well. It was kind of like playing at home. The third time I went to the Cellar I got a proper slot, which I wasn’t expecting, and I got paid, which was more money for 30 minutes work than I was getting paid for a whole day’s work at home. I work as a storeman in a cash-and-carry, which isn’t as exciting as it sounds, unfortunately. Mind you, I’ll never die of stress. I love playing at the Cellar as it was people like Ardal O’Hanlon, Barry Murphy and Kevin Gildea who taught me that Irish comedians could be as funny as the likes of Billy Connolly and Bill Hicks. It’s important to realise that there’s a lot of work involved in getting up there and doing it, at least for me. I’ve seen people like Jason Byrne who seem to do it effortlessly but I find I’ve got to be very disciplined about putting the show together.”

What does that process involve?

“I’d do a lot of relationship stuff in my act and it helps that I’ve got a very funny wife so I steal a lot of her lines. Basically I just free associate images and ideas and see where it takes me. I mean, you can look at a lamp and it might suggest an ESB routine, or mabye you’d think about battering someone to death with it…It helps to have a twisted mind! After that you sit down and write it up, and then learn it off. I’m sure it’s possible that some people are just born funny, but I need to work the material out before hand, and if it makes me laugh I’ll keep it in.”

Are there any of the current crop of Irish comedians he’s influenced by or particularly admires?

“I wouldn’t really be influenced in terms of material because everyone’s style is quite different. Certainly I’d be encouraged by other people’s success as it proves that it’s possible to do it as a career if you’re good enough. I saw Ardal recently and he’s just getting better and better. Tommy Tiernan is another guy I admire. He’s just naturally funny. If Tommy Tiernan asked me if I wanted a pint I’d think it was funny.”

Michael is shortly to travel to Edinburgh to compete in the final of the BBC’s Comedy Newcomer awards. It’s quite an achievement for a relative newcomer to the Irish comedy circuit. Is he nervous about playing at such a prestigious event?

“I am quite nervous but it’s also very exciting. I was quite amazed I did so well given the talent that appeared at the semi-finals in Derry, but I get nervous before every gig. I usually spend most of the day on the toilet, romantically enough. Derry was strange in that I wanted to open by saying ‘Hello Derry!’ but I wondered if I should say Londonderry and I didn’t want to ask anyone which name to use in case I looked like a plonker. But there was a great sense of camraderie among the acts, everybody was really supportive. But then I’m sure Timothy McVeigh had mates ringing him up the night before his execution saying ‘Don’t worry Tim they’ll never do it, you’ll be grand’. So I’m hoping the people in Edinburgh are as nice. I’m also up for the Channel 4 So You Think You’re Funny competition so I’m excited about that.”

What would be the advantages of winning in Scotland?

“To be honest with you I’m not really sure. I’m just a guy who works in a cash-and-carry who happens to do a bit of comedy on the side, so this is all very new to me. It’s a question of doors opening and people making you offers. I’ve always wanted to write as that’s what I started out doing but I’d consider anything. Someone might offer me an acting gig. Someone might offer me a job in a bigger cash-and-carry!”