National Laughing Stock

The blurb I’ve been given for this article which includes a brief explanation of what is required asks any of the comedians who write this piece to talk about themselves, as if I’d do anything else! I’ve also been asked to provide an insight into the comedy circuit, and do it all as a light piece. I don’t know if that’s possible. The ‘comedy circuit’ is a scary place full of mad people, ego maniacs and sexual deviants and that’s just our good points.

There are a good number of clubs around the country but some only go monthly and don’t exactly pay you millions, even hundreds would be nice. But it’s not for the cash that I do it, it’s for the joy of giving laughter to others, of course. I shouldn’t really complain, I’m doing what I love and getting paid and travel opportunities while doing it. And maybe someday I’ll make a healthy living from it.
Most cities and towns do a comedy night somewhere along the line – even small villages like Cork have regular gigs at the moment. But clubs open and close all the time, their failure to succeed being caused by many factors. From local apathy, to not enough publicity, the guy running it didn’t make a mint the first couple of weeks so he jacked it in and so on. My favourite is when they start a comedy night and then don’t book anyone funny on the bill, that always makes me chuckle.
But there are good clubs out there, the International Bar in Dublin most nights of the week has comedy, Cuba in Galway on Sundays, Dolan’s in Limerick on a Wednesday (oh that’s right I’m M C there most weeks,I forgot).
I remember telling one of Irish comedy’s mainmen that ‘There was a club opening in Limerick’. He told me ‘There’s always a club opening in Limerick’... I’ve enjoyed myself in places all over the country like Portlaoise and Shannon. Nice Clare people can be a bit of a shock to the system, but they do exist.
But the highlight of the comedy year has to be Kilkenny Cat Laughs. I’ve been there for the last couple of years and it’s just great, most of the Irish acts are there and the finest international acts. I felt like Alan Kernaghan at a World Cup, in fear that someone was going to tap me on the shoulder and go ‘What are you doing here?’.
The Irish do hold their own in the company of all those international visitors but then it does help that we have such a lot of talent for comedy in this country. For a list, just read the cast from your Father Ted videos plus a few others. And since then there have been a few more who have shown that the well is not dry yet. The one that I find most curious is Reuben. He takes to the stage and acts out various sketches saying very little. It’s difficult to explain but most entertaining and certainly one to watch.
For me, I’m not sure what the future holds, I kind of like the idea of earning a living from comedy, getting to travel the world and avoid doing anything remotely like a real job. And, of course, meeting loads of lovely ladies: one would be nice as a start, someone I could betray eventually with Kate Moss. Stranger things have happened.