So you’re not satisfied with your life and want to discover the secrets to success? Your best bet might be to take yourself off to the Draíocht Studio to see Batty Ryan Will Change Your Life! (Thursday February 18 at 8.15pm). Batty is the, er, brainchild of Joe Rooney of Kilinascully and Father Ted fame.

He’s a life coach who will take you through his hilarious, and sadly misguided, ‘Seven Steps To Success in Life and Business’ seminar and will probably convince you the recession is all in your imagination. Rooney is accompanied by his assistant and "life partner", Eastern European Katarina (played by Sharyn Hayden, no relation) for this send-up of life, hope and self-improvement. Be warned: the show may include impromptu singing and audience participation. You might even become a better person for it. Or maybe not.
In the main auditorium in the same venue on the following night, Draiocht will play host to David O’Doherty and his David O’Doh-party. It’s part of his current tour that sees him play Source Arts Centre, Thurles on February 12, the Backstage Theatre in Longford on February 20, and Vicar Street, Dublin on February 25. In between, O’Doherty will also squeeze in gigs in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Coventry.
Maeve Higgins has been described as both a firebrand and a sparkler. Check her out for yourself on some of her upcoming dates. On Friday February 12 Higgins will appear at the Moat Theatre, Naas, Co Kildare. The following night she’s scheduled for a gig at the Market Place Theatre, Armagh. She’s at The Kenyon in Nenagh, Co Tipperary on Thursday February 18 and moves on to the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre in Naul, Dublin for the night after.
Neil Delamere is also at large around the country in the coming weeks. On Friday February 12 he’s at the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise, Co Laois. He’s at Vicar Street on Saturday 13, and An Tain Theatre in Dundalk on Thursday February 18. Then it’s back to the Heritage Hotel for a gig on Friday February 19. By Thursday February 25 Delamere should have found his way to the Iontas Theatre in Castleblayney in Co Monaghan.
Due to extraordinary demand, Dara O Briain has added extra dates at Vicar Street for his stint there in June and July. O Briain is already committed to dates at the venue on February 18, 19 and 21 (all of which are already sold out), but his June diary now includes appearances at Vicar St on June 24, 25 and 27, as well as July 3, 4 to 8, 9, 10 to 15, 16, 17 and 18. Tickets are €28 and are on sale now.