Keeping His Cooley

He may be best known (and loved) for his filthy mouth, but the new year seems to have awakened a delicate wholesomeness in Navan man Tommy Tiernan. Starting on January 12 in the Roscommon Arts Centre, the comedian will follow the trail taken by the mighty Queen Maeve in her quest to steal the Brown Bull of Cooley, in the legendary Irish story, An Táin.

Tiernan will cycle and walk the route taken by the bad-ass queen of Connaught, stopping along the way to tell tale of his adventures in the Longford Arms Hotel (13), the Headfort Arms in Kells (14), Navan's Ardboyne Hotel (19), the TLT, Drogheda (15) Carlingford's Four Seasons (20), and finally - and fittingly! - An Táin Town Hall Theatre in Dundalk (22). We're not sure quite what to expect, but all this Maeve talk has us very intrigued…

If folklore ain't your bag, fear not - there's plenty more happening around the country this fortnight to cheer up those sad little post-Christmas faces. David McSavage of The Savage Eye heads to the Wexford Arts Centre (14), St. John's Theatre, Listowel (19), and Kavanagh's of POrtlaoise (20). Des Bishop meanwhile takes to the INEC stage in Killarney (14) then contines to the Iontas Theatre, Monaghan (15).

Dara Ó Brian's neverending Vicar St. run continues too - he performs there from 12 - 14, and again from 25 - 28, while Jason Byrne heads to the Source Arts Centre (14), and Blanchardstown's Draiocht (19, 20).

Finally, Neil Delamere performs at University Concert Hall, Limerick (21) and Carlow's George Bernard Shaw Film Club (22), Ian Coppinger is at Dublin's Laughter Lounge (13), and The Night Joe Dolan's Car Broke Down runs in the Olympia (16 - 21).