A genuine success: Tommy Tiernan

- When growing up in Navan, Co. Meath, Tommy used to spend his spare time at the pool tables and still plays the game to relax. He claims his only extravagant purchase was a pool table.
- Comedy must be contagious - Tommy went to the same school as Dylan Moran.
- His first venture into stand up comedy was at the GPO club in Galway. He still does the odd gig there as compere.
- His winning of the 1996 So You Think You Are Funny competition on Channel 4 suggested a comedy career on the rise.
- Tommy's next big splash came when he won the top award at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 1998, beating such notable opposition as Peter Kay and Ed Byrne.
- That same year he was voted 'Best Stand Up' in British comedy.
- In 1998 he made a memorable appearance as a guest on Father Ted.
- In 2002 he embarked on a nationwide tour of Ireland including 17 venues, a rare event for a new comedy talent.
- Tommy might also be labelled a failed musician. An avid jazz fan, he acquired a saxophone but couldn't attend lessons because of his busy touring schedule. So the music world's loss has turned out to be comedy's gain.
- What do you think?