Golden age for Irish comedy - Whose next?

whiskeyman

Looking at the Vodafone Comedy Festival lineup, there's many of the same Irish acts there that would have made the very first one over 10 years ago or so:

Tommy Tiernan
Jason Byrne
Neil Delamare
Deirdre O'Kane

Add in some other big Irish acts that all seemed to hit big around the same time 20 years ago.
The International Bar Comedy Club was setup around then and probably was a springboard to many acts like:
Des Bishop
Ed Byrne
David O'Doherty
Dara O'Briain
The Apres Match lads
I'll even through in PJ Gallagher into the mix!
Comedy clubs were brilliant then and the Irish comedians were on top of their game.

Sure, we mightn't be fans of some of the above, but they all did very well for themselves!

However, I really don't know any Irish comedians hitting big over the past 10 years?
Alison Spittle?

Did those comedians above just come at a time when we needed them most?
The economy was just about the roar and there was plenty of material about hard times growing up / emigration and simple life stories.

Autecher

When you say hitting it big do you mean in Ireland or internationally? As far as I know Tommy Tiernan, Dylan Moran, Dara Ó Briain, Ed Byrne, Jason Byrne and David O' Doherty are all successful outside of Ireland. they are full time touring comedians sell out venues all over the world. Fair play to them too, it takes a long time and a lot of work to get to where they are.

Al Porter not make the cut?

Autecher

BrownFinger wrote: »

Al Porter not make the cut?

Your username would be an apt nickname for Al Porter. :pac:

Autecher

Autecher wrote: »

Your username would be an apt nickname for Al Porter. :pac:

Replace finger with something else..........

If Alison Spittle represents the best emergence in the last ten years then I'm Andy Kaufman.

whiskeyman

Autecher wrote: »

When you say hitting it big do you mean in Ireland or internationally? As far as I know Tommy Tiernan, Dylan Moran, Dara Briain, Ed Byrne, Jason Byrne and David O' Doherty are all successful outside of Ireland. they are full time touring comedians sell out venues all over the world. Fair play to them too, it takes a long time and a lot of work to get to where they are.

Both to some degree.
I just don't think we realised how great that period was for top comedians and I don't know of any of the same calibre who have emerged in the past 10 years or so.

If Alison Spittle represents the best emergence in the last ten years then I'm Andy Kaufman.

I sure hope not! Someone better give me others!

Hector Savage

Deirdre O Kane is a comedian ??

Autecher

BrownFinger wrote: »

Replace finger with something else..........

No the finger seemed to be his particular weapon of choice.

mr_edge_to_you

He's not regarded as a comedian but I reckon Paul Howard is the funniest man in Ireland.

razorblunt

Deleted User wrote: »

If Alison Spittle represents the best emergence in the last ten years then I'm Andy Kaufman.

She's currently on twitter starting a GoFundMe so she can interview Maura from LoveIsland when the show finishes.

I wish I was making this up.

riclad

This is not just an irish thing, every year famous popstars and actors from the 70,s and 80,s are dying.
Its strange ,in the last 10 years we have,nt seen any new famous irish comedians, the 90s , aughties, produced a flood of irish comedians
who were even successful in the uk to some degree .
Alison spittle is the only new comedian i can think of since 2008 .

blinding

You’d die laughing at Joe Duffy and Joe would get more and more Erect .

razorblunt

razorblunt wrote: »

She's currently on twitter starting a GoFundMe so she can interview Maura from LoveIsland when the show finishes.

I wish I was making this up.

Id question the sanity of a person whoever donated a cent to that....

Yeah, the comedians like Bernard O Shea, 2 Johnnys, Sir sTEVO, Doireann Gahrity, Cian Twomey and Rorys stories, are getting a lot of airtime,....id fear for the future of the Irish Comedy industry,

Nevin Parsnipp

Lexie Mushy Umpire wrote: »

Id question the sanity of a person whoever donated a cent to that....

Yeah, the comedians like Bernard O Shea, 2 Johnnys, Sir sTEVO, Doireann Gahrity, Cian Twomey and Rorys stories, are getting a lot of airtime,....id fear for the future of the Irish Comedy industry,

Calling any of the above a comedian is a serious abuse of the Trade Descriptions Act.

Noveight

That Sir Stevo and his wannabe wag would rot you. His Farmer Michael bit is brutal and he’s got nothing else.

Liam O

I've not seen them live but Shane Clifford and Tony Cantwell are funny enough on Instagram/Facebook so I'd have hope for them.

Chris Kent is pretty great

The Princess Bride

Foil, Arms and Hog, the best comedians to come out of Ireland in years!

Say Your Number

Don't think Alison Spittle is that bad, can't understand the pure venom she brings out in some people.

fatknacker

Aisling Bea not get a mention? Seems she's more known in the U.K. than here.

bodhrandude

bodhrandude

I don't think really any of the comedians mentioned in this thread are funny at all. Alison Spittle is a waste of space, though I admire her persistence. She's destined for (and already is a) failure.


Deirdre O Kane is woefully bad, too. Many of the men's acts rely on exaggerated shouting and over the top nonsense rather than actual joke telling.


I know Brendan Grace has just passed away, which makes people very sentimental about him, but I do think he's probably the best Irish stand up that's ever 'graced' a stage. He actually told jokes and stories that were funny (albeit a bit of new material wouldn't have hurt).


I did see some of Ardal O' Hanlon's stand up before and thought he was good, though. Found Dermot Morgan dreadful though (albeit great on scripted TV).

bodhrandude wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=312&v=yvbiCV2Zubc

Much as I admire the effort that went into that, I didn't really laugh.

whisky_galore

Hector Savage wrote: »

Deirdre O Kane is a comedian ??

I don't find screeching about tumble dryers, washing machines and fridge freezers remotely funny tbh.
Comedy is very subjective.

greenspurs

razorblunt wrote: »

She's currently on twitter starting a GoFundMe so she can interview Maura from LoveIsland when the show finishes.

I wish I was making this up.

Be careful ! :eek:
You cant 'critique' a female comedian, the "its because shes a woman" crew will be on your back , and not the fact that you think she is as funny as a full body waxing session, because she is , in fact, sh1t ……
Anyone mention Maeve Higgins yet ? remember her ??

And youd have all the usual suspects retweeting your comment... sexist pig, metoo etc...….

Beechwoodspark

Irish comedy to me as a casual observer seems to be very much a closed shop golden circle type thing.

Same faces doing same shows year in year out.

Dunno why but that’s how it is.

Autecher

Say Your Number wrote: »

Don't think Alison Spittle is that bad, can't understand the pure venom she brings out in some people.

I'd never actually seen her stand-up before but watched some last night on the back of this thread. I thought it was bad but I agree that I don't understand the hate she gets. I don't like the music of Ed Sheeran at all but by the age of 25 he was a very rich and successful man and fair fúcks to him for that.


I don't see her ending up a big name in comedy personally but it wouldn't make me angry either, she's giving it a go at least which is more than I can say for myself. Best of luck to this young woman I say!

Cina

A hernia is funnier and less irritating than Jason Byrne.

greenspurs

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Irish comedy to me as a casual observer seems to be very much a closed shop golden circle type thing.

Same faces doing same shows year in year out.

Dunno why but that’s how it is.

Small (gene) pool ….

Bob Harris

Most Irish comedians aren't fit to lace David McSavage's boots.

Sorry about that

greenspurs wrote: »

Be careful ! :eek:
You cant 'critique' a female comedian, the "its because shes a woman" crew will be on your back , and not the fact that you think she is as funny as a full body waxing session, because she is , in fact, sh1t ……
Anyone mention Maeve Higgins yet ? remember her ??

And youd have all the usual suspects retweeting your comment... sexist pig, metoo etc...….

You're the only poster to bring up sexism in this thread.

Strumms

Gary Lynch would be pretty funny.

whiskeyman

Liam O wrote: »

I've not seen them live but Shane Clifford and Tony Cantwell are funny enough on Instagram/Facebook so I'd have hope for them.

Never heard of them, but I'm not on either.
I wonder do they do comedy clubs?
Actually, do comedy clubs do the same level of business?
Has the internet diluted the quality of comedy out there?

Deleted User wrote: »

Chris Kent is pretty great

Who? Never heard. He mostly online?

The Princess Bride wrote: »

Foil, Arms and Hog, the best comedians to come out of Ireland in years!

I actually did mean to mention these guys. Seem to be the only successful act I can think of over past 10 years.

greenspurs

Sorry about that wrote: »

You're the only poster to bring up sexism in this thread.

And ?

Am I wrong? :rolleyes:

Sorry about that

greenspurs wrote: »

And ?

Am I wrong? :rolleyes:

Here you are- plenty of (accurate) criticism towards female comics and nobody calling misogyny.

rireland

Noveight wrote: »

That Sir Stevo and his wannabe wag would rot you. His Farmer Michael bit is brutal and he’s got nothing else.

I agree his act is overdone etc. BUT I can at least acknowledge he has an act.

His girlfriend is just the one replying to him yet she acts like she's part of the act. Lady, you're not funny, HE'S the one with the act, not you.

rireland

Say Your Number wrote: »

Don't think Alison Spittle is that bad, can't understand the pure venom she brings out in some people.

I genuinely thought she was disabled when I heard her on the radio so much. I thought this was RTE doing their bit for inclusivity but I was wrong, apparantly she is not.

Infernal Racket

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

He's not regarded as a comedian but I reckon Paul Howard is the funniest man in Ireland.

Times 10, he's a comic writing genius

Naos

Jimmy Carr has done well.

Mad_maxx

rireland wrote: »

I genuinely thought she was disabled when I heard her on the radio so much. I thought this was RTE doing their bit for inclusivity but I was wrong, apparantly she is not.

Apparently she's a settled traveller so that explains the constant RTE gigs

horseofstone

riclad wrote: »

This is not just an irish thing, every year famous popstars and actors from the 70,s and 80,s are dying.
Its strange ,in the last 10 years we have,nt seen any new famous irish comedians, the 90s , aughties, produced a flood of irish comedians
who were even successful in the uk to some degree .
Alison spittle is the only new comedian i can think of since 2008 .

I always thought that to be regarded as a comedian one has to be funny...Alison Spittle is painfully boring and dry.

Stop moaning ffs

Jason Byrne should be put on a rock and launched into the sun.

Peurile hyperactive nonsense isn’t comedy

squawker

greenspurs wrote: »

And youd have all the usual suspects retweeting your comment... sexist pig, metoo etc...….

Never liked any female standup comedian, they are simply not funny

But scripted comedy from the likes of Caroline O'Hearne can be quite good

Stop moaning ffs

squawker wrote: »

Never liked any female standup comedian, they are simply not funny

But scripted comedy from the likes of Caroline O'Hearne can be quite good

So Joan rivers isn’t one of the greats of comedy?

lintdrummer

The Rubber Bandits could be considered comedians.

skimpydoo

Why has nobody mentioned Ireland's biggest comedian at the moment who is regularly seen on the worlds stage? That comedian is Leo Varadkar.

EmmetSpiceland

lintdrummer wrote: »

The Rubber Bandits could be considered comedians.

No, I think they’re above all that now. They’d be “artistes”, well, one of them is anyway.

Mad_maxx

squawker wrote: »

Never liked any female standup comedian, they are simply not funny

But scripted comedy from the likes of Caroline O'Hearne can be quite good

Joan rivers was funny

Mad_maxx

lintdrummer wrote: »

The Rubber Bandits could be considered comedians.

Might have been once, full time professional SJW, s now

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Chris Kent is pretty great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIcD8BmJMgw

Third_Echelon

Quite a few of the later generation have moved abroad to try and establish themselves outside of Ireland. Maeve Higgins and Des Bishop both live in New York as far as I know.

There are definitely a few different mediums for comedians. The classic stand up suits certain types. Others are better at story telling and creating a show around that. Others are better suited to the scripted 'sitcom' type format. I don't think one medium is superior over the other. There are lots of different ways to be funny.

For me anyway, the one comedian that crosses all mediums/genres is Dylan Moran. He's a genius!

I've been living abroad for the last few years and I hadn't seen the 'Bridget & Eamonn' TV series until a few weeks ago when it was put on Amazon Prime Video in the US. When I had heard it was getting a sitcom type show in Ireland, I didn't think it had enough legs to create that many episodes. I have to say, it was genuinely funny. Many laugh out loud moments for me. Loved it!