Ardal O’Hanlon

Multi-award winning comedian and actor Ardal O’Hanlon is one of the most gifted and accomplished artists to ever emerge from Ireland. A previous winner of no less than three ‘Best Comedian’ awards, along with a major British Comedy Award, Ardal has performed all over the world, with successful live tours of England, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Belgium, Italy, and two appearances at the acclaimed Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.

Ardal wrote and presented Leagues Apart for RTE Television and the BBC comedy series Blessed, and his television credits include the BBC’s My Hero (5 series); the ITV drama-comedy Big Bad World (2 series); the BBC’s ‘The Stand Up Show’ (3 series); a feature presentation on Comedy Central, ‘Comedy Central Presents: Ardal O’Hanlon’; and a stand up special for BBC1, ‘Live at the Apollo’ with Jack Dee. Additionally, Ardal played the title role in the USA short feature, ‘Another Bobby O’Hara Story’, and he released a full-length video, Ardal O’Hanlon Live (PolyGram/Universal).

But Ardal is perhaps best known as the dim-witted “Father Dougal McGuire” from Channel 4’s legendary comedy series Father Ted – a role which earned him five British Comedy Awards nominations, one BAFTA nomination, and the ‘Top Television Comedy Newcomer’ award at the 1995 British Comedy Awards!

An innovative writer, Ardal has also written for publications as diverse as The Independent and Total Sport Magazine, and his first novel, The Talk of the Town (Sceptre), made it to the Best Seller lists for a full year. The rights were sold to the US (where the book has been renamed Knick Knack Paddy Wack, published by Henry Holt) and reprised the UK success.

What the critics are saying about Ardal O’Hanlon:

“If you love comedy and smart talking – and only go to
see one comedy show, make it Ardal O’Hanlon”
~THE DAILY EXPRESS

“The true star of the show is Ardal O’Hanlon, the acclaimed stand up
whose comedy innocence and natural born acting ability is well worthy of the genius of James Stewart”
~THE INDEPENDENT

“If you’ve only seen him in his television role as
wide-eyed eejit ‘Father Dougal’ don’t miss his stand up performance.
Watch him turn innocence into a deadly comic weapon”
~THE SUNDAY TIMES

“O’Hanlon’s timing and technique are outstanding
in an age when such things do not seem to matter
as much as they should. See him – if you can find a ticket!”
~THE STAGE

“…as well as being very, very funny, he’s also terrifically likeable.
It’s a combination that seems likely to make Ardal O’Hanlon
one of the most popular live stand ups in the country
~THE EVENING NEWS

Keith Farnan

Cork native Keith Farnan is quickly building up a reputation as one of the most energetic and intelligent of the new Irish comedians. Having recently appeared on Irish television in the second series of ‘The Liffey Laughs’ (RTE), and the new BBC comedy series ‘One Night Stand’, Keith is beginning to make an impression on a wider audience, with appearances at the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival, the New York Underground Comedy Festival, and the “Best of the Irish” show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Keith has performed all over England and Ireland, even winning the inimitable “Gong Show” at the Comedy Store in London, which is the comedy equivalent of the Christians and the Lions! He has also played shows in New York such as “Laughing Liberally” and the “Sweet Show”, which hosts comedians and writers from Saturday Night Live and ESPN, and he has performed at Stand-Up New York and the Laugh Factory. He has appeared in several short films and was recently commissioned to write a comedy pilot for BBC Radio.

What the critics are saying about Keith Farnan:

“One of the best sets I’ve seen in ages. Fresh, interesting,
and doesn’t use smut as a means of getting a cheap laugh”
~IN DUBLIN

“Possessed of talent, focus and energy”
~HOT PRESS

“Ireland’s latest comedy star!”
~THE EXAMINER