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Adam Schmitz and Orla Mahon sit down with author, comedian and actor Ardal O'Hanlon.
What were you like as a student?
I wouldn’t say I was a model student, I was a bit of a dreamer I think! I did communication studies in what's now known as DCU, my parents wanted me to do law or medicine. It was kind of the first media course and it was quite radical for its time. There was practical dimensions like radio and TV production. I got by at school fairly easily but when it came to exam time I just kind of lost interest, I was more interested in reading novels or playing football.
You were part of the team that set up The Comedy Cellar at the International, what was the comedy scene like back then?
There was no comedy scene when we started! We were just taking a shot in the dark. There were four of us and we all thought we were funny. We had a bit of a “manifesto” and we went into the International Bar because we noticed that they didn’t host any musicians on a Wednesday night. The manager said he’d give us a trial and about 20 people showed up that first night and watched a few sketches. Then it became monthly, then it became weekly and over a few years we kind of found our feet.
You’re currently out on the ‘Not Himself’ tour, and you’re playing the Olympia this Saturday, March 28th. How is it?
I’m enjoying it more than ever. I mean it was so exciting in the early days in the comedy cellar - that’s where I was baptised as a comedian. But I think I can safely say that I enjoy it now as much as ever.
We obviously have to ask about Father Ted! What was it like being in such an iconic show and playing such an iconic role?
We really didn’t know at the time that it was going to endure. I was very much a stand up in those days and acting was really quite a novelty. I still kind of pinch myself to be honest, I consider myself very lucky to have been in it. Sitcom isn’t an exact science, so when it does come together and all the ingredients are there it becomes a very special experience.
It was interesting because the four leads were all Irish - Ted, Dougal, Jack, Mrs Doyle. We were all vaguely familiar with each other's work so there was just this giddy, holiday camp atmosphere. We were all in London together doing this sit com and none of us could really believe it! It was a very exciting time.
Do you think you and Dougal would be friends in real life?
I think so! I’ve always said I think of Dougal as a puppy, and I like puppies! I used to kind of think, rather than playing him as a stupid person, I’d think “what would a dog do in this situation?”
You’re also a successful author! Your new book, ‘A Plot to Die For’, is out in April. What can you tell us about it?
Well, it’s actually a crime novel. It’s a murder mystery set in a fictional town in Ireland. It's about a celebrity gardener who’s had a successful career in the UK and he comes home to care for his mother and when he’s home he witnesses a murder. Not only that, he’s also roped into the Tidy Towns effort! So he’s involved in a Tidy Towns rivalry and solving a murder - so I think it's pretty funny! It’s funny and a murder mystery but it really does have a heart.
Another thing that’s recently come out is ‘How to get to Heaven from Belfast’ which has been a huge success on Netflix. You’ve obviously worked with Lisa McGee before on Derry Girls, what was it like going into that project?
It’s always great to be asked to do anything. The brilliant thing about working with Lisa McGee, and Michael Lennox who directed both this and Derry Girls, is that they write your character but then you go in and they encourage you to do what you feel. They push you and push you and as an actor that’s what you want. You get to have fun with it and be outrageous. So I’m a hotel manager and quite passive aggressive. It’s kind of a murder mystery itself and it's great fun to do!
We know you’ve got a love of football, so ahead of this big week in Irish football, are Ireland going to the World Cup?
That’s a tough question! As much as I’d like to see them at the World Cup, I just don’t know if it's possible for us to win four mega games in a row. The last two were epic. If we do get there, it’ll be amazing, it’ll be the highlight of the year. If we don’t it’ll be fine and we can just pretend we were going to boycott it anyway!
As a final question, what’s some advice you would give to our student readers?
Well, the main advice I would give anyone is to ignore my advice! Apart from that, I would give some advice that I didn’t really take myself growing up, but you really do have to be yourself. Some people think to be successful you need to copy someone that you love, but there’s no shame in failing. I was 28 by the time I did anything - I arsed around Dublin for six years after college. I was 28 when I finally went to London and gave comedy a proper go so just know that there’s no rush!