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Ardal O'Hanlon profile
Just what role did politics play in Ardal O'Hanlon's upbringing? And just who or what was Mr Trellis? Get the essential facts on the star of Father Ted, My Hero and Blessed with our run-through of the life and career of one of Britain's best-loved comedy actors...
"I come from a fairly big family and we get on fine - possibly because we never see each other very much. The only reason we keep in touch is in case I need an organ transplant."
So said Ardal O'Hanlon during a stand-up routine, and he wasn't kidding about the large family. Born in County Monaghan in 1965, he has no fewer than five siblings - two of whom have served as Irish politicians. Indeed, his father Rory O'Hanlon is also prominent politician, but it didn't rub off on the young Ardal, who knew he wanted to be a performer from an early age.
Not that material success followed, mind you. In fact, poor old Ardal had to work as a pig farmer to get by. And then there was his stint as a cognac promoter, which involved wandering around pubs dressed up as a bottle. (Well, after doing that, dealing with hecklers is probably a cinch...)
Before long his talent got noticed, and he bagged the prestigious Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1994. And that was what brought him to the attention of comedy writer Graham Linehan, who had just finished a certain script about a certain group of eccentric Irish priests.
Linehan knew he had to sign up Ardal for Father Ted as soon as he saw him perform. "His delivery was like someone caught in the headlights of a car. That sort of slightly stunned, confused look made me think, 'That's Dougal!'"
"People in Ireland have been dressing up as priests for years and trying to make it funny and that was the sort of thing I was trying to get away from," he later explained. But then he read the script, realised it transcended stereotypical Irish humour through sheer craziness, and agreed to take the part that would change his life.
But he's also in two minds about fame. Becoming a mainstream hit means that his stand-up audiences now include kids and grannies. "It makes you uncomfortable because if I'm talking about sex or something and I look down and see a 12-year-old lad with his mum. It puts you off going as far as you would."
And here's something else you might not know about Ardal. He was in the classic Daniel Day-Lewis movie My Left Foot. Well, his right ear was at least – as an extra, he was mostly out of shot for the one scene he was in.
So said Ardal O'Hanlon during a stand-up routine, and he wasn't kidding about the large family. Born in County Monaghan in 1965, he has no fewer than five siblings - two of whom have served as Irish politicians. Indeed, his father Rory O'Hanlon is also prominent politician, but it didn't rub off on the young Ardal, who knew he wanted to be a performer from an early age.
Pigs and cognac
Ardal's dream of becoming a comedy star started to become a reality when he was at Dublin University, where he and some suitably surreal-minded friends formed a comedy troupe called Mister Trellis. Later on, in 1988, they even helped establish Ireland's first ever comedy club- the aptly named "The Comedy Club", in Dublin.Not that material success followed, mind you. In fact, poor old Ardal had to work as a pig farmer to get by. And then there was his stint as a cognac promoter, which involved wandering around pubs dressed up as a bottle. (Well, after doing that, dealing with hecklers is probably a cinch...)
A meeting of minds
After making an underground reputation in Dublin, it was only natural that Ardal would make the journey to London – an essential rite-of-passage for any comic hoping to make it big in the business.Before long his talent got noticed, and he bagged the prestigious Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1994. And that was what brought him to the attention of comedy writer Graham Linehan, who had just finished a certain script about a certain group of eccentric Irish priests.
Linehan knew he had to sign up Ardal for Father Ted as soon as he saw him perform. "His delivery was like someone caught in the headlights of a car. That sort of slightly stunned, confused look made me think, 'That's Dougal!'"
A well behaved celebrity
Ardal himself wasn't initially quite as excited as Linehan, however. In fact, he thought Father Ted sounded terrible."People in Ireland have been dressing up as priests for years and trying to make it funny and that was the sort of thing I was trying to get away from," he later explained. But then he read the script, realised it transcended stereotypical Irish humour through sheer craziness, and agreed to take the part that would change his life.
But he's also in two minds about fame. Becoming a mainstream hit means that his stand-up audiences now include kids and grannies. "It makes you uncomfortable because if I'm talking about sex or something and I look down and see a 12-year-old lad with his mum. It puts you off going as far as you would."
Did you know?
Nowadays it seems every comedian has to release a novel or two – most of them being comic romps as light and fluffy as a chocolate souffle. But Ardal took a much more "literary" route when he published his novel Talk of the Town, a darkly surreal, even macabre take on life in an Irish village. Critics loved it, some even calling it the Irish Catcher in the Rye (even though it was published in the US with the rather rubbish title Knick Knack Paddy Whack).And here's something else you might not know about Ardal. He was in the classic Daniel Day-Lewis movie My Left Foot. Well, his right ear was at least – as an extra, he was mostly out of shot for the one scene he was in.
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