A tidal wave of madness, mischief and merriment is heading west with the return of Galway Comedy Festival this October, with Al Porter featuring in the line-up.
The list of top comedy talent is huge for 2024: English comedy megastar Russell Howard; the First Lady of Irish Comedy, Deirdre O’Kane; Irish comedy living legends Dylan Moran, Dara Ó Briain, and Mario Rosenstock; and the newest wave of Irish comedy stars Shane Todd, Emma Doran, Sinéad Quinlan, Al Porter and Colin Geddis, have been announced to play Ireland’s Comedy Capital, alongside the previously announced Ruby Wax, Des Bishop, Jimeoin, Michelle Wolf, David McSavage, Enya Martin, Micky Bartlett, and Fin Taylor are the highlights of a 70-strong line-up of international stars, homegrown comedy greats, and emerging talent at Galway Comedy Festival 2024.
A Stellar Lineup
Headliner Russell Howard once said that "laughter is the lubricant that makes life liveable" and his comic lubrication has seen him conquer the world. Deirdre O’Kane will bring her dazzling charisma to the stage in her latest show, the critically acclaimed O’Kaning It. Deirdre will also join Emma Doran for a live recording of their Keep It Tight podcast.
Stand-up, broadcaster, actor, author, columnist, science communicator, and Gaeilgeoir, Dara Ó Briain, is a comedy phenomenon well known for his TV work. Dylan Moran, another superstar who is no stranger to telly, also appears at GCF2024 as a resident artist for the festival.
Yank Ruby Wax is best known for her racy UK TV work but her stand-up now includes her struggles with her mental health.
Des Bishop comes to us fresh from his near-death experience in February. The comic fell 1,400 feet while skiing in Colorado, but lived to tell the tale, and make a laugh of the whole thing.
A Feast of Laughter
As the world grapples with rapid changes, uncertainties, and challenges, one thing thankfully remains certain. Come October, the nation’s biggest comedy festival will take over Galway’s pubs and theatres for seven joyous nights, transforming the city into Ireland’s Comedy Capital - in the process delivering an unforgettable celebration of humour, wit, and all things funny.
"Laughter is the lubricant that makes life liveable," said Russell Howard, a firm believer in comedy as the means to deal with a world in crisis and boy does that feel timely again. Relentlessly funny, endlessly charming and the undisputed king of feel-good comedy, Russell has a way of looking the world straight in the eye, and still finding hope through hilarity.
One of Ireland’s leading comedians, Deirdre O’Kane has been bringing her dazzling charisma to the stage in her latest show, the critically acclaimed O’Kaning It. In this show, Deirdre explores some of her darkest material yet, while still delivering side splitting and occasionally guilty laughs. Deirdre also joins Emma Doran for a live recording of their hit Keep It Tight podcast, where no topic is out of bounds - from the highest brow to the lowest pelvic floor.
Stand-up, broadcaster, actor, author, columnist, science communicator, and Gaeilgeoir, Dara Ó Briain, is arguably Irish Comedy’s Renaissance Man. From his days as host of RTÉ’s much-loved and fondly remembered The Panel, Ó Briain has become one of the biggest names on the international comedy circuit, and a Mock the Week, QI and Have I Got News For You regular.
Dylan Moran has enjoyed playing Galway so much throughout 2024 that he is taking up the role of our #GCF24 Artist-in-Residence. As well as performing stand-up, this Residency is likely to contain spur of the moment brilliance. He delights in improvised music and art created on-the-spot. Think free-jazz from a Beat Poet with a paintbrush in one hand, a drumstick in the other and you may be on the right track. Whatever happens, Moran promises to be utterly compelling and surprising as always.
The legendary Ruby Wax will show just why Leftlion.co.uk called her "a voice that can be both comical and meaningful" in her show, I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was, as she deals with her mental health in a way that is both unflinching and brutally funny. Described as "deeply thoughtful and resolutely frothy" by The Times, tickets are nearly gone already, so don’t delay and buy yours now!
Beyond Stand-Up
Galway Comedy Festival strives to be an eclectic event for fans of laughter. It goes beyond stand-up to encompass comedy in all its forms and manifestations: Celebrating classic sitcoms in Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience and the Stars of Father Ted; the art of improvisation with the Stephen Frost Improv All Stars, and a screening of the film, The Hurler, featuring numerous Irish comedians. The Festival also provides a safe space for alternative performers via The Dirty Circus, which features burlesque, cabaret, drag and pole performances.
A Celebration of Diversity
Galway Comedy Festival is also a reminder that comedy is not exclusive to the English language, but an art which crosses all kinds of cultural boundaries. Hence there is Gáire as Gaeilge, the annual stand-up shows in our native language, and a night of Polish language comedy from Antoni Syrek Dąbrowski and Łukasz Kowalski. Not only that, but this year the Festival is looking beyond the city walls to bring laughs around the County in a new venture that will see shows in Spiddal, Headford, and Tuam! And don’t miss Hector’s book launch of The Irish Words You Should Know. Go hiontach!
Laughter for All
Ireland - and the world - has changed a lot since Des Bishop was last in Galway. So has Des’ own life. There was his near-death experience in February when he fell more than 1,400 feet while skiing in Colorado. And of course the small matter of getting married. Des will tell all in his hilarious, in-your-face, new show, Lately.
The mediaeval heart of Galway City always beats faster during the October Bank Holiday Weekend, especially with brilliant mixed-bill shows and solo sets from Rich Hall, Miles Jupp, Barry Murphy, Colin Murphy, Andrew Maxwell, Terry Alderton, John Colleary, Danny O’Brien, Sinéad Quinlan, Aideen McQueen, and Sharon Mannion.
Festival HQ, Róisín Dubh, the Home of Comedy in the West, is the location for the Bulmers Festival Club, numerous solo shows, and the unmissable institution that is the Late Night KARLnival. Hosted by Karl Spain, this is where comedians gather to perform their darkest and edgiest material. You never know what might happen and you never know who will be there!
The Future of Comedy
October may be among the darkest of months, but Galway city - and county - will light up with laughter and high spirits when the ultimate comedy event of the year returns.
Galway Comedy Festival Director Kevin Healy said; "Once again we have scoured the globe to bring you more than 70 top class performers who will tickle, delight and entertain you. We’ve got international headliners, big names from telly, online sensations and a select few we found ripping the roof of basement comedy clubs but know this: you are in good hands. Each and every one of these artists have been hand-picked by Róisín Dubh Comedy. That’s why we call it carefully curated craic."
"Each year, we walk a financial high-wire to remain viable in an increasingly challenging economic environment. That’s why we are especially thankful to all our partners especially Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Bulmers the Official Cider of #GCF24, our Media Partners at Today FM, Róisín Dubh, The Latin Quarter, our Accommodation Partners, and the many local businesses who support us through our Friends Of Comedy programme (The FOCers). We ask you to please support our partners & Friends, because without their generosity this marvellous event just couldn’t take place."
Tickets for the full Festival programme on sale via www.GalwayComedyFestival.ie ON SALE TUE 10th SEPTEMBER 10am
