Are you ready to meet the most famous Irish comedians?
The Irish people are noted for their fun-loving nature, great wit, and incredible sense of humor. They possess an amazing talent when it comes to poking fun at themselves and tickling other people’s funny bones. They are so good at it it’s probably in the Irish genes!
The notorious Irish sense of humor has made an imprint in the world of comedy. Ireland has produced quite numerous famous comedians, so choosing the top ones proved to be a challenge.
Check out if your most loved comedian has made it to our list of the most famous Irish comedians below.
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11 Most Famous Irish Comedians
1. Tommy Tiernan
One of the most successful Irish comedians of all time, Tommy Tiernan is also an actor, writer, and presenter. His influence was the American stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce.
A native of Carndonagh, County Donegal, Tiernan is most well-known for his brilliant career in stand-up comedy, portaying the role of Gerry in the British sitcom Derry Girls and hosting The Tommy Tiernan Show.
Since his debut in 1993, Tiernan has performed in various sell-out gigs in some of the most prominent arenas across Ireland and the United Kingdom.
2. Dylan Moran
A legend in Irish comedy, Dylan Moran is best noted for his observational comedy. His name has become synonymous with the Emerald Isle.
Moran’s most notable show is Black Books, a British sitcom that he also co-wrote. He is also noted for his comedy movies like the 2004 zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead and the 2007 comedy Run Fatboy Run, both alongside British comedian Simon Pegg.
Moran also starred in the 2008 A Film with Me in It, an Irish black comedy movie.
Moran is often regarded as one of the leading Irish comedians of today and continues to perform numerous stand-up acts in comedy festivals.
3. Dara Ó Briain
If there was one really easily recognized Irish comedian, it would be Dara Ó Briain.
The Bray, County Wicklow, native started out slow compared with the others when it comes to the comedy circuit in Ireland and the United Kingdom. However, Ó Briain’s steady rise to the top is remarkable. He has now become one of the most famous comedians in the Emerald Isle.
Ó Briain also writes in television comedy and documentary series. His show at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe holds the record for being the biggest-selling solo comedy show of the festival’s history.
His most notable works and roles include Don’t Feed the Gondolas, The Panel, The Apprentice: You’re Fired!, and School of Hard Sums.
4. Aisling Bea
Born Aisling Clíodhnadh O’Sullivan in Kildare, our top 4 most famous Irish comedian is known professionally as Aisling Bea.
Bea is best known as the second woman to ever win the “So You Think You’re Funny?” award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for her stand-up comedy.
Besides comedy, Bea also acts and writes. She trained as a dramatic actress but was instead cast mainly in comedy shows on TV such as Dead Boss and Cardinal Burns. It was during the Dead Boss taping that Bea decided to try her hands at stand-up comedy and the rest, as they say, is history.
5. Des Bishop
While Des Bishop is not originally from Ireland, being born in London and brought up in New York, he moved to the Emerald Isle when he was 14 years old and now primarily lives in Dublin.
Bishop’s comedy covers many socially relevant issues such as poverty and even cancer.
His brother Aidan is also a comedian in Ireland. Together they manage the International Comedy Club.
6. David O’Doherty
One of the top Irish stand-up comedians is David O’Doherty, a legend in Irish comedy who is also an actor, playwright, author, and musician.
Music runs in O’Doherty’s blood because his father is the celebrated jazz pianist Jim Doherty. However, comedy is what the younger O’Doherty is best at. A master of musical comedy and surreal humor, his stand-up has won numerous international awards.
O’Doherty was still attending Trinity College Dublin in 1998 when he started his career in comedy, first performing at the Comedy Cellar in Dublin. He has never looked back since.
7. Jason Byrne
Specializing in observational comedy and surreal humor, Jason Byrne was born in the suburb of Ballinteer in Dublin. He has made frequent appearances in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Besides being a stand-up comedy, Byrne is also a presenter and author. He wrote and published a series of books about a young Irish boy who has constant misfortunes. The book, entitled The Accidental Adventures of Onion O’Brien, is based on his own experiences growing up in Ireland.
Byrne’s most notable works and roles include the British sitcom Father Ted and the 1999 TV adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.
8. P. J. Gallagher
Jason Byrne has inspired our next top Irish comedian, P. J. Gallagher, having worked together on the comedy chat show called The Jason Byrne Show.
Gallagher has created a big name for himself in Irish comedy, best known for his TV show Naked Camera, together with fellow Irish comedian and friend Maeve Higgins. He has also portrayed the role of a mentally unstable cab driver Jake Stevens and an old lady who makes sexual remarks (a “Dirty Auld One”).
P. J. Gallagher is also a motorbike racer and is good friends with Jason Byrne.
9. Maeve Higgins
This funny female comedian hails from Cobh, County Cork, and began her career in stand-up comedy in 2005. Today Maeve Higgins is one of the funniest Irish female comedians known for hilarious comedy skits.
Higgins co-wrote Naked Camera and starred in it alongside friend and fellow comedian P. J. Gallagher.
Higgins is also an author, publishing a compilation of essays entitled We Have A Good Time, Don’t We? in 2012. She is also a regular panelist on the Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! show and has performed in numerous comedy festivals across the globe.
10. Ardal O’Hanlon
Ardal O’Hanlon was born in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan. Growing up, O’Hanlon was always the weird and watchful kind of child.
He established the International Comedy Cellar in Dublin with fellow comedians Kevin Gildea and Barry Murphy. In 1994, he won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition for his stand-up act.
He was discovered and cast as Father Dougal McGuire in the very popular British sitcom Father Ted. O’Hanlon also played George Sunday (aka Thermoman) in My Hero and DI Jack Mooney in the British–French crime comedy drama TV series Death in Paradise.
O’Hanlon wrote a novel entitled The Talk of the Town. It was published in 1998 and released as Knick Knack Paddy Whack in the United States.
11. Graham Norton
One of the most critically-acclaimed Irish comedians, Graham Norton has five BAFTA TV awards for his comedy chat show The Graham Norton Show and three more for for So Graham Norton, making one of the most popular Irish people locally and abroad.
A native of Clondalkin, County Dublin, Norton is also an author, broadcaster, and commentator. He was born Graham William Walker, but changed his name to his great-grandmother’s maiden name, Norton, because there was already an actor named Graham Walker when he started.
Apart from the awards for his comedy, Norton also won the Popular Fiction Book of the Year award for his 2016 Irish crime novel entitled Holding.
Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 60 countries for the past 12 years. I also lived in 4 continents – from the Caribbean, South East Asia, Africa and now in Europe. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. A country that had been a part of my life since I was 14 because of my love for Irish music and bands. Ireland Travel Guides was born because of this passion and hopefully, in some little ways, this website will be able to help you on your next trip to Ireland.