Hector Ó hEochagáin
Hector Ó hEochagáin is best known for his broadcasting work on RTÉ 2FM and his acclaimed travel documentaries for TG4. He has also hosted numerous stand-up shows over the years and was a co-host of the excellent Tommy, Hector & Laurita Podcast.
We are pleased to see that there will be shows in Irish at the Galway Comedy Festival - is this your first time participating in the Festival?
No, this isn’t my first time, last year there was an Irish show, one night, it was very popular, so we decided that we would have more Irish shows this year.
Does it make you nervous to go in front of a crowd or do you ever get nervous before going on stage?
This is different from the usual work I do but I really enjoy working with the Irish language, you are a little nervous at times but when you think about the fun, craic & of course the culture of an event, especially as Gaeilge, the nervousness leaves you.
Are all your stories made up or are they based on incidents that happened to you / your friends?
As the presenter, I won't have many pieces to do, only short bits and keeping the show going. If I have to do a bit, it will probably be about incidents that happened to me or to friends.
What inspired you to continue working in this sector?
I love 'Support local'/public shows, I think the Galway Comedy Festival is the best comedy festival in the country. We are spoilt here in Galway with the amount of festivals we have throughout the year. We have a great audience here in Galway for all types of festivals and the Galway Comedy Festival is no exception, there is a great line-up again this year for the festival.
Everyone is welcome, people who are not fluent in the Irish language are catered for as well as the fluent speaker.
In relation to the comedians, they are wonderful people, who are willing to go out on stage in front of an audience and do their work through Irish when Irish may not be their first language or indeed, they may not use Irish that often.
I see that the Podcast with Tommy Tiernan & Laurita Blewitt has finished, I thought this was popular/interested by many people, is there a new Irish podcast on the way?
The time came when we were all too busy, Laurita had a child and Tommy & I had other things going on but who knows, maybe we'll be back.
Should we look forward to more travel programs on TG4?
Of course, there is a new series, series 24 to start on 24 October @9.30pm. This is a different show, we've gone deep into the Caribbean for this one.
Is there any place you haven't been yet that you would like to go to?
Muiceaneach idir Dhá Sháile!! And many other places in Connemara & Mayo
Where are you going for the next series?
We will be going to Australia in January. I am very proud that there is this confidence in the program, the length of time it has been on the road & the number of viewers we have.
I heard that you have published a book, what’s it about?
Yes, the book is called The Irish Words You Should Know and How to Use Them. Gill Publishers approached me over two years ago to write a book about a word list and it is finally finished. It is a book about the Irish words that a person should know and how to use them, pronounce them etc.
The book can be bought by clicking on the following link:
https://www.easons.com/irish-words-you-should-know-hb-o-heochagin-hector-9780717199860
Aideen Mulqueen
Aideen McQueen is one of Ireland’s top female stand ups, having reached the final of the “funny Funny” comedy competition after just her third gig she started to gig all over Ireland in clubs such as the International and The Laughter Lounge.
Aideen has made regular appearances on platforms such as RTÉ, TG4, BBC NI, and BBC Radio 4. she has shared the stage with comedy legends like Sean Hughes, Reginald D Hunter, Ardal O’Hanon, Dylan Moran, Johnny Vegas, Phil Kay, and Frankie Boyle.
We are pleased to see that there will be shows in Irish at the Galway Comedy Festival - is this your first time participating in the Festival?
I have been involved for years at the Galway Comedy Festival with a show in Irish but this is the first year that there are 3 shows and in addition to that, there are other shows and events in Irish available at the festival this year. It’s a huge accomplishment for the organisers.
Does it stress you out in front of a crowd or do you ever get nervous before going on stage?
A friend of mine, Eleanor Tiernan, suggested that I start out. I was definitely very nervous for the first two years. For the first show, I had 6 weeks to prepare but I was still so nervous before going on stage that I was on my knees praying in the toilet and I am not a person of faith. I worked at the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Comedy Festival when I was younger, that's where I got my first taste of comedy.
If so, how do you deal with it?
At the time it was the people in the audience who gave me a rush when I saw that the shows were experiencing them and I was also attracted to this world, kind of crazy, always enjoying life.
Are all your stories made up or are they based on incidents that happened to you / your friends?
My stories are based on incidents that happened to me in my life or my relatives or friends. In my opinion, it is better for the stories to be based on realistic incidents, it comes easier to you because you know about the story
When did you start doing comedy shows?
I started doing shows 10 years ago.
Does a lot of preparation go into a show like this?
That depends on the type of show you have for example, if you have a 20-minute slot, you don't have a lot of preparation to do but there is plenty of preparation needed for a show like Gáire le Gaeilge, you need structure & a plan. Sometimes you see the person in the audience that you had a story about, sometimes you have to change the plan as a result.
What inspired you to continue working in this sector?
It's definitely the audience as well as the freedom of work and travel, I'll be traveling to Malta and Guernsey soon.
We know you have a great sense of humor from listening to you on radio, TV and podcasts for a long time but have you ever received any negative feedback about any show or any jokes you told?
Without a doubt, it's clear when you're on stage that the audience is feeding you back, good or bad – whether they're laughing or not. Christmas shows are difficult, office workers are difficult to motivate. The way to deal with this is to stop the jokes, talk to the audience, get to know them a bit & start again
Is there any subject that you think should not be joked about?
You can talk about all subjects as long as you have a positive attitude, without insulting people/vulnerable people for example, you can make a joke about someone who is rich, but it would not be nice to insult a poor person.
Could you give us a hint about your planned show in Galway - should we expect anything out of the ordinary from you?
Irish shows are usually a lot of fun, the fans with Irish are a special community, the group are close to each other & they are a smart group. Irish speakers understand the Comedy.
Have you done a comedy show in the Gaeltacht before or an Irish show outside the Gaeltacht?
Years ago on TG4 there was a show, An Gaeilgeoir is Greannmhara, at that time I also did shows in Connemara & Aran Islands. The show failed unfortunately but GaelGÁIRÍ arose from it.
You yourself participate in a GaelGÁIRÍ comedy group - will you be taking part in the GaelGÁIRÍ show at the Oireachtas this year?
Unfortunately, I won’t as I will be in Malta, but there will be an excellent show in the Comedy Room, there will be a great group there. I will be back next year with some help.
Do you have any other tours/shows in Irish planned between now and Christmas?
Conradh na Gaeilge has a Christmas show, you can follow GaelGÁIRÍ on social media for upcoming news
Give us a little information about the background of GaelGÁIRÍ - have you been on the road for a long time?
The group started when we met around 10 years ago while doing a TV program for TG4. The group is happy to attend any event they are invited to, Irish language groups, universities, schools, workshops and even support anyone starting out, karaoke in Irish
Do you prefer a show at a regular club or being at a Festival?
I prefer Festivals usually they have more freedom, meeting new people but it depends on the crowd. Vicar Street & Ivy Gardens are always there.
The Galway & GaelGÁIRÍ Comedy Festival can be found on social media.