Hector Ó hEochagáin

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