Does anyone else really need a good laugh to unwind from a frantic start to the new year? You’re in luck.
McGettigan’s annual comedy festival has announced its return for its 12th edition. Visit the pub’s JLT branch on Friday 13 January and Saturday 14 January to catch some side-splitting Irish humour from a top Irish comedian line-up including stand-up acts from Barry Murphy, Karl Spain, Killian Sundermann, Shane Daniel Byrne and Sinead Quinlan.
Meet the line-up:
One of the most respected comic satirists in Ireland and 2016 Irish Comedian of the Year, Barry Murphy has been performing for over three decades and is a regular at the Galway, Dublin and Cork comedy festivals. Noted for his starring role in Après Match, Barry is the only comedian to have performed at every Kilkenny Cat Laughs festival since 1995. As a member of Mr Trellis, he founded The Comedy Cellar in Dublin in 1989.
One of the best comedians to come out of Ireland, Karl Spain is not to be missed. The Sunday Times once called this Limerick legend’s act “achingly funny”. In 2000, Karl Spain won the RTÉ award for Best New Act. He also appeared at the Montreal Just for Laughs comedy festival in 2003, which was later aired on RTÉ Television. He is currently on tour with Scottish international Comedic sensation Kevin Bridges.
Killian Sundermann is a German-born Irish comedian who cites Spike Milligan as one of his greatest influences. He is a sketch and stand-up performer whose TikTok comedy videos went viral during the pandemic. Raised in Dublin, Killian worked as an English language teacher and a video editor before posting comedy videos online during lockdown. He has since moved into comedy full-time, and branched into stand-up.
Shane Daniel Byrne is an actor, writer, and an acclaimed stand-up comedian whose regular appearances include Cherry Comedy at Whelans in Dublin, The Cat Laughs Festival in Kilkenny as well as regular appearances on Virgin Media TV and RTE. One of Ireland’s brightest and sharpest comedians, Shane is well known for his hilarious Instagram sketches and his knock-em-dead stand-up gigs.
Sinead Quinlan is an up-and-coming comedy talent from Cork. She has been mentioned as the type of person that can’t say anything without it being funny (whether it’s on purpose or not). This is part of the reason for her truly meteoric rise on the comedy circuit. Her achievements so far have included various appearances on RTE including as a roving reporter for ‘The Den’ featuring the then infamous duo Zig & Zag and numerous shows and festivals all over Ireland and the UK.
The two-day festival gives McGettigan’s patrons two opportunities to catch the stellar line-up of five comedians. Tickets are available on McGettigan’s website. Priced at AED 75, the ticket includes a welcome drink. Doors open at 7pm.
DSCVR: ComedyFest 2023 at McGettigan’s JLT on Friday 13 January and Saturday 14 January. Next to Bonnington, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai. @mcgettigansjlt
