HE’S known for his roles in Father Ted and Death in Paradise but now Ardal O’Hanlon is bringing his comedy tour to Swindon.

The Irish stand-up, writer and actor has been touring the UK for The Showing Off Must Go On and has released a third set of dates.

He told the Adver what it was like growing up in Ireland while wanting to make a name for himself.

He said: “I’m a very reluctant show-off, I come from a part of the world where showing off is anathema. It’s the worst thing you could possibly do.

“When you grow up in a border area of Ireland, people are very wary and cagey and keep their head down at all times. Don’t speak unless it’s absolutely essential, and don’t give anything away. So showing off was a really terrible thing to do. It’s up there with armed robbery.”

He charmed the nation with his performance as Father Dougal McGuire in Father Ted after it aired on Chanel 4 in the late 90s.

It helped raise his profile, not just in Ireland but across the UK too.

Ardal said: “I’m so grateful for the show and proud of my part in it. I sometimes pinch myself that I was in it and that it was so successful. I was in the throes of a burgeoning stand-up career at the time when we made it, and that was always my focus at the time. We’d be rehearsing during the day and I’d be gigging at night.

“I arrived in London the year before and things were going well for me, and Father Ted was almost like a distraction from that, a brilliant distraction obviously. At the time I didn’t know what that would mean for my career.”

Not long after Father Ted, his career in stand-up took off as he toured in front of sold-out crowds across the world.

He appeared on stage at festivals in Edinburgh and Montreal.

He did his own stand-up special for Comedy Central, released two live DVDs and appeared on Live At The Apollo.

He has even written a book which was published in 1998 called Talk Of The Town and it was voted as one of the 1001 Books To Read Before You Die.

“I’ve been lucky to have other dimensions to my career, but I’m constantly drawn back to stand-up. There’s something compulsive about it.

“For this tour, I’ll have a modest saloon car and my little bag of jokes and a toothbrush. I always enjoy touring, and going up and down the country.

“I do love the performing aspect of it but equally I love the whole process of it, engaging with the world, and trying to figure stuff out. Stand-up is the best medium for that,” he said.

Of course it wouldn’t be a comedy show without making light of Brexit, but you’ll need to pay close attention to pick up on these jokes.

Ardal said: “I think it’s incumbent upon a comedian to find clever and imaginative ways to come up with stuff. I personally prefer watching comedians who aren’t too blunt or too partisan, so while I have strong political views, I don’t want to hit an audience over the head with them.

“Comedians have to be cannier than that. I’m not going to mention Trump or Brexit by name, but I hope to be able to do stuff on them while trying to keep it a bit light and user friendly.

“What seems clear about these events is that feelings will always trump facts in making decisions. All the decisions we make in life are irrational: our consumer choices are irrational, our choice of life partner might be irrational. You could end up marrying the craziest person in the world. ‘They might stab you.’ ‘Yes, but they have lovely hair.”

He appears on February 29 at the Wyvern Theatre, tickets can be booked on its website or by calling 01793 524 48.