We'll hear more about Dave later, but first let me thank you for joining me on my very first blog post, the first of many I hope. As I'm on a weeks holiday from the day job , I've been released into the public, where over the next week I plan on travelling the roads of the west of Ireland , in search of craic, good food , and the kind of calm that comes from a trip to the west. I'll be doing a few gigs along the way but the plan will be kept fairly loose other than that, just how I like it.
The first leg of any journey unfortunately has to begin with packing, an activity I like to approach like most stressful jobs by doggedly ignoring until the very last moment and then running around in a blind panic, and so I found myself at 7a.m. yesterday morning in a pre coffee daze, bumbling around the apartment throwing a selection of underpants and toiletries into bags. In the midst of the panic my wife presented me with a bag , worried about her 35 year old man child fending for himself for a week she had prepared a care package , which included amongst other things, books, deodorant , biscuits, noodles, beer, pain killer and worryingly, Imodium AND laxatives. Clearly her woman's intuition foresees some intestinal catastrophe for me in the very near future.
"Are you sure you have everything ?"
Now when my wife says "everything", she means everything, I looked at the collection of bags, tents, hanging garments , food , medication, and electrical goods in my car , and answered her in the affirmative , men have gone to Everest with less.
First leg of the journey was to Cork, where I had a gig at City Limits. This is a journey I make frequently, and usually follows a similar pattern, giving out about traffic leaving Dublin , stopping to top up petrol and caffeine and then an couple of hours of boring motorway. Along the way I picked up Oisin Hanlon, a new young comedian from mountmellick, and as generally happens when comedians are in a confined space together , spent the journey dissecting the minutiae of the comedy world. Arriving in cork I deposited Oisin to wander the streets of Cork , while I went to visit my Mum and Dad.
I might be 35 years old but am still very much the baby of the family, a role I happily slip into as soon as I step through the door in Ballinlough , letting my amazing mother feed and water me while Dad catches me up on all the local gossip, deaths , marriages, political scandals, parking infringements, and any minor surgical procedures my elderly neighbours may have recently had, wonderful stuff.
Before I knew it , it was time to get ready for the gig, showered, shaved and dressed and out the door. Right on time, here come the nerves, they've never left me, I'd be worried if they did, only the ability to ignore them has improved.
City Limits Poster
Arriving at City Limits is always special, a power house in Irish comedy. It always seemed like a far off world to me growing up in Cork, and later going to see the likes of Dara o Brien , Jim Jeffries and Flight of the Concords, to be playing on the same stage now is still quite surreal to me. I walked into to see Keith fox and Oisin and Tom "the Bear" o Mahony, tremendous company on any occasion and for a while the nerves leave. I catch up with "the Boss" , Brian, club owner , promoter and all round legend of the Irish comedy scene .
Soon the crowd fills up and Ross Browne, our MC arrives, before long the lights are dimmed , show time.
Ross, prowls the stage expertly taking control of the room and setting the mood for the night, first up is Keith, a hugely affable Offaly man, they love him, then newcomer Oisin was up for a quick spot, bouncing around with the energy that only comes with being 22. After a quick break it was my turn into the ring, waiting patiently at the back of the room while Ross got the crowd warmed up, the nerves go into overdrive. Myself and Tom chat while Guzzling the comedians cocktail(tap water, pint glass), I start to yawn, a sure sign the nerves are taking over, my stomach does summersaults, Tom being the pro that he is clearly senses this and leaves me to get in the zone.
"are you ready for your next act"?
Here we go , total panic now, dry mouth, mind goes blank.
"Please welcome Paul Crowley"
After a few short steps I'm on stage, nerves are gone, straight into my opener, punch line, pause and..... Big laugh, Yes , the crowd is with me, totally relaxed now, I get into a nice rhythm , bit of chat with the audience, lovely. Just finishing a routine about engagement rings when out of the darkness it came, a butterfly! Straight up he came and landed on my hand holding the mike, the crowd clearly excited by the new wildlife looked expectantly to me for an answer, I looked at him, praying he'd stay put for a few seconds, I christened him Dave and explained how we had been rehearsing that bit for the day, he then flew off and I casually thanked him
"Thanks dave"
The crowd erupted, I'm in heaven now, desperately trying to maintain a cool exterior , all the while I'm screaming like a giddy child in my head, " YOU FUCKING BEAUTY DAVE"!
After 15 joyous minutes I'm off stage. I grab a lovely pint and sit down to laugh like a drain at Tom for 30 mins.
As first days of a holiday go , this has set the bar quite high. Today for a treat I'm on my way to my friends house to get buckets of freezing water thrown over me , but I'll leave that till tomorrow!
City Limits
great read. Thanks Dave. I nearly pissed myself last night when you said that. You are getting better and better. Awesome man,
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