Stand-up comedian

Ardal O'Hanlon

Who Ardal O'Hanlon is

Ardal O'Hanlon is an Irish stand-up comedian, actor and novelist, a founding figure of Dublin's contemporary comedy scene, whose punchy, absurdist stand-up won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1994. He tours internationally and has played the Montreal, Edinburgh and Melbourne comedy festivals, was among the early international acts at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, presented three series of the BBC's The Stand Up Show, and has appeared on Live at the Apollo and Dave's One Night Stand and in his own Comedy Central half-hour special.

As an actor he is known for Father Ted, which won a British Comedy Award, and for leading roles in My Hero and Death in Paradise, as well as Derry Girls and Val Falvey TD. He has written three novels, The Talk of the Town, Brouhaha (2022) and A Plot to Die For (2026), and in 2026 took his stand-up show Not Himself around Ireland and the UK.

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At a glance

Stand-up specials
Comedy Central half-hour special
Books
The Talk of the Town, Brouhaha and A Plot to Die For
On screen
Father Ted, My Hero, Death in Paradise and 5 more
Official site
ardalohanlon.com ↗

On stage

No dated show on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now — their own site has their dates: ardalohanlon.com ↗.

Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →

Specials, shows and podcasts

Stand-up specials

On screen

Books and writing

Comedians like Ardal O'Hanlon

Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.

Six Degrees of Komic Bacon: how they connect to anyone →

Every stand-up comedian with a page, A to Z →

Career timeline

  1. 2022Brouhaha (novel, 2022) Book
  2. 2026A Plot to Die For (novel, 2026) Book

Questions and answers

Where is Ardal O'Hanlon performing next?

No date is on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now; their own site has their dates: ardalohanlon.com ↗.

What stand-up specials have they released?

Comedy Central half-hour special.

Have they written a book?

Yes: The Talk of the Town, Brouhaha and A Plot to Die For.

What TV shows and films are they in?

Father Ted (Channel 4), My Hero (lead, BBC), Death in Paradise (lead, BBC), Derry Girls, Val Falvey TD and The Stand Up Show (presenter, BBC, three series), among 8 credits.

What is their official website?

ardalohanlon.com ↗.

Who are some comedians like them?

Tommy Tiernan (also in Father Ted), Jason Byrne (also in Dave's One Night Stand), Jason Manford (also in Death in Paradise) and Brendan Grace (also in Father Ted).

Are you Ardal O'Hanlon?

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Your short address, for your bio: disciplesofcomedy.com/ardal-o-hanlon

The full SUCDb record

The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.

Sources

Updated 11 October 2026 · the record checked 11 October 2026