The Onions former digital director Baratunde Thurston took to The Irish Times sofa at the Web Summit yesterday to explain how he crossed over successfully between technology, writing and comedy.

In the first of series of interviews on The Irish Times couch at the summit Thurston explained that technology was an early love. I grew up a bit of a nerdy little technologist. I loved the early web. Comedy came a bit later as a way of coping with the frustration of early years. He sees new methods of creativity online – apps, tweets and similar technologies – as a viable form of expression.

The Web Summits final day will see Mozillas Mitchell Baker and Mind Candys Michael Acton Smith, among others, take their place on The Irish Times sofa.

The Irish Times will be following the Web Summit online today, live blogging the events at irishtimes.com, and posting news and video from throughout the day.