A comic walks into a tent . . .

Jason Byrne tells BRIAN BOYDwhy the annual comedy bash at the Iveagh Gardens, which kicks off next Friday, is one of his favourites

NOT ONLY IS Jason Byrne the biggest-selling comic in the history of the Edinburgh Fringe (which is really some going), but due to his international appeal he is also one of the best traveled comics. “I spend six months each year working outside Ireland,” he says before listing off some of the countries he’s performed in: Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong, Dubai . . .

But a gig he really looks forward to each year is one close to home: the annual comedy bash at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin, now called the Vodafone Comedy Festival. “Even though it’s one of the best-ever gigs you could do anywhere in the world, the funny thing is that when the Iveagh Gardens first started a few years back, I told the promoter it would be a disaster,” he says. “Bren Berry from Vicar St organises it and I actually tried to talk him out of doing it. I thought: ‘It’s going to be in the centre of Dublin city with a lot of the gigs on during daytime – it’s going to be a disaster, you cant have a comedy festival outdoors and in the sunshine’. But how wrong I was.

“I thought putting a comedy show inside a marquee was a big mistake because a circus effect might take over and you wouldn’t be able to hold the atmosphere, but the truth is that some of the best gigs I’ve ever been to have been inside a marquee at the Iveagh Gardens,” he says. “There’s something about the atmosphere of the Gardens that chills everyone out, and whatever way they do it up each year, they just seem to get the capacity of the festival just right.

“I’ve seen the best-ever Après Match gig at the Iveagh Gardens, and last year, I had the absolute privilege to be able to catch Paul Foot do the festival. He was only supposed to do 20 minutes but he ended up doing about 50 because of problems with a heckler. It was sheer comedy gold – one of the best things I’ve ever seen. And there’s always someone on the bill who will be a real discovery – like the year I first came across Neil Hamburger, who is just brilliant,” he says.

Byrne himself is one of the hottest tickets at this years festival but dont expect him to be hanging around once his show is over – he’ll be running to catch one of the other acts. “I cant emphasise how much I love this festival,” he says. “A great big garden, clowns and acrobats walking around everywhere and some really amazing shows. I cant wait!”

The Vodafone Comedy Festival takes place in the Iveagh Gardens from next Friday (July 27) to Sunday (July 29). All ticketing information on vodafonecomedy.com

Jason Byrne's top five picks for this year's Vodafone Comedy Festival

REGINALD D HUNTERJust a fantastic comic who is always doing interesting stuff. Well worth seeing.

KEVIN MCALEERKevin McAleer was one of my first ever gigs and he's as brilliant now as he was then. A treasure.

MILTON JONESHe looks like me! We've got the same small pissy eyes and we both have the hair going on. Milton is finally getting the recognition he deserves. A very, very funny man. Put him sitting beside me and he looks like my mad uncle.

A BETRAYAL OF PENGUINSI've never seen them, I don't know the first thing about them. But if they're half as good as their name, they'll be brilliant. And if they aren't brilliant, we'll have to take that name off them because it's just too good a name to waste.

TIM KEYA warning to people - Tim does poetry so don't be sitting there going 'what the fuck is this?' when he comes on. He is the funniest poet ever and he's just contagiously funny - every single thing about him is funny.