Irish comedians are proving not only to be a very humorous lot but a very good-humoured lot as well. Last year's comedy extravaganza, So You Think You're (Funny) Irish in aid of Amnesty International was a huge success, both because it was very funny and because it raised a lot of money for a good cause. This year looks set to be the same with lots of Ireland's finest offering their services for the February 1st showcase in the Gaiety.
Dylan Moran, who has recently moved back to Ireland, will be performing and Pauline McLynn will be flying in especially for the occasion. The Father Ted scriptwriters Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan have scripted a short piece especially for her performance in the Amnesty show. The line-up also includes Tommy Tiernan; Owen O'Neill who is playing at the Laughter Lounge down on the quays this weekend; Eddie Bannon who showed his devotion to the cause by turning up to a photo shoot for the event the day after his wedding; Ed Byrne who is currently working on a play about two comedians at the Edinburgh festival; The Nualas; Barry Murphy; Michelle Read, recently spotted on BBC's The Ambassador, and Mark Doherty.
The event will once again be recorded and later broadcast under the direction of Gerry Stembridge - last year it was snapped up by Granada, and Amnesty hopes the same thing will happen this year. If you want to join the party, it might be an idea to get your ticket quick. Ring the Gaiety box office (01 6771717) for details.