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Irish Examiner
4 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Jason Manford on his Irish roots, and how humour kept him out of trouble in Manchester
Jason Manford likely got the performing bug from his mother's side of the family. His maternal grandparents, a folk-singing duo called The Peates, emigrated from Dublin to Manchester in the 1950s. Later, they jumped on the showband wagon. As a kid, Manford, now 44, remembers his grandmother, Nora, playing in Irish bars on Sunday afternoons in the 1980s. 'My memory of those afternoons is sitting under the pool table with me brothers eating crisps hearing my nana singing, Grace or The Fields of Athenry. At some point, my parents worked out that I was able to sing. Nana took a shine to me because of that. As soon as I was able to sing, I'd get up and sing a few songs with her. 'I think, always, I had an idea of what might be funny. From an early age, maybe eight, I used to sing In the Ghetto by Elvis, which is not a funny song, but obviously it's funny because an eight-year-old is singing it. I would try and do a bit of an Elvis impression – the karate kick, a lip curl and shaking the hips. I remember it used to make people laugh. 'My Uncle Michael, the eldest, probably the only one of my uncles and aunties born in Ireland, and the only one with an Irish accent, was hilarious. I loved watching him because he was such a funny performer. He was talented. He did everything – he sang, he played the guitar. He could properly yodel, which is such a funny thing to do. That classic Irish thing where almost the talking between the songs is as entertaining as the songs.' During summer months, Manford came over to Ireland for a couple of weeks' holidays, running amok with his cousins around Templeogue, Dublin. His father is 'very English', so religion wasn't a big part of their lives growing up. He was shocked by how long mass lasted in a Catholic church. 'In C of E, you're in and out,' he says. 'In 25 minutes, he's said his thing. Off you go. In Dublin, it was a case of, 'Are we still here?' It felt like everything in Ireland was a little bit stricter because of the religious element. There were a lot more rules – 'You can't do that,' 'you can't say that' kind of thing. Back in Manchester, things felt a bit more feral.' Jason Manford grew up in Moss Side, near Manchester City's old Maine Road stadium. (Photo by) He adds: 'It's funny, in the UK when I'm on tour, a cousin somewhere or an uncle will occasionally get in touch, and go, 'Oh, Jason, I know you're in Preston this week. I wondered if it's possible to get two tickets. I don't mind paying.' Then I come to Dublin, and I get a phone call from some cousin I've seen three times in me life: 'Jason, can I get 40 tickets?' They ask for all sorts. 'Can you do a meet-and-greet with my girlfriend?' They're not shy about coming forward in Ireland.' Manford grew up on Moss Side, part of inner-city Manchester, home to Manchester City's old stadium, Maine Road. It was a tough neighbourhood, notoriously dubbed 'The Triangle of Death' because of gang violence. Many of Manford's classmates are either dead or in prison. He used his knack for humour as a survival tool. 'Humour was massive for me during my childhood – learning to have a laugh,' he says. 'Learning to laugh at yourself is the most important thing you can learn as a human being. If you don't take things seriously, you're not quick to snap if someone says something provocative. You've always got a way of getting out of things with words rather than actions or being physical. 'If you're funny at school, you can have a laugh with everybody, whether it's the nerds or the bullies. You can get away with things. Bullies didn't pick on me necessarily because I always had something to say, I might be a bit mouthy. Generally, bullies are not good with their words so they wouldn't go toe to toe with you when it comes to arguments, certainly in front of other people or girls. Humour kept me out of trouble. 'Comedy was always something I was interested in. Being witty meant grown-ups noticed me more. The odd teacher noticed me and thought of me for certain things. When I got to high school, our deputy head teacher, Mr. Wiley, if there were any presenting things he needed doing, he would often ask me. Obviously, that's part of the reason my life has shaped the way it is because of someone like him.' Manford was still a teenager when he first did live stand-up in 1999. He was working at a comedy club in Manchester as a glass collector when a comedian booked to perform failed to show up. Manford stepped into the breach and never looked back. He's built an impressive career on the stand-up circuit and is a regular on UK television light entertainment shows. In 2012, Manford made his West End debut in a musical; he's performed lead roles in several musicals, including Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and Prince Charming in Cinderella. He hasn't yodelled on stage yet, like his Uncle Michael, but his quick-fire comedy chops are always on hand to get him out of a jam if needed. He recalls an incident on stage in Northern Ireland a few years after a 1996 Provisional IRA bombing of city-centre Manchester, close to a shopping centre. 'I remember one of my very early gigs was in Belfast,' he says. 'Belfast now is very different to Belfast around the time coming out of the Northern Ireland Peace Process. We were one of the first sets of English comics to go over and play in the centre of Belfast. There was a guy on, from London before me, and the audience ruined him. I went on, and I said, 'I'm from Manchester.' A guy made a heckle, 'Did you enjoy the bomb?' The whole crowd were like, 'Ooh, that's too far.' I said, 'Well, nobody died, and we got a new NEXT.' That helped to diffuse the situation.' Jason Manford is on a nationwide tour, including Cork's The Everyman, Friday, July 25. See: Jason Manford – Five of his jokes 'Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool. I gave him a glass of water.' 'I spent two years in therapy for my Phil Collins addiction, but I did it. Against all odds. Just take a look at me now.' 'Me and my wife decided we don't want kids. So, if anyone wants them, we can drop them off tomorrow.' 'I don't hate ginger people. Don't get me wrong, I like ginger people. They were the only people who stopped me from getting bullied at school.' ''Do not touch' must be the worst thing to read in braille.'
The Irish Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
I was only meant to be on Fair City for a month – Matthew O'Brien on daughter's epic reaction & surprise side hustle
HE might play one of Carrigstown's most slippery characters, but Matthew O'Brien says he's just as shocked by James Rafferty's twists and turns as the rest of us. The 4 Matthew O'Brien plays James Rafferty on RTE's Fair City 4 Matthew has been acting since he was a teen And if there's one thing Matthew has learned from his time playing the notorious Carrigstown character, it's how to keep everyone guessing — including himself. The 40-year-old told the Irish Sun: "It's a bit of a rollercoaster, I try as best I can not to read too far ahead. "We usually get scripts a week or two in advance, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. I just take it as it comes." For O'Brien, that spontaneity is part of what makes the role so electrifying, with his character James currently wrapped up in a daddy dilemma after old flame Holly arrived in Carrigstown claiming he was the father of her six-year-old child Milo. The The actor, who joined Fair City during the Matthew said: "James was only meant to be in the show for about one or two months, but five years later, I'm still here. It's a wonderful evolution and the writing's been very good for me." Despite the thrill of playing one of Carrigstown's most unpredictable characters, there are moments when fiction bleeds awkwardly into real life. When it comes to being noticed by viewers of the soap in public, O'Brien joked: "It's a lot of expletives. The charming terms of endearment that only Irish people can do. "I get an awful lot of, excuse the language, 'little b****cks' on the street." But O'Brien isn't fazed, adding: "He is a villain, but the way they've written him is quite good. "He's a cheeky fecker as well. There are so many layers to him. He's so much craic to play. I describe James as traffic that just veers into oncoming traffic." That chaotic energy contrasts with O'Brien's home life in Dublin, where he raises six-year-old daughter Luna and son Lucas who's four. He says they're still figuring out what it means to see their dad on screen. He explained: "My daughter, Luna, is really into it. She'll ask, 'Is that real? Did they really do that?' She doesn't know the difference between reality and fiction yet. "When my character got married on the show, she made me re-watch it nine times. Then she asked, 'That's not really your wife daddy, is it?'" 4 Matthew was originally predicted to stay on Fair City for a 'couple of months' O'Brien says Luna has already shown signs of following in his footsteps, saying "she's taken a huge interest in acting lately" though he jokes he was secretly hoping for a more traditional path like "a dentist or a doctor". Reflecting on his own journey, O'Brien credits his parents for giving him the freedom to pursue his passion, saying: "I was very fortunate to have parents who let me do what I felt I needed to do. "But I do worry about it as a career. People think acting is an easy path — it's not. But it's very rewarding." NEAR MISS His break on Fair City almost didn't happen. Years ago, he auditioned for a different role but didn't get it. The TV star said: "It was a juicy little part. I didn't get it and thought, 'Well, that's the end of Fair City for me'." Then, during the Covid pandemic, he auditioned again and days later got the call from While acting is his main gig, O'Brien is far from idle during his "down weeks" and told how he enjoys "model-making" during his spare time, making props for various shows. He explained: 'I do a lot of model-making and custom art pieces. I make dollhouses, props — I'm a consummate potterer." And beyond the soap set, O'Brien has shared the screen with some serious A-listers, including Golden Globe winner Speaking on the experience, Matthew delved into detail of working on set with Farrell on Yorgos Lanthimos' comedy drama The Lobster. A-LIST PALS He said: "I was in a scene with him, we were in a forest for about a week, it's nuts, it was a fantastic experience. "We shot down in Kerry. His room was about two rooms up from mine. So every morning I do that obligatory Irish nod and grunt. "But he was so cool and lovely." He continued: "I remember in the scene we did I was stuck in a bear trap and my leg was basically being clamped down, there's blood everywhere and I'm screaming. "I was screaming and screaming, screaming all day and at one point I remember looking to get some feedback from Yorgo in terms of, 'is this okay?' And I remember Colin came over and he just said, 'you're doing great'. "It was just really nice because he could see that I was looking for that little bit of reassurance." He gushed: "What makes him such a great actor is his depth of character and his ability to access his flaws, which I think is lovely. I think he's a very open person." Another surprising brush with fame came when Matthew worked on Sally Rooney's TV adapted series Conversations With Friends with actor He said: "I was in a scene with Joe and he was talking to me all day and I was chatting away to him. I had no idea Joe Alwyn went out with Taylor Swift. "And I was there busy talking about my girlfriend at the time. I was like, 'Oh yeah, are you seeing anyone?' and he goes, 'Oh yeah, I'm seeing someone. She's a singer'." He laughed: "In my head, I was like, 'Oh, grand. She's like a bar singer', but it transpired that he was going out with Taylor f****ng Swift." 'NO GUARANTEE' Despite the occasional celebrity run-in, O'Brien remains grounded in the fast-paced world of Irish television. He added: "Every director is different. Every set is different. What I love about Fair City is the speed. "We get stuck into it. Otherwise, it's a long day of doing nothing — you get paid to wait around, not just act." As for his future on the soap, O'Brien is happy where he is but can't promise he will be sticking around in the long run. Matthew said: "I'm not being facetious — I don't think there are any guarantees in any line of work these days. I have no idea. I take it as it comes. "I'm grateful for what I have. That's pretty much how I approach it." And while he's rubbing shoulders with A-listers like Colin Farrell and unknowingly swapping love-life stories with Taylor Swift's ex, Matthew says he's happiest mucking in on set — or making dollhouses at home. Whether he's dodging plot twists or bear traps, one thing's for sure — O'Brien's not taking a second of it for granted. He said: 'I'm just grateful to be here." He added: "I've no idea what's coming next — but that's half the fun." 4 Matthew still remains as a leading character on the hit show
The Irish Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Govt walks back plans to force companies to slap health warnings on booze amid rising cost pressure & Trump tariff fears
THE Government has canned plans to force booze companies to put health warnings on beer, wine and spirits. The measure has been slapped with a two-year delay due to concerns that it would hurt Irish 3 Frank Murray of Alcohol Action Ireland said there is a huge link between cancer and alcohol consumption 3 Tainiste Simon Harris brought the motion to cabinet Credit: PA The last The law was due to kick in next year but the Cabinet today agreed to put it on the long finger following backlash by the booze businesses. Industry figures had warned the Government that the introduction of the labels specifically for Ireland would create an added cost for businesses which could have an impact on prices for consumers. This increase in cost for companies was coming at a time when Trump is threatening tariffs of up to 30 per cent on all goods travelling from READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS Many Irish beer and whiskey companies rely on the US market for major sales, and tariffs run the risk of hurting their bottom line. In a bid to ease the pressure on these companies, the Cabinet today agreed to delay the introduction of the Tanaiste The Tanaiste told his Government colleagues that the delay will enable the Most read in Irish News However, one Minister told the Irish Sun that the alcohol labelling law will not see the light of day under the current Government. They said: 'That's that done. You won't be hearing about that again.' 'PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THOSE RISKS' Alcohol Action Ireland had previously slammed the Government's decision to delay the label law. Chairperson of Alcohol Action Ireland Professor Frank Murray told 'Unfortunately, the risk of alcohol consumption in terms of cancer, for instance, begins at very low levels of alcohol consumption, particularly breast cancer. 'Again, most people don't know that I'm afraid.' NEW PLAN The The proposal comes as part of a newly published ten-year NHS plan. There have also been similar initiatives in other countries — including 3 It was proposed that booze get slapped with a health warning Credit: Getty
