Last night at The Irish American Heritage Center a boisterous crowd braved the winter chill to catch Ardal O’Hanlon’s Irish comedy in a free-floating stand-up tour de force act that covered everything from Catholic guilt to some of the more obscure acronyms for certain nations of the European Union. O’Hanlon was hilarious! For over an hour O’Hanlon, who starred as Father Dougal Maguire in the FATHER TED TV series in the UK and Ireland, regaled his Chicago audience with laugh-out -oud observations on Irish life and life in general. Among those greeting O’Hanlon backstage was Dan O’Connor, who was 8 years old when a 19 year old Ardal O”Hanlon stayed with his family in the suburbs of Chicago for two summers running , over twenty years ago. Dan’s nanny later became Mrs. Ardal O’Hanlon.
The evening of Irish comedy began with a tasting compliments of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey which put the audience in just the right mood for the mirth to follow. Once again the Irish American Heritage Center delivered the best of Ireland and America.