Ardal O’Hanlon ‘YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO BE SQUEAMISH AS A WRITER’

Growing up near the Irish border has informed everything Ardal O’Hanlon has ever done. His childhood years in the County Monaghan town of Carrickmacross, on the southern side of that dividing line, saw him steeped in the area’s unique way with words (“they’ll often use 20 words where one word will do”), the deadpan humour, and the underlying threat of violence. It’s been there from his early stand-up, through his time onFather Ted and Death in Paradise, and – perhaps most tellingly – in his new novel, Brouhaha.

“I grew up in a lovely small town, a beautiful town. Very happy childhood,” he says. “And you could easily ignore the underbelly but, as a writer, you’re drawn to the dark side. You can’t afford to be squeamish as a writer, whether you’re a journalist, a fiction writer, or a stand-up comedian. You want to look into the