When you think of comedian Pat Shortt you might remember the eccentric village idiot Tom in ‘Father Ted’ or Ireland’s favourite politician Maurice Hickey, who took the political world by storm.

However, by the time Pat appeared on our screens in Channel Four’s ‘Father Ted’, he had in fact been actively working as a stand-up comic for many years.

Pat, who was born and raised in Thurles County Tipperary, says that although he had “a healthy interest in comedy as a youngster”, he was “no more a joker than anyone else in the class! I suppose I was a bit of an extrovert,” he said, “but there were a lot of lads in the class with a natural wit.”

In fact, he says that the era in which he grew up was a contributory factor to his journey into showbiz. “It was during the nineteen eighties when there was a sense of depression about the place. Factories were closing down and a lot of people were emigrating to find work. They say in times of depression comedy flourishes and people just have to get on with life.”

Pat was evidently bitten by the comedy bug in early childhood and grew up on a diet of Billy Connolly, Niall Toibin and Hall’s Pictorial Weekly but it was the coupling of Pat and old friend Jon Kenny in 1986 which provided the perfect ingredients for the hilarious and lovable duo that became ‘D’Unbelievables’, arguably Ireland’s most popular comedy act.

When Jon Kenny became ill in recent years, he was forced to take some time off and Pat was faced with the prospect of appearing alone in front of an audience for the first time. It was, he admits, a nerve-wracking time. “It was very, very hard. I’d never done solo work before, I’d always been part of a double act. It was my first time going out to face an audience on my own, with no one to fall back on. Once I got over my nerves, though, there was a new kind of energy and excitement about it.”

Anyone who has ever been in the audience of one of Pat’s shows will know precisely what kind of energy that is. They’ll also know that there’s no point going to a show if you’re the quiet, shy and retiring type because the Tipperary man makes it a point to involve his audience in every aspect of the show. This, he believes, is part of the appeal.

“In general, people are very good at playing along. They know at this stage that if they come to a show, there’s every chance they might get involved and that’s part of the attraction of going. Even if they don’t want to be picked on, the fear factor definitely generates energy and people tend to be good about it.”

Things haven’t always run smoothly however. “The only time I encountered a problem was when there was a fellow half asleep and I approached him and he let out a punch at me, but it was just a reflex action and not done in malice. He was mortified after it!”

Also an accomplished actor, Pat has appeared with Druid Theatre Company in their production of Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Lonesome West’, as well as in many recent movies including ‘Angela Mooney Dies Again’, with Mia Farrow, ‘This Is My Father’, with Brendan Gleeson, Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea and James Caan and ‘The Closer It Gets’, with Ian Harte, Niamh Cusack and Sean McGinley. He also starred in the recent production ‘Man About Dog’ written by Belfast-born Pearse Eliot.

These experiences were all valuable groundwork for his most recent contribution to Irish television, ‘Killinaskully’, the first production he has written and produced single-handedly. The comic drama, set in a rural Irish village, has a wealth of diverse and eccentric characters, three of which are portrayed by Pat himself.

The series has been received exceptionally well by both RTE and the viewing audience. “I’m very happy and very proud of it,” says Pat, who is optimistic that the series will return for a second run.

Pat, who has a soft spot for Dan who props up the bar in ‘Killinaskully’, admits that, unluckily for him, the character people want to see more of is Grettie, the busty power walker. “A lot of people seem to like Grettie,” he laughs, “but I have to wear high heels to play her and it’s a pain. People seem to like her power walking scenes so I think she’ll be power walking for a long time yet!”

There are a range of colourful characters created especially for the brand-new run. Set in a village hall which is about to be demolished, prepare to meet Patsy the caretaker who patrols the aisle to make sure that there is nothing dirty going on in the back row, Sheamie the builder who comes in to demolish the place, and Dympna the Air Hostess who lives on in Sheamie’s dreams as one of his most memorable flights.

“A huge amount of work and energy goes into every new show,” says Pat, who is looking forward to seeing his new creations come to life. Pat will be bringing his new show on a nationwide tour soon, so watch out for him at a venue near you!