Magner’s to feature next Peter Kay at Irish Comedy Festival in Levenshulme

Magner’s to premier next Peter Kay at Irish Comedy Festival in Manchester

Magner’s will be sponsoring a special Irish Comedy Festival, in Manchester, which is part of the city’s annual Irish Festival, now in its fifteenth year. The special event takes place on Thursday 11 March at m19 Bar in Levenshulme village. It features a host of the UK and Ireland’s premier Irish Comedians who are hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ardal O’Hanlon and Peter Kay who have all played the festival in Levenshulme in previous years.

Lawrence Hennigan the Marketing director of the festival website (www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk) said “We are delighted that Magner’s are sponsoring this years Comedy Festival. The festival was launched by Ardal O’Hanlon in 1996 when he had just won the BBC Comedy Award and has also featured the likes of the legendary Peter Kay who played it several times. The line up this year is one of our strongest yet. Through the support of Magner’s we have been able to keep the advance tickets to just £5 which is a fraction of what you would normally for such a top class line up. Some of the acts are not for the feint hearted and strong language is used in some of the cutting edge routines.”

This years line up is CAIMH MCDONNELL from Dublin who has been described by the Daily Telegraph as "a standout act", plus from MARTIN BIG PIG Coleraine in County Tipperary, described as “Off beat, unusual, outrageous." - Time Out, plus MC ANDREW RYAN from Cork who has been described as " Funnier than Ardal O Hanlon" by City Life Magazine. Support comes from second generation Irish Comedian Sean O’Shaugnessy who is described as the voice of Manchester’s second generation Irish community.

Born into a circus family, the famous Mucmors, Coleraine's Martin 'Big Pig' Mor had an early career as a juggler, unicyclist, knife thrower, fire-eater, magician, and photographic model until an accident in the big top, in which he sustained a shattered ankle, he was forced to retire from performing his famous, (and unique) freestanding ladder, tall unicycle, basketball juggling, pyrotechnic act. Martin launched the very first Irish Festival in Manchester in 1996 by lying on a bed of nails stripped to the waist and having a concrete slap smashed over his chest, which featured the Irish Festival logo. He followed this up with a series of knife throwing using the crowds of people who flocked to his show as his targets!!!

A multi-skilled performer Martin Bigpig Mor, combines startlingly original material with bold, energetic improvisation. His love of working the audience, and an inability to remember his script, mean that every show is a unique interactive live event, and no two shows are ever the same.

Martins photograph is featured on the popular board game Trivial Pursuits. The Genus Edition. On an arts entertainments square. One of the pink ones. He is wearing a leotard.

A truly global performer, Martin has worked throughout the known world performing his shows extensively in Britain and Ireland, and also in the USA, Italy, Holland, Germany, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Mainland China.

He is also probably the only comedian in the world to have performed in an italian prison and on Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
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"Explosive visual comedian who should carry a Government health warning." City Life.
"This guy's great." George Best.
"Off beat, unusual, outrageous." Time Out

White-haired Dubliner Caimh McDonnell's gentle yet incisive humour makes any audience feel involved whilst playing with their expectations - sucking them in with his chatty, playful stage presence before metaphorically slapping them in the face with an unexpected punchline.
Caimh's also in demand as a writer with stuff popping up on the airwaves and on telly's 2DTV

"a standout act" - Daily Telegraph "blessed with natural charm" - BBC "superb" - Manchester Evening News
Sean O'Shaughnessy's very first gig was the North West Comedian Of The Year Final, winning a special commendation. After playing the local Manchester scene he set a trail blaze across Britain, supporting acts such as Ardal O'Hanlon, Ed Byrne Brendon Burns, and Ross Noble in addition to performing in the US.
Sean has recently relocated to the Manchester area where he remains a big draw amongst the local Irish community.
"If he were a band he would be The Pogues" The Irish Post.
"Like nothing else on earth- shockingly funny and original"
Dublin Southside People
Compere for the evening is Cork's Andrew Ryan, whose laid back bonhomie and gentle patter make him a natural for the role. Despite being comparatively new to stand up he has fast garnered a reputation as the next big thing with those in the know already making comparisons to the aforementioned O'Hanlon.
The doors open at 7.30pm and the show starts at 8.30pm with advance tickets selling fast at a bargain £5. Ringing now on 0161 224 8135 is strongly advised!
Tickets available from m19bar.com