Let me start with those who say “it was just lads saying stuff, what’s your problem?” It was lads saying words that we all recognise as offensive. It was a group, targeting a lone individual. It was people, who’ve never met him, insulting my husband. What they said was disgusting. It shook him. It was racist. You’d respond if it were someone in your family.

To those who don’t like that I name where it happened in my blog: tough luck. I’m not going to make stuff up to make you feel comfortable. The whole point of even talking about this was to let people know that if this is happening in a beautiful, safe, cosmopolitan place, then it’s happening everywhere. And the messages I’ve received this week have confirmed that.

To those who’ve said I’m anti-Ireland and am saying that “Ireland is a haven for racists”: your generalisation, not mine. There does seem to be a resistance here to admitting there’s a problem, but in general Ireland is a brilliant place to live in or visit, with a small but vocal minority of idiots we shouldn’t tolerate. That’s what I particularly wanted to target in the video: casual racism. “I’m not racist but” racism. Complacency. If we talk about it, we can make some progress. If we pretend it’s not happening, we won’t. As someone said to me this week, “it’s in silence that it spreads”.

To those who’ve said I’m suggesting all people with a surname in Irish are racists, I just don’t know how to react.

To those who’ve thought it was a real B&B, in a particular place, and that I’m rubbishing the Irish hospitality industry: I guess satire isn’t your thing. The clip starts with a man making bread out of a brick. Come on, now.

In fact, if you listen to the intro, the B&B is “down the country” i.e. could be anywhere. Máire Uí Bannantee is a makey uppy name to suggest that this woman lives for fluffing pillows and frying eggs. This is the last time I hope to ever have to say this: they’re not real. In fact, the reason a B&B works so well as a metaphor in this case is precisely because they are incredibly welcoming places and in Ireland we do them so very well. I hope this helps.

To those who’ve said “it’s just not funny”, you are completely entitled to your opinion. Like all comedy, it’s subjective. I think it is funny, and luckily enough people agree with me that it’s been shared and had plenty of views. Most people get the point, but just in case, here it is:

I wanted to take my anger at racist morons and take some power back by pillorying their attitude. I wanted to mock their belief that they are entitled to say awful things to someone they don’t know because of the colour of their skin. I wanted to use laughter to get my message across, because it beats hate every time.

I won’t ever be reading the comments on YouTube or other sites – they’re where madness goes to die and I value my sanity. However, nor will I be disabling comments on YT or on my original blog. I think it’s useful for people to see the disordered and even violent thinking that’s out there on this subject. Believe me, I’m getting plenty of that directly, without ever having to read comments sections. If nothing else, their presence proves the point I’m trying to make in the video in the first place. This week, I’ve learned a lot.

I will not be publishing comments on this blog

Finally, summer’s here. I hope you have your sunscreen on – I know what you’re like.

Here’s what’s happening in the next few weeks, Flynnside:

I’ll be on with Dublin Comedy Improv at Vicar Street for the fundraiser for Temple Street Children’s Hospital on Saturday June 15. Brilliant lineup, brilliant cause. Details & tickets here.

More fundraising: I’m MCing the Comedy Night for Choice at the Kildare Street Hotel, 8pm, June 22. Facebook event here.

Back to the Improv, we’re celebrating 21 years of residency at the International Bar, making us the 2nd longest running comedy night in Ireland (after Wednesday’s Comedy Cellar, also at the International), and the longest running Improv group in the country. We’re celebrating during our show on Monday June 24. Follow @dublinimprov on Twitter for details. Come wish us Happy 21st!

Then I’ll be taking part in 2 panels at the Swift Satire Festival in Trim on July 6. This was a brilliant mini-festival last year and you won’t want to miss it. Keep your eyes peeled for details, or just be in Trim, Co. Meath around then. We’ll be there.

As ever, you can check out my videos here. The newest one, Racist B&B (due early June), has an accompanying blog which you can read here, if you’d like.

Thank you and trust me…on the sunscreen.

Kinsale is beautiful. I grew up there. I love going back. My parents and several of my schoolfriends are still there. For a small Irish town, it’s always been relatively progressive: even in my teens, when Ireland was deeply conservative – backward, even – in Kinsale gay couples lived out & proud, religious people socialised with those who had no interest in church, and we had tourists rich and poor coming from all over the world. It was laid back, and the attitude in the main seemed to be “each to his own”. Unlike many places in the country at the time, even if people didn’t fully understand others, in general they tended to leave them at it.

As a port only 15 minutes from an international airport, Kinsale has thrived on tourism. And so it should. Local businesses work hard to make sure the services they provide are second to none and that the welcome you get in our town is memorable. When we were little, every single one of us at school was given plastic gloves and we went out in our various classes to pick up every scrap of rubbish we could find. This wasn’t the council using child labour as part of a bizarre money-saving initiative, it was a practical way of teaching us civic responsibility. This was our town. It could be clean if we kept it that way, or dirty if we turned a blind eye. The choice was ours. It’s a close-knit community and I’m very proud of it.

But on a recent trip home, I got a reminder that Ireland Of The Welcomes can be conditional.  By now very familiar with Kinsale, my husband offered to take the dog out for his last walk of the night. I sat chatting with my mum. 20 minutes later, my husband returned. He looked angry. “Well,” he said, “I haven’t been called those names in a while.” A group of young people standing outside a bar in the centre of town had shouted racist epithets at him. Some of those epithets have made it into my clip but we’ve decided to cover them with sound effects. They’re just too vile. They are shocking in the abstract and absolutely horrifying when applied to someone I love. In my hometown. In 2013.

My husband is a tolerant person. He just stared the namecallers down and they – like most cowards – shut up when faced with this silent challenge. He tried to laugh it off in the re-telling, saying it wasn’t his first time and that he’d heard worse. But that’s not the point.  I was mortified. Stunned. Fuming.

So I wrote a sketch about it. A sketch about how racism is lurking in even the most welcoming of places. About how we talk about it and minimise it with words because we don’t like to believe it’s there. “They’re only young fellas” or “they probably had drink taken” just won’t do.

Racism is unacceptable. Duh. We know. But we have to pick the rubbish up ourselves.

 The video is available on my YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J80q7Q3UIEM

You can report racism in Ireland here:http://enarireland.org/racist_incident_report/

Quote from ENAR Ireland:
“If you have experienced,witnessed or heard about a racist incident in Ireland there is something you can do about it.

By reporting the incident you will help ENAR Ireland:

1. Understand how often racist incidents occur in Ireland.
2. Understand in greater detail who is experiencing racism in Ireland.
3. Understand more about different kinds of racism in Ireland.
4. In some cases, if you are willing, take action against the people responsible.
5. Devise effective local strategies for combating racism.
6. Inform our arguments for stronger anti-racist policies at a national level.”

If it happens to you, or someone near you, please report it.

Is it sunny where you are? Hope so. Get your shorts on.

This news update is a little different in that I’d usually let you know where I’m gigging and all that. But I’m giving up gigs. No, not solo shows with songs. No, not the Improv; I’ll still be found on various stages, singing stuff and rolling around on the ground (probably) and I’m really looking forward to our first Cat Laughs in way too long. But I won’t be doing stand-up club sets anymore. I’m off to Scotland this week to headline the Stand’s Wicked Women in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and doing the Glasgow club at the weekend; as it’s one of the best comedy clubs in the world (and definitely my favourite) I can’t think of a better last set of gigs to do. Thanks to all of you who’ve booked me and been to the shows down through the years.

Instead, I’ll be writing and developing comedy ideas for radio and TV, while hoping to do a lot more acting. That’s where I came in, and it’s time to give it a bit more focus. Keep you posted.

Meanwhile, when it feels like it’s coming out funny, you’ll find it on my YouTube channel here. Got a couple of angry ones in store. Ireland’s a bit infuriating at the moment.

Anyway, get those legs out and that lotion on. Happy summer.

T x

Next appearing with Dublin Comedy Improv at the International Bar, Wicklow St., Dublin on Mondays May 13 & 20 and June 3 & 24 (the Improv’s 21st Birthday Party). Joining the International Improv at the Sky Cat Laughs on Sat June 1 & Sun June 2. For further details, follow @dublinimprov on Twitter.

March 2: International Comedy Club (both shows, early & late). Site here.

March 10: International Comedy Club.

March 11: Dublin Comedy Improv

March 15: Solo Show at Paddy Laughs Festival, Mill Theatre Dundrum. Details here: Paddy Laughs

March 17: Hosting St. Patrick’s Day Event at the Groucho Club, London.

March 18: Dublin Comedy Improv

March 20: Glasgow Comedy Festival show at the Stand, guesting with Wendy Wason (Tickets here.)

April 1: Dublin Comedy Improv

April 22: Dublin Comedy Improv

I’ll be back at The Stand in May, between Glasgow & Edinburgh May 7 – 11. www.thestand.co.uk

Hope to see you soon, you lovely thing. Yes, you.

Tara

So here we are, and here are some upcoming  Flynn-related things if you’d like them:

I’ll be doing a short set at the Capital Comedy Club on Sunday Jan 13: Capital Comedy Club details.

Mondays Jan 14 & 28 I’ll be performing with Dublin Comedy Improv at the International, Dublin. Details here.

BIG NEWS: I’ll be doing my solo show (with support from the excellent Conor O’ Toole) at the Workmans Club, Dublin, on January 17. There’ll be jokes and songs and maybe some video clips. Please come. It’s just €10 and you can see details/ book here: Tara at Workmans show.

Video stuff will, as ever, be here on YouTube: Tara Flynn.

I’m going to be in Los Angeles for February – if I manage to get any gigs or say, a multi-million dollar 5-picture deal, you’ll be the first to know. Otherwise, see you back this side of the pond in March for more gigs and craic.

Thanks for all your support, views, RTs, shares and gig-attendance in 2012. You really do rock.

T x

We’re almost at the end of 2012. Hurrah! Unless the Mayans were right then I hope to see you at The Workmans Club on January 17th for my solo show. There’ll be stand up and songs and Conor O’Toole is opening for me. It’ll be ace. You can book here.

Only a few live dates left in 2012, so it’d be great to see you at one of them. Dates and details are below. Meanwhile, here’s the telly stuff:

TV DATES

The Mario Rosenstock Show is on RTE2, Mondays  at 9.30pm

Irish Pictorial Weekly airs from Thursday November 29 at 10.15 on RTE1

LIVE DATES

MONDAY NOV 19 – Dublin Comedy Improv, International Bar, 9pm (Details/ lineup changes here.)

WEDNESDAY NOV 21 – Capital Comedy Club  (Details here.)

MONDAY DEC 3 – Dublin Comedy Improv, International Bar, 9pm  (Details/ lineup changes here.)

SATURDAY DEC 8 – Stand Up at the Banker’s  (Details here.)

SUNDAY DEC 16 – guest at Death of Comedy, Workmans Club. (Details here.)

MONDAY DEC 17 – Dublin Comedy Improv Christmas Special, International Bar, 9pm.  Almost all of us will be on.

Other than that, you can of course check out the video for my song “Custard” on YouTube (here) or give it a vote on Funny or Die (here) if you’d like. Thanks for all the shares and RTs so far. You rule.

Hope to see you at a gig soon.

Tara

Here are some live and telly dates and other eventfulness, if you’d like to have a look:

On Saturday September 15th I headlined the comedy fundraiser at the Sugar Club for the March for Choice. Abie Philbin Bowman MCed proceedings  and it was a brilliant night.

On Wednesday, September 19th, I hosted The Conch Awards (UK film & TV sound industry awards) for the 3rd time at London’s Mayfair Hotel.

I’m back in my original comedy home, Dublin Comedy Improv at the International, Wicklow St at 9 on Mondays Sept 10th,  17th & 24th and Oct 1st, 8th, 15th & 29th, November 19th and December 3rd.

Also at the International, I’ll be doing stand up at the International Comedy Club in October: Sun 21st, Thurs 25th & Fri 26th.

You can catch me at the Capital Comedy Club on November 21st.

TV-wise, I’ll be joining the team of Irish Pictorial Weekly (details here) hitting TV screens late November, early December.

I’ll also be popping up in The Mario Rosenstock Show, new on Monday nights on RTE 2 from November.

If you were quick , you may have glimpsed me in Episode 2 of Chris O’Dowd & Nick Murphy’s  Moone Boy on Sky 1. I play Babs, the suicidal pastry chef. You bet I feckin’ jus. Pavlova Tuesday forever.

I have a recipe in Celebrity Bake Book (details here). Proceeds go to the excellent Ben Kinsella Trust, and I would really like it a lot if you bought a copy. Go on, you know you want to.

And, still on the topic of dessert, I made a video directed by genius (yes, genius) Chris Lincé. Tired of all those ladies who sing about their Milkshake, goodies, and how they don’t think we’re ready for this jelly, I figured the Irish version of would be Custard. It’s on YouTube here and you can vote for it on Funny or Die here. If you like. Thanks.

I’ll be in London for Itch: A Scratch Event on November 4th, performing Imprudence by Brendan Dempsey alongside the inimitable Phil Nichol at The Pleasance, Islington.

And last, but not least, the original cast recording of Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory has been released, proceeds going to The Terrence Higgins Trust. (I sing Jemma/ Molly.) You can get one by clicking here.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to check this out. Hope to see you somewhere soon. You’re alright, kid. You’re alllright.

T x

I’ll be performing with Dublin Comedy Improv on Mondays July 2 & 9.

July 7 - Swift Satire Festival, Trim Castle. Always knew I’d end up in a castle and my time has finally come. Until I make it into Game of Thrones, this will have to do. Awesome lineup. Website here.

July 12 - Kinsale Arts Festival. Solo Show. Songs & chat. Details and bookings here.

July 20 – 29 Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory at Lyric Theatre, Belfast

August 1 – 26 Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory is a brand new musical by Paul Boyd (who arranged and performed the backing track of The Fog… for me. Clip here). It’s Desperate Housewives meets Willy Wonka meets Nip Tuck, it’s funny and the songs are beautiful. AND there are boobs. You should come. Molly’s site is here and there’s a trailer here.

I’ll be heading back to Dublin on August 26th, at which stage it looks like I’ll have some big Autumn news for you. Keep you posted. Meanwhile, hope to see you at the shows.

The tour of All the Single Ladies (by the brilliant Abigail Burdess) is done. I’m no longer living out of a suitcase or sitting in a train corridor, by the loo, because Virgin Trains have forgotten to update the reservations displays or have a working system. So that’s good. That said, I do miss seeing bits of England that I wouldn’t ordinarily see and that I thought might just be makey-uppy: turns out Wimborne is real! Who knew?

So I’m trying to catch up on all the writing and admin I should have been doing during the tour.

But THEN it looks like THIS:

I’ll be joining my old Alma Mater Dublin Comedy Improv for 4 shows: Mondays June 4 & 11 and July 2 & 9.

July 7 – Swift Satire Festival, Trim Castle. Very excited about this festival. I always knew I’d end up in a castle and my time has finally come. Until I make it into Game of Thrones, this will have to do. For details of the awesome lineup, check the new website here.

July 12 – Kinsale Arts Festival. Solo Show. Details and bookings here.

July 20 – 29 Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory at Lyric Theatre, Belfast

August 1 – 26 Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory is a brand new musical by Paul Boyd (who arranged and performed the backing track of The Fog… for me. Clip here). We did a staged concert of Molly last September (you may recall me banging on about it ad nauseum – look forward to more of that) and it was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done. The audiences had a blast at this show and – even though I’m in it – I’m jealous of them. They really are in for a bit of a treat. It’s Desperate Housewives meets Willy Wonka meets Nip Tuck, it’s funny and the songs are beautiful. Oh, and there are boobs. You should come. Molly’s site is here and there’s a trailer here.

Have a great summer and see you at the shows.