FOR a second successive night, the Devenish Complex was sold-out on Monday for the first round of Comedy Night at Féile An Phobail 2021.

With Paddy Raff to come later in the week, it was the turn of a fellow West Belfast Paddy in the shape of Divis man Paddy O'Donnell to take centre-stage in front of a sold-out audience.

Before the main man, we were introduced to Darren Matthews, who was MC for the night who kept the audience engaged with his own array of talent.

The comedian from Bessbrook in County Armagh, but living in Belfast, had the audience in stitches with his countryside/city jokes as well as linking his brother, Stephen Matthews to his namesake, a leading loyalist in East Belfast.

There was also a hilarious story about a trip to Berlin and a German taxi driver comparing knocking down peace walls in Belfast to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The first support act of the evening was a special guest appearance from Holywood comedian, actor and television presenter, Shane Todd.

Shane had the Devenish audience in raptures with his sketches, most notably of his own experience of having a newborn baby during lockdown, who weighed a massive 11lb 2oz! 

Shane also questioned life before lockdown when it was "acceptable" to steal an ATM machine and nobody was caught or battered an eyelid much.

Next up, and probably the loudest reception so far was for the next support act, William Thompson.

William, who hails from Tullycarnet in East Belfast replied: "WTF was that all about?" following his mighty reception from a West Belfast audience to an East Belfast man.

William took the audience on a journey through his struggles with his weight, how his cerebral palsy doesn't make him look disabled enough, and life itself.

After getting bullied at school due to his illness, William's mother told him: "Don't worry son, you'll get the best car parking spaces" when he was just 14-years-old.

As for a United Ireland, William says he will support "whoever pays the best DLA" side of the argument and told a brilliant story, hitting back at his Protestant friend who asked him if he would take up arms to fight a United Ireland. "I can barely use my own two arms," replied William!

And so, after a short interval it was on to the headline act of the evening.

Paddy McDonnell came on stage to Grace. “If it’s good enough for Mick Conlan it’s good enough for Paddy McDonnell," he said.

Joiner by day, funny man by night, he is one of the fastest rising talents on the North's comedy circuit.

Being a West Belfast man himself, Paddy warmed to the audience with his uncompromising, insightful material. 

A sketch comparing different accents across the North will live long in the memory, with Paddy claiming people in Twinbrook have a different accent to those in Poleglass. There was also a special mention for those accents in Newry, Ballymena and Graeme McDowell. As for the Derry ones, Paddy said you would think you were in Beijing!

There was also a hilarious story about Mass with a South African priest, an awkward encounter with a Dublin taxi driver after Paddy told him about black taxi drivers in Belfast – you can see the completely two different interpretations and a memorable story about a visit to Tesco in "city for all" Lisburn with a republican-themed pram for his first-born.

Paddy also had the audience in stitches over encounters with locals in Edinburgh and London whilst touring and even a drunk man who insulted Bear Grylls.

As for West Belfast natives, Paddy says if we don't understand you, we will simply reply "aye" and bemoaned change over the years with the men.

"West Belfast fellas get eyebrows waxed more times than their girlfriends and watch Love Island," he said.

It would be no exaggeration to say it was one of the best comedy nights I have been to, which is a credit to Féile and the great line-up of comedians. Remember – never sit in the front row of a gig unless you want roasted, which some people really seemed to enjoy the banter.

With over two and a half hours of laughter, the audience left thoroughly entertained – sure what else would you be doing on a Monday night?

Speaking after the event, Paddy said: "It blew me away to headline Féile and sell-out the two nights at the Devenish," he said.

"I started seven years ago doing comedy. I was working as a black taxi driver and doing a bit of comedy.

"I called into the Féile office and got a gig. This year was the seventh and eighth time I have performed at Féile and to headline it was amazing. 

"There was a real comedy crowd in and the thing with comedy is, the more people can relate to it, the more they will laugh. It worked out really well.

"Sometimes I feel like I am a singer with people shouting out for me to do sketches they have seen on my social media. People are so eager to hear my stuff which is great."

Paddy is now set to perform at sold-out gigs at the Ulster Hall in November and three shows in the Limelight in September as well as other local dates on his tour and plans to tour UK and Australia next year.