COMIC’S11 CONATY COLOURS
Roisin: ‘I spent most hols dumped in a Cork field..’
ENGLISH comedian and actor Roisin Conaty has opened up about what it was like growing up in London as the daughter of Irish parents and painted a larger-than-life portrait of her “really funny” mum.
Roisin, who was a guest on the Tommy Tiernan Show on RTE, says she spent every summer in Ireland as a kid.
She said: “Growing up in Camden in the ‘80s, I never spent one single school holiday in London.
“The second the bell went, it was straight out and dumped into a field in Cork.
“My mum was from a family of 12 sisters and one brother. A lot of women… and none of them quiet. They inspired me. They were very glamorous, loud, very funny Irish women.”
While Conaty’s dad had a very dry sense of humour, her mum is “mad funny, you just don’t know what will come out of her mouth”.
The comedian also spoke about her “really, really close” bond with her mother.
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She revealed: “We speak 10 times a day. It’s always been that way.”
Tiernan wondered if there’s “a part of ” Conaty that loves taking care of people.
She answered: “Yeah…making people laugh, you’re taking the emotional temperature of the room, and can I fix it is definitely a thing.”
Tiernan was also joined by musician Mik Pyro who opened up about being shy.
He explained: “Yeah, I’m very shy. Not as bad as I get older. I’ve found certain ways around it. Might not be much healthy ways.
“I’m deeply shy. I also love talking to people, but still I find it hard to make eye contact as you can probably see.”
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The show’s final guest was weightlifter Thammy Nguyen, who became emotional when talking about her early life in Ireland.
She arrived in the country as a child with her dad, having left her mother and brother in Vietnam.
Nguyeny said: “When I talk about my younger life I get really emotionally upset….I’m crying already because I actually don’t talk about my past.
“I didn’t have money, English, friends, no family… so it was just a sad time.”
Nguyen also spoke of her toughness and that her biggest fear, which came true, was not qualifying for the Olympics. She added: “I’m still here. I have no fear now.”
GREAT TIMES: Roisin Conaty