Big Comedy: Dara Ó Briain

Dara O Briain is one of the UK & Ireland's favourite stand-up comedians and tv presenters.

If you haven't seen one of his stand-up shows, then you will have seen Dara in one of his TV Shows, including Mock The Week, Blockbusters, Robot Wars, Three Men in a Boat, Dara and Ed’s Great Big Adventure, Stargazing Live, Dara O Briain’s Science Club, and the documentary Dara O Briain Meets Stephen Hawking, all on the BBC.

Dara started his career in television as a children’s presenter on RTÉ whilst performing his first stand-up gigs on the Irish comedy circuit, after studying at University College, Dublin, where he read Mathematical Physics.

Dara came to prominence in Ireland as host of topical panel show Don’t Feed the Gondolas. He had to leave the show midway through its fifth season in order to perform at the Adelaide and Melbourne comedy festivals.

Dara later co-founded the television production company Happy Endings Productions, whose most famous show in Ireland is The Panel. The show became one of the most talked about shows in Ireland and was twice nominated for the Best Entertainment Show IFTA (Irish Film and Television Award). His big break in UK television came in 2003 when he became host of BBC Two’s The Live Floor Show. This led to an appearance as guest – and, ultimately, four appearances as guest host of – the popular news quiz, Have I Got News for You. By this time, he had moved to the UK and was working on the British circuit full-time.

Dara tours regularly, and has performed shows all over world, from Moscow to Sydney, Tromsø to Malta, and has recorded five live DVDs for Universal Pictures. He also holds the record for the most appearances in a year for Dublin’s legendary Vicar Street. His previous shows include: Live at the Theatre Royal (2006), Dara O Briain Talks Funny: Live in London (2008), This Is the Show (2010), Craic Dealer (2012) and Crowd Tickler (2015).

Dara’s latest tour Voice of Reason has been performed across the globe, touring in the UK and Ireland, Scandinavia, mainland Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. It was filmed by the BBC in 2020 for a live stand-up special that was broadcast on New Year’s Day.

Dara released the bestselling book Tickling the English in 2009, and more recently his non-fiction children’s book about space, Beyond the Sky, was nominated for Best Book with Facts at the 2018 Blue Peter Book Awards.

We are so excited to have Dara perform at St James for two nights. Make sure you don't miss out, get your tickets today.

Doors/Bar: 7pm | Show start 8pm

Please note that comedy shows might not be suitable for children.

Host or Publisher St James