Joe Rooney

“With his slicked back hair and gifts as a musical comic you can see why he was cast as the cool, disaffected Damo. Yet Rooney’s pastiches of ‘The Dubliners’ songbook reveal a mischievous insight beyond the rebel-without-a-brain-cell of his on-screen counterpart.” Chortle

Joe Rooney is a stand up comedian, actor and writer. Best known for his roles in Fr. Ted and Killinaskully he has recently appeared in the BBC/RTE series “Roy” and the stage version of “The Shawshank Redemption” starring Omijd Djalili (Gladiator) during it’s five star run at the Edinburgh Theatre festival and The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. As a stand up comedian he has been making people laugh for the last twenty years from places as far flung as Atlanta to Hong Kong, from Oman to Oslo and from Dubai to Dublin and everywhere in between except for Longford. With observations about everything from fatherhood to one armed chemistry teachers his infectious enthusiasm leaves audiences of all ages and nationalities in paroxysms of laughter. Throw in a few hilarious musical interludes and you have a recipe for comedy genius.

“Rooney is very funny, but it is with his guitar in his hands that he becomes unmissable…his impressions of seventies rockers singing nursery rhymes brings tears to the eyes” The Stage

A double act show he did in the Edinburgh Festival with Patrick McDonnell was a resounding success.

“If they don’t get their own television show by the time the Fringe is over, then there is something deeply wrong in this world ****” The Scotsman
His short film “Lean On Me” has recieved favourable comments from Johnny Vegas (Moone Boy, Bleak House) and Lenny Abrahamson (What Richard Did, Garage). He has acted in the RTE radio plays ‘The Sperm And The Sound’ by playwright Neil Flynn and ‘A Snail Called Sam’ by Joe O’ Byrne and recorded a single “The Rockier Road To Poland” with Shane MacGowan and The Aftermath.

“I’m still laughing at the thought of Fr. Damien (Damo) Lennon, the gurrier curate who lead Fr. Dougal astray…He was an inspired invention and was brilliantly played by Joe Rooney.” Sunday Independent

He has written on the last two series of ‘Killinaskully’ and is currently writing & performing with Paul Woodfull (I Keano) as Ding Dong Denny and Joe Diddley a comedy/trad music act. Joe has been a writer/contributor on George Lee’s RTE Radio 1 show ‘Down To Business’ and received rave reviews from the international press as a host at the ‘Kilkenomics Festival’ at Kilkenny. Other projects has seen him acting in the excellent comedy/drama ‘The Masterplan’ as part of RTE’s ‘Storyland’ series and winning Channel 4’s ‘Celebrity Come Dine With Me’ with former Miss World and daughter of Chris De Burgh, Rosanna Davidson.

“…occasionally laconic, at times infectiously manic, and always rivetting – coupled with his years of experience have made him one of Ireland’s “10 Most Wanted”, when promoters nationwide pick up their phones.” The Hot Press