Editing Ardal O'Hanlon

{{short description|Irish comedian and actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| image              = 
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1965|10|8|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Carrickmacross]], [[County Monaghan]], Ireland
| education          = [[Blackrock College]]
| alma_mater         = [[Dublin City University|NIHE, Dublin]]
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|comedian}}
| years_active       = 1991–present
| father             = [[Rory O'Hanlon]]
| relatives          = [[Peter Fenelon Collier]]
| spouse             = Melanie O'Hanlon
| children           = 3
| website            = 
}}

'''Ardal O'Hanlon''' ({{IPAc-en|oʊ|ˈ|h|æ|n|l|ə|n}}; born 8 October 1965) is an Irish comedian, actor, and author. He played [[Father Dougal McGuire]] in ''[[Father Ted]]'' (1995–1998), George Sunday/Thermoman in ''[[My Hero (British TV series)|My Hero]]'' (2000–2006), and DI Jack Mooney in ''[[Death in Paradise ]]'' (2017–2020). His novel ''[[The Talk of the Town (novel)|The Talk of the Town]]'' was published in 1998.

==Early life==

O'Hanlon was born in [[Carrickmacross]], [[County Monaghan]],<ref name="Scotsman"/> the son of [[Fianna Fáil]] [[Teachta Dála|TD]] and physician [[Rory O'Hanlon]] and Teresa (née Ward).<ref name="Scotsman">{{cite web |last=Christie |first=Janet |date=11 Nov 2019 |title=Ardal O'Hanlon: I had to distance myself from Father Ted after it finished |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/ardal-ohanlon-i-had-distance-myself-father-ted-after-it-finished-1402708 |access-date=3 June 2020 |website=scotsman.com |archive-date=3 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603085909/https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/ardal-ohanlon-i-had-distance-myself-father-ted-after-it-finished-1402708 |url-status=live }}</ref> He is the third of six children, and has three brothers and two sisters.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Palmer |first1=Camilla |title=Ardal O'Hanlon: My family values |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/dec/27/ardal-ohanlon-my-family-values |access-date=18 December 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=27 December 2013 |language=en |archive-date=18 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218171838/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/dec/27/ardal-ohanlon-my-family-values |url-status=live }}</ref> 

O'Hanlon was schooled in [[Blackrock College]] in [[Dublin]] and graduated, in 1987, from the [[National Institute for Higher Education]], Dublin (now [[Dublin City University]]), with a degree in [[communication studies]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Freyne |first=Patrick |title=Ardal O'Hanlon: 'I was always this weird, watchful kind of kid' |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/ardal-o-hanlon-i-was-always-this-weird-watchful-kind-of-kid-1.4024884 |access-date=2022-04-18 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en |archive-date=18 April 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220418134226/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/ardal-o-hanlon-i-was-always-this-weird-watchful-kind-of-kid-1.4024884 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Career==
{{refimprove section|date=August 2024}}

Together with [[Kevin Gildea]] and [[Barry Murphy (comedian)|Barry Murphy]], O'Hanlon founded the [[International Comedy Cellar]], upstairs in the [[International Bar]] on Dublin's South [[Wicklow Street]].<ref name="Scotsman"/> Dublin had no comedy scene at the time. As a stand up, O'Hanlon won the [[Hackney Empire New Act of the Year]] competition in 1994. For a time he was the presenter of ''The Stand Up Show''.<ref name="Scotsman"/>

O'Hanlon was cast as [[Father Dougal McGuire]] in ''[[Father Ted]]'' (1995–1998). During filming, O'Hanlon went to buy shoes. Still being in costume, the seller thought he was a real priest and offered the footwear for free.<ref>{{cite web | title=Ardal O'Hanlon Interview Father Ted Death in Paradise | website=[[YouTube]] | date=18 May 2020 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydNnFh9eyRI| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211122/ydNnFh9eyRI| archive-date=2021-11-22 | url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1995 he received the Top TV Comedy Newcomer at the [[British Comedy Awards]] for this role. In 1995, he appeared (as Father Dougal) in a [[Channel 4]] [[Television ident|ident]] ("Hello, you're watching ... television"), and during [[Comic Relief (charity)|Comic Relief]] on BBC1. This was followed by the award-winning short comedy film ''[[Flying Saucer Rock'n'Roll]]''. In a 2019 interview, O'Hanlon admitted that he had attempted to distance himself from ''Father Ted'' once the show had finished.<ref name="Scotsman"/>

O'Hanlon moved into straight acting alongside [[Emma Fielding]] and [[Beth Goddard]] in the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] comedy-drama ''Big Bad World'', which aired for two series in summer 1999 and winter 2001.<ref name="Scotsman"/> He also played a minor role in ''[[The Butcher Boy (1997 film)|The Butcher Boy]]'' as Joe's (Francie's best friend) father, and appeared in an episode of the original ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK TV series)|Whose Line is it Anyway?]]''.

In 2000, O'Hanlon starred in the comedy series ''[[My Hero (British TV series)|My Hero]]'', in which he played a very naive superhero from the planet Ultron.<ref name="Scotsman"/> His character juggled world-saving heroics with life in suburbia. He stayed in the role until the first episode of series 6 in July 2006, when he was replaced by [[James Dreyfus]] during the same episode.

O'Hanlon also provided the voice of the lead character in the three Christmas television cartoon specials of ''[[Robbie the Reindeer]]''. He appeared in the 2005 [[BBC One]] sitcom ''[[Blessed (television)|Blessed]]'', written by [[Ben Elton]]; at the 2005 British Comedy Awards, it was publicly slated by [[Jonathan Ross (television presenter)|Jonathan Ross]], albeit in jest.<ref>{{Cite web |title=9783612650702: Talk of the Town. - O'Hanlon, Ardal: 361265070X - AbeBooks |url=https://www.abebooks.com/9783612650702/Talk-Town-OHanlon-Ardal-361265070X/plp |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=www.abebooks.com |language=en |archive-date=7 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107050558/https://www.abebooks.com/9783612650702/Talk-Town-OHanlon-Ardal-361265070X/plp |url-status=live }}</ref> Towards the end of 2005, he played an eccentric Scottish character, Coconut Tam, in the family based film, ''[[The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby]]''. He has also appeared on radio, including an appearance on ''[[Quote... Unquote]]'' on  [[BBC Radio 4]] on 18 July 2011. Appropriately, one of his questions concerned a quotation from ''Father Ted''. In 2015, he appeared as incompetent angel Smallbone in the sitcom ''The Best Laid Plans'', on the same channel.

In 2006, O'Hanlon wrote and presented an [[RTÉ]] television series called ''Leagues Apart'', which saw him investigate the biggest and most passionate football rivalries in a number of European countries. Included were Roma vs Lazio in Italy, Barcelona vs Real Madrid in Spain, and Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce in [[Turkey]]. He followed this with another RTÉ show, ''So You Want To Be Taoiseach?'' in 2007. It was a political series in which O'Hanlon gave tongue-in-cheek advice on how to go about becoming [[Taoiseach]] of Ireland.

He appeared in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "[[Gridlock (Doctor Who)|Gridlock]]", broadcast on 14 April 2007, in which he played a catlike creature named Thomas Kincade Brannigan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6478495.stm|title=Fans mad for Doctor's new companion|date=22 March 2007|access-date=3 April 2007|work=BBC News|author=Masters, Tim| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070328182935/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6478495.stm| archive-date= 28 March 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> O'Hanlon appears in series 3 of the TV show ''[[Skins (British TV series)|Skins]]'',<ref name="Scotsman"/> playing Naomi Campbell ([[Lily Loveless]])'s politics teacher named Kieran, who attempted to kiss her. He then went on to form a relationship with Naomi's mother ([[Olivia Colman]]). O'Hanlon plays the lead role in Irish comedy television programme ''[[Val Falvey, TD]]'' on [[RTÉ One]]. In 2012, he performed in the [[Edinburgh Fringe]].

In February 2011, O'Hanlon returned to the [[Gate Theatre]], Dublin starring in the Irish premiere of Christopher Hampton's translation of Yasmina Reza's ''[[God of Carnage]]'', alongside [[Maura Tierney]]. Later that year, he appeared in the comedy panel show ''[[Argumental]]''.

O'Hanlon has written a novel, ''[[The Talk of the Town (novel)|The Talk of the Town]]'' (known in the United States as ''Knick Knack Paddy Whack''), which was published in 1998. The novel is about a teenage boy, Patrick Scully, and his friends.

In February 2015, he officially launched the 2015 Sky [[Cat Laughs]] Comedy Festival, which took place in [[Kilkenny]] from 28 May to 1 June.<ref>{{cite news |date=26 February 2015 |title=Ardal O'Hanlan launches this year's Cats Laughs as the festival comes of age |work=evoke.ie |url=http://www.evoke.ie/events/ardal-ohanlan-launches-this-years-cats-laughs-as-the-festival-comes-of-age/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228162558/http://evoke.ie/events/ardal-ohanlan-launches-this-years-cats-laughs-as-the-festival-comes-of-age |archive-date=28 Feb 2017}}</ref> In 2015 he played the role of Peter the Milkman in the [[Sky One]] sitcom ''[[After Hours (2015 British TV series)|After Hours]]''.

On 2 February 2017, it was announced he would play the lead role in the BBC crime drama ''[[Death in Paradise]]'' taking the role of DI Jack Mooney following [[Kris Marshall]]'s departure the same day. He announced his intention to leave the series in early 2020 and was replaced by [[Ralf Little]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Palmer |first=Katie |date=27 January 2020 |title=Death in Paradise: When is Ralf Little's first episode? |url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1232880/Death-In-Paradise-when-Ralf-Little-first-episode-new-inspector-arrive |website=express.co.uk |access-date=27 January 2020 |archive-date=27 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127095828/https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1232880/Death-In-Paradise-when-Ralf-Little-first-episode-new-inspector-arrive |url-status=live }}</ref> Starting in 2024, he has reprised the role in spin-off series ''[[Return to Paradise (2024 TV series)|Return to Paradise]]''.

On 25 November 2021, it was announced that he would participate in series 13 of ''[[Taskmaster (TV series)|Taskmaster]]''.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=Taskmaster|date = 25 November 2021|title = Taskmaster will return in 2022|number=1463991162075852808 |link = https://twitter.com/taskmaster/status/1463991162075852808}}</ref> He finished in 4th place ahead of [[Judi Love]].

In 2023, he played Uncle Jack in the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]]'s production of ''[[Dancing at Lughnasa]]'' by [[Brian Friel]], alongside [[Siobhan McSweeney]] and [[Tom Vaughan-Lawlor]].<ref name="Nat-the-1">{{cite web |title=Dancing at Lughnasa {{!}} National Theatre |url=https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/dancing-at-lughnasa/ |website=www.nationaltheatre.org.uk |access-date=9 December 2024}}</ref>

In January 2024, he presented his first Irish language show, ''Inis na nIontas'', on [[TG4]], exploring the islands around the coast of Ireland.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2023-12-19 |title=Ardal O'Hanlon to present his first Irish language show |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/1219/1422880-ardal-ohanlon-to-present-his-first-irish-language-show/ |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==

O'Hanlon met his wife Melanie as a teenager. They have three children.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dwyer|first1=Ciara|title=Ardal O'Hanlon: Stand up for a life well lived|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/ardal-ohanlon-stand-up-for-a-life-well-lived-26851128.html|access-date=11 July 2015|work=Irish Independent|date=7 May 2012|archive-date=30 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730021307/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/ardal-ohanlon-stand-up-for-a-life-well-lived-26851128.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He is a supporter of [[Leeds United]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tench|first1=Matt|title=My team: Ardal O'Hanlon|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/aug/03/sport.features1|access-date=11 July 2015|work=The Guardian|date=3 August 2003|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204153315/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/aug/03/sport.features1|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Moll Flanders (1996 film)|Moll Flanders]]''
| Gentleman From East Chiswick
|
|-
| 1997
| ''[[The Butcher Boy (1997 film)|The Butcher Boy]]''
| Mr. Purcell
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Flying Saucer Rock'n'Roll]]''
| Eddie Johnny
| Short film<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162961/|title=Flying Saucer Rock'n'Roll (1998)|author=simon_duddy (simon_duddy@vnu.co.uk)|date=1 October 1998|work=IMDb|access-date=5 October 2015|archive-date=10 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310181318/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162961/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 2002
| ''Another Bobby O'Hara Story...''
| Bobby O'Hara
| Short film<ref name="York-IFF-2003">{{cite news|date=1 March 2003|title=York Independent Film Festival|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/7912447.york-independent-film-festival/|website=[[The Press (York)]]|access-date=19 March 2025}}</ref>
|-
| 2005
| ''[[The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby]]''
| Coconut Tam
|
|-
| 2007
| ''Blind Eye''
| Immigration Official
| Short film
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Tales of the Riverbank#Feature film|Tales of the Riverbank]]''
| Hammy Hamster (voice)
| Direct-to-DVD
|-
| 2009
| ''Wide Open Spaces''
| Myles
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2016
| ''Donkeys''
| Derek
| Short film
|-
| ''[[Handsome Devil (film)|Handsome Devil]]''
| Dan Roche
|
|-
| ''Twice Shy''
| Brendan O'Meara
|
|-
| 2021
| ''Rian''
| McCarthy
| Short film
|-
| 2024
| ''My Freaky Family''
| Nerlin Flood
|
|-
| TBA
| ''[[Fran the Man]]''
| Jim O'Dea
| Post production
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1995–1998
| ''[[Father Ted]]''
| [[Father Dougal McGuire]]
| Series 1–3 (25 episodes)
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (British TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]''
| Himself
| Series 8; Episode 7
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Top of the Pops]]''
| Himself - Guest Presenter
| Series 34; Episode 5<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/trivia/presenters/list12.shtml|title=BBC – Top of the Pops 2 – Trivia|work=bbc.co.uk|access-date=5 October 2015|archive-date=2 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302023203/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/trivia/presenters/list12.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1999
| ''[[Hooves of Fire]]''
| Robbie the Reindeer (voice)
| Television film
|-
| ''The Comedy Trail: A Shaggy Dog Story''
| George Sunday / Thermoman
| Television Special
|-
| 1999–2001
| ''Big Bad World''
| Eamon Donaghy
| Series 1–3 (16 episodes)
|-
| 2000–2006
| ''[[My Hero (British TV series)|My Hero]]''
| George Sunday / Thermoman
| Series 1–6 (45 episodes)
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Robbie the Reindeer|Legend of the Lost Tribe]]''
| Robbie the Reindeer (voice)
| Television film
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Blessed (TV series)|Blessed]]''
| Gary Chandler
| Episodes 1–8
|-
| 2006
| ''Leagues Apart''
| Himself - Presenter
| Episodes 1–6 
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2007
| ''[[Robbie the Reindeer|Close Encounters of the Herd Kind]]''
| Robbie the Reindeer (voice)
| Television film
|-
| ''[[Doctor Who]]''
| Thomas Brannigan
| Series 3; Episode 3: "[[Gridlock (Doctor Who)|Gridlock]]"
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Who Do You Think You Are? (Irish TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]]''
| Himself
| Series 1; Episode 4: "Ardal O'Hanlon"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2009
| ''[[Val Falvey, TD]]''
| Val Falvey
| Episodes 1–6
|-
| ''[[Skins (British TV series)|Skins]]''
| Kieran
| Series 3; Episodes 1 & 6: "Everyone" and "Naomi"
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow]]''
| Himself
| Series 2; Episode 6: "Leeds"
|-
| 2013
| ''[[London Irish (TV series)|London Irish]]''
| Chris 'Da' Lynch
| Mini-series (4 episodes)
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Lily's Driftwood Bay]]''
| Bull Dozer
| Series 1; Episode 24: "Stop! Watch"
|-
| rowspan="4" | 2015
| ''[[Celebrity Mastermind]]''
| Himself - Contestant
| Series 14; Episode 1
|-
| ''[[Cucumber (British TV series)|Cucumber]]''
| Brian McCoy
| Mini-series; Episode 4
|-
| ''Nelly & Nora''
| Dad (voice)
| 24 episodes
|-
| ''[[After Hours (2015 British TV series)|After Hours]]''
| Peter Hannigan
| Episodes 1–6
|-
| 2016
| ''Ireland with Ardal O'Hanlon''
| Himself - Presenter
| Episodes 1–3
|-
| 2017–2020
| ''[[Death in Paradise]]''
| [[Jack Mooney|DI Jack Mooney]]
| Series 6–9 (24 episodes)
|-
| 2019
| ''Showbands: How Ireland Learned to Party''
| Himself - Presenter
| Television film
|-
| 2019–2022
| ''[[Derry Girls]]''
| Eamonn
| Series 2; Episode 4: "The Curse" and Series 3; Episode 7: "The Agreement"
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Would I Lie to You? (British game show)|Would I Lie to You?]]''
| Himself - Panellist
| Series 15; Christmas Special
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2022
| ''[[Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything]]''
| Conall
| Series 1; Episodes 1–5
|-
| ''[[Taskmaster (TV series)|Taskmaster]]''
| Himself - Contestant
| Series 13; Episodes 1–10
|-
| ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]''
| Himself
| Dictionary Corner. Series 86 & 88 (10 episodes)
|-
| 2023
| ''[[The Woman in the Wall]]''
| Dara
| Episodes 2 & 3: "Show Thyself" and "Knock Knock"
|-
| 2023–2024
| ''[[Extraordinary (TV series)|Extraordinary]]''
| Martin (voice)
| Series 1 & 2 (8 episodes)
|-
| 2024
| ''[[Catchphrase (British game show)|Celebrity Catchphrase]]''
| Himself - Contestant
| Series 9; Episode 9: "[[Chris Bisson]], [[Ruth Madeley]] and Ardal O'Hanlon"
|-
| 2024-present
| ''[[Return to Paradise (2024 TV series)|Return to Paradise]]''
| [[Jack Mooney|DI Jack Mooney]]
| Episodes: "R.I.P. Tide" and "Oh Mine Papa"
|-
| 2024
|''[[Richard Osman's House of Games]]''
| Himself - Contestant
| Series 8; Episodes 51–55 (Week 11)
|-
| 2025
|''[[Sherlock & Daughter]]''
| Mr. Halligan
| Series regular
|}

==Awards==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Name
|-
| 1994
| [[Hackney Empire New Act of the Year]]
|-
| 1995
| Top TV Comedy Newcomer at the [[British Comedy Awards]]
|}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* {{IMDb name|id=0641192|name=Ardal O'Hanlon}}
* {{British Comedy Guide|people|ardal_ohanlon}}
* [http://www.comedycv.co.uk/ardalohanlon/ Ardal O'Hanlon on comedycv.co.uk]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927214147/http://www.irlfunds.org/australia/events_29.asp Ardal O'Hanlon in Melbourne at The Australian Ireland Fund charity event]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohanlon, Ardal}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century Irish comedians]]
[[Category:Alumni of Dublin City University]]
[[Category:Irish humorists]]
[[Category:Irish male comedians]]
[[Category:Irish male stage actors]]
[[Category:Irish male film actors]]
[[Category:Irish male television actors]]
[[Category:Irish male voice actors]]
[[Category:Irish television presenters]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish novelists]]
[[Category:Irish stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:People educated at Blackrock College]]
[[Category:People from Carrickmacross]]
[[Category:Irish male novelists]]
[[Category:Actors from County Monaghan]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish male writers]]