Y ou may not notice it at first, but after watching and listening to Patrick Kielty, you’ll feel his absolute magnetism. He has an energy that is kind but quick and performs with an attitude of cheery lightness that evades many in the stand-up comedy world. It is through this rare attitude that he is able to deliver incisive social commentary without coming across as snarky, angry, sexist, racist, or classist. He primarily pokes fun at himself and his upbringing in Northern Ireland. Now a performer on the world stage, there is plenty of international fodder to go around. Kielty was born in 1971 to a Catholic family in the small seaside town of Dundrum, Ireland. His life was simple and idyllic, though a lurking divide permeated every facet of that time and place, with Catholics and Protestants being separately schooled and socialized. Kielty only realized this was abnormal after growing up and traveling to other cities and countries where students of different religions mixed harmoniously. At 16 years old, Kielty’s life was forever changed when his father was murdered by a loyalist paramilitary group during The Troubles. Being Irish during that period meant dealing with the constant threat of violence. The majority of those killed or injured during the fighting were innocent civilians. In 1998, a cease-fire deal, the Good Friday Agreement, was brokered and relations between factions in Ireland have remained relatively stable since. Any profile of Kielty and his work must mention this period because it so centrally informs his comedic style. Living through the conflict and dealing with the tragedy of losing his father gives Kielty the ability to speak freely about his own struggles while bridging differences among audiences in the UK, Ireland, and throughout the world.
The comic began performing stand-up in clubs and bars while at university in Belfast. Eventually, he moved onto bigger venues and even television. By the mid-2000s, Kielty was appearing on BBC, ITV, ABC, and NBC hosting game shows and comedy specials. But Kielty isn’t just a comedian. Throughout his career, he has never forgotten his activism. In 2007, he was invited to conduct an in-depth interview with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahearn to discuss the Northern Ireland peace process. Last year, he presented a documentary My Dad, the Peace Deal, and Me for BBC Two. Its release coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. In the film, he returns to Dundrum and Belfast to interview people on both sides of the conflict to see how the country has changed in twenty years of peace. In light of the recent Brexit deal, the conversation is relevant once again, as the governments of the UK and EU grapple with establishing new policies that may once again more dramatically separate The Republic of Ireland (EU) from Northern Ireland (UK) END
204 Rare Luxury Living
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