Comedian dedicates his first book to Athlone family
David Flynn
Comedian Tommy Tiernan has dedicated his first book in memory of his Athlone relatives.
Tommy Tiernan has had numerous sell-out stage shows throughout the last three decades and has his popular television show. Tommy spent part of his childhood in Athlone, although he is better known for his life growing up in Navan in Meath.
His new book ‘Winging It’ is based on interviews he did on his RTE 1 chat show. The fourth season of The ‘Tommy Tiernan Show’ will begin in January 2021.
He revealed last Saturday on Brendan O’Connor’s RTE Radio 1 show that the book is dedicated to the Tiernans of Athlone and is in memory of his late uncle Dan, and grandmother Mary.
“I have such amazing memory of the town of Athlone when I was growing up,” said Tommy on the RTE show. “It was a place of safety and freedom for me, and I felt as if there was nothing but goodness and warmth and Irish decency and chat coming from the adults around me, the Tiernan side of the family. They are great memories which I have brought into my adult life”.
He added that “as a tribe, the Tiernans of Athlone are very important to me,”.
“I was a rascal on television and you kind of forget when you are on television and say something wild and disruptive and anarchic like a comedian can, it’s not only you that pays the price for it,” said Tommy. “Your relations take a bit of a ‘bating’ too. Part of the reason for dedicating the book is for me to say I love you very much and thanks for sticking with me.”
Tommy’s uncle is the former Roscommon County Council Manager, John Tiernan, whose daughter; Eleanor (Tommy’s cousin) is a popular comedian on television in Ireland and the UK.
Tommy’s great-grandfather was the late Frank Flanagan, who was postmaster at the old Athlone sub-post office on Mardyke Street. Mr. Flanagan’s daughter Mary was Tommy’s grandmother. Tommy’s grandfather came from Mayo and worked in the Irish Land Commission and was based in Athlone.
Tommy spent some of his early life in Athlone and went briefly to the Marist school. In 2015, he was interviewed by the Westmeath Independent and said that among his first Athlone memories were sitting in class in school hanging out with Charlie Greene and Dan Kelly and also shooting pool in Pat’s Bar above the Joke Shop.