Halloween Howls Comedy Festival

The Halloween Howls Comedy Festival is a comedy festival in Portlaoise, Ireland. It is held over the October Bank Holiday weekend (last weekend of October) each year. Founded in 2007, it is now one of the longest running comedy festivals in Ireland.
It mainly features stand-up comedians from all over Ireland with occasional shows by International performers. It has also hosted other forms of comedy such as reading and music.
Some fringe events over the years have included charity pig races, comedian golfer of the year award, Premier League Football matches with Live humorous commentary from football savvy comedians, and a bus tour around Portlaoise also with humorous commentary.
A number of shows are held each night of the festival culminating in a special event on the last night, in the past these events have included Fancy Dress Comedy and Silent Discos.
Comedians
Comedians who have appeared at The Halloween Howls Comedy Festival include:
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*Neil Delamere
*Andrew Maxwell
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*Karl Spain
*Maeve Higgins
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*Aidan Bishop
*Colum McDonnell
*Bernard O’Shea
*Willie White
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*Dermot Whelan
*Dermot McMurrow
*Joe Rooney
*Eric Lalor
*Chris Kent
*Ardal O’Hanlon
*Marcus O’Laoire
*David McSavage
*John Lynn
*Damian Clark
*Tommy Nicholson
*Andrew Stanley
*Carol Tobin
*Colm O’Regan
*Dead Cat Bounce
*Fred Cooke
*Gearóid Farrelly
*Keith Farnan
*Kevin Gildea
*Paddy Courtney
*Simon O’Keefe
*Keith Walsh
* Al Porter
* Joanne McNally
* Jennifer Maguire
* Totally Wired
* Mark Doheny
* Grainne McKeever
* Emma Doran
* Des Bishop
*Greg Proops
*Stephen Frost
*Richard Vranch
*Steve Steen
*Andy Smart
*Ian Coppinger
*Paul Tylak
*David O’Doherty
*John Colleary
Venues
Most of the shows are held in Kavanagh’s Bar and Venue, but a number of other venues host Comedy Gigs too, The Heritage Hotel, Bar Habana (Now Manhattan Mixer), Egan's (Now The Blue Door), Sky Venue (Now Closed) and The Dunamaise Theatre.
2009 festival
Among the artists who performed at the 2009 festival were six of Channel 4's Comedy Improv show Who's Line is it anyway performers Greg Proops, Steve Frost, Richard Vranch, Steve Steen, Andy Smart and Ian Coppinger, The full list is:
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*Neil Delamere
*Andrew Maxwell
*
*Karl Spain
*Maeve Higgins
*
*Aidan Bishop
*Colum McDonnell
*Bernard O’Shea
*Willie White
*
*Dermot Whelan
*Dermot McMurrow
*Joe Rooney
*Eric Lalor
*David McSavage
*John Lynn
*Damian Clark
*Tommy Nicholson
*Andrew Stanley
*Carol Tobin
*Colm O’Regan
*Dead Cat Bounce
*Fred Cooke
*Gearóid Farrelly
*Keith Farnan
*Kevin Gildea
*Paddy Courtney
*Simon O’Keefe
*Keith Walsh
*Greg Proops
*Steve Frost
*Richard Vranch
*Steve Steen
*Andy Smart
*Ian Coppinger
2011 festival
The Festival weekend included live commentary on Football match (Arsenal Vs Chelsea) by Aprés Match presenter and Karl Spain from the ‘Eircom Soccer Republic’ including half time games such as ‘Former Irish Footballer or A Friend of Me Da!’
On Sunday Afternoon a the pilot for a new television show entitled ‘Tribes' was recorded live. Participating in this show were comedians Bernard O’Shea (RTE’s Republic of Telly), Neil Delamere (RTE’s and Eleanor Tiernan (RTE’s Stand and Deliver). Alongside these comedians were 4 GAA players, including the 2010 Hurler of the Year Lar Corbett and two former International Rules players, Donegal’s Brendan Devenney and Laoisian Colm Parkinson.
Artists who performed at the 2009 festival included:
*Neil Delamere
*
*Paul Tylak
*Karl Spain
*
*David O’Doherty
*Aidan Bishop
*Colum McDonnell
*Bernard O’Shea
*Willie White
*John Colleary
*Eric Lalor
*John Lynn
*Damian Clark
*Andrew Stanley
*Colm O’Regan
*Dead Cat Bounce
*Fred Cooke
*Gearóid Farrelly
* Mark Doheny
* Des Bishop
2014 festival
Among the artists who performed at the 2014 festival included:
Des Bishop,
Kevin Gildea,
Chris Kent,
Neil Delamere,
Ardal O’Hanlon,
Marcus O’Laoire,
Bernard O’Shea,
David McSavage,
John Lynn,
,
John Colleary,
Andrew Maxwell and his show Bananna Kingdom.
2015 festival
Among the artists who performed at the 2015 festival included: Andrew Maxwell, Neil Delamere, , Bernard O'Shea, , Al Porter, Totally Wired, Mark Doheny, Eric Lalor, Joanne McNally, Grainne McKeever, Colum McDonnell, Emma Doran, Willie White and David McSavage.
2016 festival
It is scheduled from 27-31 October 2016. Line up is not confirmed.

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