Cultural Life: Ardal O'Hanlon, comedian

Comedy

I went to the Comedy Carnival in Dublin. It's a fantastic experience and really well programmed, with lots of interesting acts.

Film

I am watching a lot of French films at the moment, particularly films directed by Robert Bresson.

Books

I've been reading a biography of Mao Zedong, don't ask me why. I read one of the funniest books last week by Don DeLillo. He wrote this book, 'Amazons' many years ago, under the pseudonym Cleo Birdwell. The book is very funny but I also think it's funny that he denies any involvement with it.

Music

I am going through a Neil Young phase. I also listen to a lot of alternative country, a band called Smog and Bonnie Prince Billy, which is very dark and twisted.

Visual arts

I visit a lot of art galleries. I live in Dublin and there's a very good gallery called the Kevin Kavanagh gallery. There's this brilliant exhibition by a London based Japanese artist called Yuko Nasu who does really weird portraits.

Ardal O'Hanlon is at the Greenwich Comedy Festival on the 11 September at 7pm. www.greenwichcomedy festival.co.uk