A biography for Roisin Conatyhasn’t been written yet.
“I still identify as Irish. But I'm a Londoner too. It really is a great place to grow up.”
“Stand-up is one of the art forms where you don't have to look nice, and I hope it stays that way.”
“My dad died suddenly. He had a heart attack aged 52. When the hospital phoned to tell me, it felt like when you take your sunglasses off and the light changes. A visual thing happened, which must have been shock or adrenaline. It changed everything.”
“I think I've got an Irish sensibility for language - I like how people talk. I'm not saying I've got it, but I'm obsessed with the way they use language, like they use a swear word very poetically.”
“I come from a working-class background and it wasn't in my world to be a writer - I had no direct access to those kind of jobs. But I sensed I wanted to do something like that.”
“But stand-up is also one of the few art forms where women aren't judged on their appearance - possibly the only one where people are actually there to listen to what they say on stage.”
“When I was seven in Ireland I went to a barber's on my own with my pocket money and asked for long hair with spikes on top like Pat Sharp and they gave it to me.”
“I'm a Londoner, and I feel I can't live anywhere but London, but I feel more connected to Ireland as a country. I 'get' Irish people and the humour here, which is more subtle.”
“I grew up on a council estate in Camden and my mum and dad split up when I was about seven.”
“I love it, getting the chance to write and perform your own stuff, with a huge team of people creating that world for you, is truly magical.”
“Female standups are like hustlers. We have to be. We fight to get gigs or on to panel shows. We're made to earn it in a very different way to men.”
“I always worry what I would have done if I hadn't found comedy. I think what would I have ended up doing? I've worked in a construction firm, fashion company just all things where I wasn't very good at my job.”
“It's really unnatural to be in a room full of people watching you on screen. It's exposing. Your little imaginary world is up on screen. They can see what I've been thinking about! It's very odd.”