Jarlath’s organ freeman show

Whatever 2018 has in store for Jarlath Regan, it will be difficult to top last year.

His stand-up shows keep hitting the funny bone — which was acknowledged by being chosen as the 2017 Irish Tatler Man of the Year in comedy, alongside other category winners such as RTÉ broadcaster Sean O’Rourke and Galway hurling icon Joe Canning — while his An Irishman Abroad podcast continues to prosper with notable recent interviews with Gabriel Byrne and Bob Geldof.

It was off-stage, however, that led to a really momentous year for Regan and his family. In early 2017, he donated a kidney to his brother, Adrian. The experience forms the basis of his touring stand-up show, entitled Organ Freeman, which comes to Vicar St on January 12. It can’t be easy getting laughs from such a weighty subject.