Micheál Martin on Cork humour, his son going viral — and the time he thought he’d ‘never laugh again’

The Taoiseach also revealed he has a lot of time for comedian Mario Rosenstock — admitting he enjoyed the 2011 general election skit that saw Rosenstock dress up as an altar boy for his impersonation of him

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin outside his office in Govenment Buildings. Picture: Moya Nolan

Micheál Martin has opened up about what makes him laugh — and the time he thought he’d never laugh again — in a quirky podcast interview.

Appearing on Doireann Garrihy’s The Laughs of Your Life podcast today, the Taoiseach addressed an iconic Mario Rosenstock skit that “takes the mick” out of him and the picture of his son that sent Twitter into a frenzy.

On the podcast, which is all about laughter, the Taoiseach, who hails from Turner's Cross, said being from Cork means "you’re born with a sense of humour".

“It’s just there naturally,” he said. “It’s a very funny place... very witty!” 

Asked what comedian always makes him laugh, the Fianna Fáil leader revealed he has a lot of time for comedian Mario Rosenstock — and admitted he enjoyed the 2011 general election skit that saw Rosenstock dress up as an altar boy for his impersonation of Micheál Martin.

“It's taking the mick out of me trying to take on a Chinese accent... I was filmed doing it, it wasn’t a good event. I wouldn’t recommend it.” 

Martin says his kids thought the skit was “the highlight of the election". 

Speaking about his offspring, the Taoiseach also revealed on the pod that his son got “an awful slagging” after an image of him at a polling booth went viral due to the younger Micheál’s good looks.

The Taoiseach said he believes his son Micheál Aodh Martin was “embarrassed” by the whole affair which spawned headlines like ‘Taoiseach Micheál Martin's 'ridiculously hot son' has people in a tizzy.’ 

The viral picture of Micheál and his son Micheál Aodh

“He was going off for the weekend... I think he drove to Kerry for cover,” the Taoiseach said laughing.

In a sombre moment, Micheál Martin also opened up to RTÉ 2FM presenter Doireann Garrihy about the untimely death of his two children, Ruairí and Léana.

His son Ruairí died of cot death at just five weeks old, while his daughter Léana sadly passed away at age seven.

“There are times when you lose someone... and you actually think you will never laugh again,” he said.

The Fianna Fáil leader recalled a letter he received following Ruairí's death from a teacher who had gone through something similar.

"I say this in case there is anybody listening in a similar situation,” he said.

“At the end of the letter was, ‘don’t worry you will smile again'.

“It seemed an odd thing to read and it’s something I didn’t believe when I read it, but it’s true.

You do learn to smile again, and you will smile again. But at the time, you have no sense that you ever will.

Speaking about how he carried on after such tragedy, the Taoiseach said it was his other children that pulled him through.

"We had to get up and make sure they had their life notwithstanding what had happened.

“That was the beginning of that recovery, getting up for your kids."

The Taoiseach also said exercise, walking and engaging with nature is very important.

“As well as maintaining your friendships... bit by bit, you come back."