Deirdre proves she’s a stand-up gal by breaking cigarette habit

FOR Deirdre O’Kane, giving up smoking was no laughing matter.

The stand-up comedienne, who has featured prominently in RTÉ’s Bull Island, Paths to Freedom and Fergus’s Wedding, had to give up smoking after finding it difficult to breathe in the morning.

Speaking at the launch of the 2002 Nicorette Quit Awards, she said: “I started by smoking between five and 10 cigarettes a day and was what I call a social smoker. However, as I was working in smoking environments like pubs and clubs my habit soon increased and reached its zenith just before I decided to stop when I was smoking up to 40 a night.”