D’Unbelievably profitable year for Shortt

One of Ireland’s funniest men, Pat Shortt, is laughing all the way to the bank with his main firm recording profits of €379,245 last year.

The award-winning entertainer — currently starring in Chris O’Dowd’s Moone Boy — operates a number of companies to conduct his entertainment business, with Short Comedy Theatre Co Ltd, acting as a parent company. Separate accounts lodged by a subsidiary, Gable End Media Ltd show profits of €298,303 last year.

A spokeswoman for the star of D’Unbelievables and Killinascully said yesterday: “Pat was very happy with the year.”

The Thurles native has been one of Ireland’s most popular entertainers over the past decade and last year’s financial performance was boosted by Shortt reforming the D’Unbelievables with Jon Kenny and the duo played to packed houses around the country last year in a reunion tour. The two also generated revenues from releasing a DVD of their live show for last year’s lucrative Christmas market.

Accumulated profits at The Short Comedy Theatre Co Ltd increased to €664,130, with accumulated profits at The Gable End Media Ltd increasing from a €64,139 deficit to a €234,261 profit.

Shortt is currently touring around Ireland with his latest creation, the music legend, Dixie Walsh in Shortt’s live I Am The Band show.

The Short Comedy Theatre Co Ltd cash reserves increased from €30,727 to €206,606.

Separate figures for Gable End show cash there increased from €147,020 to €174,889.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the entertainer last year, with his firm, Quiet Please Productions Ltd, established to produce Shortt’s TV series, Mattie, recording a loss of €287,605.

This arose from the firm booking an impairment charge of €286,960.

The figures show that the company employed 38 in 2011.

Script and development for Mattie cost €125,215 with ‘talent’ costing €80,059. ‘Star fees’ totalled €108,000, with extras costing €22,822.

Along with his live comedy performances, Shortt has acted in TV shows and movies, mostly notably his multi award-winning performance as Josie in the 2007 movie, Garage.

Shortt has also ventured into the hospitality sector with the Pat Shortt bar in Castlemartyr in Co Cork, and is to star in the new John Martin McDonagh movie, Calvary.