By Mary Ann Bourbeau
RED BANK – After one of his short films won awards at the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival (DICFF), Brick resident John Farragher wanted to share his love of Irish comedy with people on this side of the pond.
In 2023, he put together the Irish-American Comedy and Film Fleadh (Gaelic for “festival”) at Basie Center Cinemas. The event consisted of short Irish films and live comedians. The fleadh was so successful that in only two years, it outgrew the venue. This year’s event will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at The Vogel in the Count Basie Center for the Arts. And yes, there will be plenty of Guinness on draught.
“We’re flying over the winners from the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival for Best Comedy Film and Best Live Comedian,” said Farragher. “Irish humor is legendary. It’s very creative and cutting-edge comedy. I applaud Red Bank audiences for embracing this and being hungry for something different.”
The event will include seven short films with the winning comedian, Breda Hegarty, performing during intermission. Afterward, there will be a Q&A with Hegarty and Dublin-based filmmakers Aidan O’Sullivan and Hannah Mamalis, along with Farragher, whose DICFF entry, “Wake Up,” which was filmed at the Jacqueline M. Ryan Funeral Home in Keansburg, will be screened.
“Our audiences are the kinds of people who go to film festivals to see things not ordinarily seen on streaming services,” he said. “These film buffs really get a charge out of it. And adding live comedians in the middle of the films is very unique.”
Farragher holds dual citizenship and has a strong connection with the Emerald Isle. His parents came to the United States from Ireland in the 1950s. In addition to his day job as vice president of a pharmaceutical ingredient company, he wrote the entertainment column for the Irish Voice newspaper for 18 years.
He hosts a food and culture podcast, has written two Off-Broadway plays and six books filled with humorous Irish essays. His debut film, a TV pilot called “McLean Avenue” – named for the pub-lined street in an Irish neighborhood in Yonkers – won awards at the 2022 DICFF. His short films have been screened at the New York City Short Comedy Film Festival, Dublin International Comedy Film Festival, Jersey Shore Film Festival and many others. He considers winning the DICFF Award one of the greatest moments of his life.
“It was such an amazing moment to have my humor be so well received,” said Farragher. “Now I want to give that opportunity back to young Dublin filmmakers.”
Farragher is grateful to the Basie for promoting Irish culture each year with numerous music and comedy acts, and now for presenting the Irish-American Comedy and Film Fleadh.
“The Basie has been a great partner and champion to Irish culture,” he said. “To promote our film festival with unknown people and to watch it become such a success, I take my hat off to them.”
Tickets are $25 and are available by calling 732-842-9000 or visiting thebasie.org. The film descriptions are also available on the Basie website.
The article originally appeared in the February 27 – March 5, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
