Kildare comedian takes on first international tour

KILDARE comedian, Peter Flanagan, who made his start in student bars is now touring internationally, with his show The Fresh Prince of Kildare, and has credited social media and years of persistence for his breakthrough.

Peter, who hails from near Kildare Town, is midway through his debut tour with a show that blends storytelling, personal reflection and sharp one-liners drawn from more than a decade of writing and performing.

The London-based comic began the tour in Vienna last October and has since performed across Scotland, Ireland and mainland Europe.

His journey into comedy began in Dublin while he was still a student. At 19, he took part in a stand-up workshop through a college society, leading to his first ever gig in Scruffy Murphy’s bar.

“It was terrifying,” he recalled. “I thought I was going to throw up, but it went well. It was kind of an out-of-body experience.” 

Despite a promising start, nerves got the better of him and he stepped away from stand-up for a time. It wasn’t until a stint in Australia in his early twenties that he returned to the stage, entering the Raw Comedy competition and reaching the final, a turning point that reignited his ambition.

Still, success did not come overnight.

After returning to Ireland, Peter worked in a graduate banking role while performing comedy in the evenings. A move to London followed, where he continued gigging quietly for years.

“I just did it as a hobby in the evenings for a long time,” he said.

The shift to full-time comedy came only recently, after several of his online videos went viral internationally.

“I started getting followers from America, Australia, India, all over,” he said. “For the first time I thought, maybe there’s something in this.” Encouraged by fellow comedian Mike Rice, he began touring.

He said: “I was slow to make the decision, but the numbers were there and I just went for it.” Fresh Prince of Kildare draws heavily on Peter’s upbringing and his move abroad, weaving together personal anecdotes with wider social commentary.

The show reflects on growing up in Kildare in the 1990s, returning home during the pandemic, and navigating life in London, including loneliness, relationships and discovering meditation through a Buddhist partner.

It also explores broader themes such as immigration, mental health and how Irish society has evolved.

“When I was growing up, Kildare was very different. Now it’s changed a lot, and I think for the better,” he said.

He also incorporates his own experiences of anxiety into the material, noting that conversations around mental health were far less common during his childhood.

“I was just considered a ‘peculiar’ child,” he said. “We didn’t have the language for it back then.” Peter describes his comedic style as a mix of structured storytelling, written material and crowd interaction.

“Over time I’ve become more myself on stage,” he said. “It’s a mix of storytelling, jokes and interacting with the audience.” Unlike many comedians, he tests his material live rather than relying on feedback from friends.

“An audience will give you the truth very quickly,” he said. “If they don’t find it funny, they’ll just sit there.” Alongside stand-up, Peter has also built a career in journalism, contributing opinion pieces to publications including The Irish Times, The independent and The Journal. He cites comedians Frankie Boyle and Stewart Lee as inspirations for blending comedy with writing.

“The tone is similar,” he said. “But with journalism you have to be more careful. With stand-up, it’s more about honesty and whether something feels funny and true.” Following the tour, Peter plans to debut new material at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this year, with hopes of launching a second tour in 2026.

For now, he is focused on bringing Fresh Prince of Kildare to Irish audiences, with upcoming shows at the Moat Theatre in Naas on May 7 and Dublin’s Ambassador Theatre on May 9.

Tickets are still available for both dates and can be purchased on The Moat Theatre website and Ticketmaster.