According to Tim McGarry, anyone who doesn’t laugh at his new stand-up show is committing an act of treason - and that includes Arlene Foster!

The Give My Head Peace star is gearing up to bring 'Ridiculous' to the Ardhowen Theatre on November 9, where he is inviting audiences to  "come and see a mature man point the absurdities of life".  

The veteran comedian is no stranger to Fermanagh, having played countless gigs at the Ardhowen, and even a gig at the comedy club at Blakes of the Hollow.

However, these weren't quite as memorable as the time he performed for former First Minister, Arlene Foster, along with none other than King Charles, or Prince Charles as he was then known, and Camilla.

"That was a tough crowd, shall we say," Tim laughed. "It was surreal doing a gig for His Royal Highness. This was the time Arlene Foster was First Minister, and to be honest, it was easier to get a laugh out of Charles than Arlene!

"I was very proud, though, as I got a letter from Prince Charles saying that the gig went really well, and that I am 'incredibly funny'.

"This means that anyone who doesn’t like my comedy is committing treason. It's a treasonable offense not to like Tim McGarry. Even Arlene Foster has to come along and laugh."

Well-known for his role as 'Da' on Give My Head Peace, Tim promises that the new show will provide the same light-hearted humour that has propelled him to notoriety almost 25-years-ago. 

"People can expect lots of laughs, people will be glad to know," he said. "The premise is based on my late father, who used to say that the trouble with people in this country is that we take ourselves far too seriously.

"He said that we should always have a sense of our ridiculousness. That's the main idea behind it: don't take yourself too seriously and always look at the funny side.

"I will talk about everything, from politics to life in general. I talk about hitting the big 60 and how I might finally mature, as well the funny side of being a minor local celebrity.

"As I recently did a DNA test recently, I will tell people about my family background, and all the great heroes in my background - of which there are zero. Not a one!

"My great-grandfather was a farmer's assistant from the Ards Peninsula. He couldn't even be bothered to be a proper farmer! I also have a bit of Ulster-Scots in me as well, which is interesting."

Tim feels that Fermanagh audiences are particularly receptive to his trademark style of comedy, which often pokes fun at political differences and divides. 

"What can I say about Fermanagh? The countryside is wonderful; you can frack for miles!" he continued. 

"The people aren't bad either. I always find there is a nice sensibility with the Enniskillen crowd, a good sense of humour. If they like you, they will let you know, but they aren't as hard or negative as Belfast audiences.

"I do really enjoy getting down to Fermanagh. It's the nicest county in Ireland, let's be honest. I recently stayed at the Manor House and went to the Marble Arch Caves, which I haven't been to in about a hundred years. The county doesn’t get enough credit. It's like Derry, except they don't whinge about it. I just need people to buy tickets so I can afford to stay at the Manor House again!"

Aside from his new stand-up show taking him to the shores of Fermanagh,  Tim said that he also recently ended up in Pettigo as part of his series on local history, entitled 'The Long and the Short of It. 

"I do the show with an Orangeman, and the name comes from the fact that I am six foot four and he is four foot nothing!

"We discuss history from two very different backgrounds, have a row about it, and then agree that I was right all along.

"Recently we ended up in Pettigo, as we were doing an episode about the boundary commission in 1924/25. There was a lot of talk that Fermanagh was going to be handed over to the South of Ireland, but it ended up that there was no change apart from the boundary going right through the village.

"It's mad seeing a red post box on one end of the town and Irish signs on the other end. But here, it's a lovely spot."

Of course, Tim's magnum opus, Give My Head Peace, is never far from his mind.

In addition to spawning a popular podcast, the cult sitcom will soon mark its 25th anniversary.

Overall, Tim is proud of the impact that the satirical program has had on pop culture in Northern Ireland.

"We are very lucky that Give My Head Peace has had that longevity. It's not easy making money in comedy in a place as small as Northern Ireland.

"What I am proud of is that younger comedians, such as Shane Todd and Micky Bartlett, have said that Give My Head Peace was important to them and spurred them on.

"We showed that you could come from Northern Ireland, use your own accent, tell jokes, and make a living doing comedy here.

"It's a nice feeling to have inspired the younger generation of comedians, and our legacy is the thriving comedy scene in Northern Ireland."