Tim McGarry

I can't even speak today, I don't know what's wrong with me.

Tell people your name, Tim.

I'm Tim McGarry, joined as usual by my comedy colleagues.

Michael McDowell.

And Damon Quinn.

So if anyone has any

surnames out

there, I mean, to be honest, Tim, it was a bit of pretension.

On this week's episode of the Irish History Boys, with me, Tim McGarry, and Dr Cormac Muir, we're looking at 1976, two big issues in 1976, the resignation of the Irish president and also attempts by the Irish government to stop Sinn Féin getting the oxygen of publicity.

That's on the Irish History Boys this week.

October 20th, 1976.

They were compounded by the fact that they were delivered to members of the Irish Army whose commander-in-chief was the President.

Mr Dowling said the remarks are totally unworthy of a member of the government and the minister should be dismissed immediately.

You're listening to the Irish History Boys with me, Tim McGarry and Dr. Cormac Moore.

And Dr. Cormac Moore reading there from the Irish news 50 years ago, October the 20th, 1976.

As you know, on the Irish History Boys, we discuss topics of things that happened 50 years ago, five decades and 10 decades ago.

When

Tim started this, we're going to talk about religion.

We're not going to talk about a lack of religion.

I think that's what we're talking about.

And...

Yeah, you know, younger people are more prone to being non-religious.

The Young Life and Time survey came out just last week or the week before.

I think it's at now 40% of 16-year-olds are non-religious.

BBC Northern Ireland is now in a situation where the question is going to be asked if London is making all the decisions about what's happening my fluker programme is effectively gone and London is now deciding what's funny what's not funny what they like what they don't like what is the point of BBC Northern Ireland

I'm joined by Tim McGarry Damon Quinn and Michael McDowell The comedy programmes Give My Head Peace and The Blame Game have been axed by the BBC.

The move comes amid major cuts across the corporation.

A further 38 losses and jobs have been announced this week.

Give My Head Peace began in 1995, airing 99 episodes since then.

And I'm joined by Tim McGarry, Damon Quinn and Michael McDowell from the Hole in the Wall gang who produce Give My Head Peace and The Blame Game.

Is that...

No, no,

And although we love to think that, like, things are really different now, they're, they're, they're better, but they're, they're not.

You know, you do still feel like you're the woman in the room, you know? And now in saying that, the guys, like Colin Murphy, Tim McGarry, and Neil Delamere who, who are on the panel as well with me, have been class.

Like, they've been so good.

They've been mentors really, and sort of steering me in the right direction of the formula that works for the show and, um, they would tee me up with bits and they're, they're great.

It's, so that must have been quite a febrile atmosphere at that time.

It was a very difficult atmosphere because, um, you know, you had people like Tim marching on the streets in London.

[laughing] Uh-

Didn't get the British Belfast or anything.

[laughs]

[laughs]

Time, uh, no, look.

Well, as a s-

The creative team behind Give My Head Peace first met many years ago while at university in Belfast, and some of those earliest forays into broadcast comedy were actually on this program, on Talkback, where they earned the moniker that stuck, the Hole in the Wall Gang.

They are Damon Quinn, Tim McGarry, and Michael McDowell.

And let's welcome them into the Talkback studio with their own herald, the theme from Give My Head Peace.

With your bombs and your bullets and your goings on.

So I mean, it's, it's, it's not the end of Give My Head Peace in that sense.

And if you want to talk to the guys right now, pick up a phone, 0330805555.

We're talking to Damian Quinn, Tim McGarry, and Michael McDowell.

I bet when he travels, he's called McDowell.

Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the latest episode of the Give My Head podcast with me, Tim McGarry, and my comedy colleague...

Damon

Quinn.

God.

Hugh Jordan, very welcome to the Give My Head podcast.

Thank you, Tim and Damon.

And it's interesting you say that about late 80s.

I kind of thought of that this morning as I was getting myself ready.

[upbeat music] Welcome to the Irish History Boys with me, Cormac Moore.

And me, Tim McGarry.

And today we have a, another episode with the wonderful Dr. Gavin Hughes.

[laughs]