There’s something special happening upstairs in Busker Brownes. On the night of the second Thursday of each month, the room hums with anticipation before erupting into laughter. Over the past year, that energy has become the heartbeat of Red Line Comedy Club, one of Galway’s fastest-growing comedy nights. This May, the club celebrates its first birthday, and if its debut year is anything to go by, they won’t be keeping the celebrations low-key. Read all about it below...
Ahead of the main event on May 14th, we decided it was high time we caught up with the four founders of Red Line Comedy Club; Cathal Shanagher, Enda Whitney, Seán Ryan, and Ken Lindsay.
“It feels great to have made it to the one-year mark,” says Roscommon native Cathal (who politely requests that you don’t hold that against him). “The year has flown. Looking back, it’s been amazing to watch it grow and see the shows we’ve been able to put together.” That sense of momentum is echoed by Enda, the most experienced member of the group, who describes the milestone as “fantastic,” and has one eye already on what the next year might bring.
Speaking of his experience with the club, Ken, the Clare-based comic with a taste for twists, turns and taboos, adds: “It’s been unbelievable to be a part of,” and teases that the birthday event “might be time to let the egos run wild, initiate the in-fighting, then senselessly implode everything we’ve built.”
This special anniversary show at Busker Brownes promises to be one of their biggest nights yet. Seán, aka The Funny Viking, shares that they aim to make it unforgettable. There’ll be a new headliner, audience prizes spun out on their Red Line Roulette wheel, and, if all goes to plan, “we may even have cake,” he adds, as if there wasn’t already enough to tempt us to join them on the night.
Looking back now, the origins of Red Line Comedy Club are rooted in a simple story: a few comedians with a shared sense that something was missing from the Irish comedy scene. “We got chatting at various gigs around the country,” Enda explains, “and agreed Galway could do with another spot to attract all the comedy talent that Ireland has to offer.” When they stepped into the upstairs space in Busker Brownes, the idea suddenly felt real. “It just felt like it was made for us.”
Seán sums it up best: “It began out of love for comedy and the lack of rooms and clubs in Ireland. We wanted a club of our own, ran how we thought was best, with a motto in mind of ‘No matter who you are or where you come from, if you can make an audience laugh for 10 minutes, you'll get a spot!" And as Cathal adds, “All we wanted was to have a good laugh, which I can say we most definitely do.”
Ken, who joined the group last (and, by his own account, for aesthetic reasons), helped shape the club’s identity beyond the stage. “We wanted a distinct vibe and style,” he says, “I had a vision in mind for the red branding and the jazzy/hip-hop atmosphere.” But there was also a more practical ambition behind it: “We really wanted to give comics a well-run show and get them compensated for making a room full of people laugh. That has more value than ever so they deserve it.”
In the twelve months since their first show, Red Line Comedy Club has moved well beyond being simply a local comedy night; it has grown into something that is known across Ireland and even further afield. There was a packed opening night in Galway, followed by a full show at Roscommon Arts Centre with 200 people on Culture Night. They hosted a competitive heat for the SO Funny Sligo Comedy Festival, showcasing a depth of talent that Cathal insists, “was better than you find anywhere in the world.” Then came the trips abroad, bringing their show 4 Sips of Irish Comedy to Amsterdam and selling out Prague’s Metro Comedy Club, something that Ken describes as a bucket list moment.
For Enda, it was a small moment in Amsterdam that confirmed they were on the right track. Audience members mentioned they’d come along simply because they knew the Red Line name. “That was special,” he says. “It gave us a strong message that we’re doing something right.” For Seán, meanwhile, the Roscommon theatre show carried a different kind of significance. “Going from hosting small shows to theatres was unreal,” he laughs, “and might actually make my parents say they love me again.”
Back home in Galway, the club has built a reputation as both a performer and audience favourite. The Irish comedy scene, by all accounts, has been welcoming. “We’ve had great support from other clubs around Ireland,” says Seán, describing it as a collective effort to grow the circuit. Enda points to the wider Galway comedy scene, long anchored by the Róisín Dubh and the Galway Comedy Festival, as a sign that things are moving in the right direction. “More rooms are popping up with Outpost Comedy, Fusebox Comedy, as well as Seomra Spraoi still doing its thing regionally in Tuam,” he says. “We hope the scene continues to grow.”
What sets Red Line apart, though, is the atmosphere. The crowds are a mix of locals and tourists, with a growing number of regulars who return month after month. “Everyone who has made the trip has loved the room and the atmosphere we've built. We've also been very lucky to have such strong headliners join us,” Cathal says. With Ken adding that “the comics are always blown away at how great the room is, which gives them a good buzz before they perform.” Many arrive not quite knowing what to expect, only to be struck by the room itself and the energy inside it. “We've been very lucky with how supportive Ciáran and the team at Busker Brownes have been to us in building Red Line Comedy Club,” Cathal notes.
Behind the scenes, their success has been hard-earned. All four juggle the club alongside their own careers and lives, building something that is as much about friendship as it is about comedy. “It’s cheesy to say,” Seán admits, “but getting to perform with three great friends and comedians is the most rewarding part.” Enda agrees, describing a bond that’s grown stronger through the shared challenge. “Stand-up can often be solitary,” he says, “but we’ve developed a nice bond in our shared passion and ambition.” Cathal traces this back to a simple starting point: a group chat in February 2025. “To see what it has become from that original idea is amazing,” he says. “And being able to do this with three other lads who are in it for the love of comedy makes it even better!”
After Red Line Comedy Club's resounding successful show in The Backstage Theatre Longford in April, the rest of the year continues to promise plenty for their audiences. The monthly shows at Busker Brownes will continue, alongside a growing list of dates across Ireland and beyond. There are big summer gigs in the works, returning collaborations with well-known names, and clear ambitions to take the Red Line Comedy Club brand further into Europe.
Upcoming shows include a show in Roscommon on June 20th with Eric Lalor, a July appearance from online sensation Black Paddy at Busker Brownes, a major show at Clifden’s Station House Theatre featuring Kevin McGahern, who headlined their Roscommon Arts Centre show last year and the Red Line's 4 Sips of Irish Comedy tour are performing at the Dun Laoghaire Comedy Festival in November. Tickets for all events can be found here.
For now, however, the focus is firmly on the upcoming birthday on May 14th. A year in, Red Line Comedy Club has gone from a good idea to a great night out, carving out its place in Galway’s comedy scene. The birthday show promises all the elements that got them here in the first place: sharp comedy, a lively room, and a sense that anything could happen.
Follow along the Red Line Comedy Club story on Instagram and Facebook to never miss out on new announcements, and be sure to book your seat at one of the upcoming events.
All photos courtesy of Red Line Comedy Club.
Main photo left to right - Seán, Enda, Ken, Cathal
