Howya! Hector Ó hEochagáin

Didn't you know that Galway is full of interesting characters? Well, ahead of his appearance at Galway Comedy Festival 2024, we want to give you a chance to get the man that is the legend Hector Ó hEochagáin. Join us in saying Howya! Hector..

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Tell us about yourself?
My name is Hector Ó hEochagáin. I’ve been travelling the planet for TG4 for 23 years. The latest series just filmed in the Caribbean. That’s out on October 24th. I worked with Tommy Tiernan and Laurita Blewitt in a garden shed for three years making a podcast. I’ve seen Nirvana twice.

What do you love about what you do?
Anytime you get to Dublin Airport is a good time. I’m proud and honoured to travel to really far-flung places and bring a slice of it home to the TG4 audience.

What’s your connection to Galway?
My mum was born in Tuam, a proud Galway woman.

Describe Galway in 3 words?
Temperate, Damp, and Thirsty

Favourite piece of Galway slang?
“How ya keeping aul stock?”

What is your favourite word/phrase in the Irish language you think everyone should know?
‘Loinnir’ - It means the shine off the Atlantic waves and also the buzz of pints before lunchtime on a bright day.

Tell us a little bit about your new book The Irish Words You Should Know: and how to use them every day?
This is a book for anyone who has an inkling of liking or wanting to learn Irish. It’s a book to show how beautiful and deep and mystical the words are in the language. (Hector's book will receive its launch as part as of Galway Comedy Festival 2024. This event is taking place on Saturday 26th October at 3pm in the Outset Gallery. Dylan Moran will be joining Hector for the special occasion. Tickets for this are priced at €15 and are now available at galwaycomedyfestival.ie)

With this book, and the success of bands like Kneecap, the Irish language is having a moment, it’s now cool among young people. What has it been like to see this happen?
Irish has always been cool, it’s always had an edge, it’s ours and no one else's. And now it’s top of the bill, the headlining act, Oscar-nominated. It’s the language's time now!

What needs to be done to sustain that interest?
Nothing much, just more of the same really It’s sustained itself for hundreds of years. Maybe.. thinking about where your child goes to school, watching TG4, buying my book! It all flows from the same source, in the same river, we are all part of the language, our culture, we just have to open up to it and it will walk in the door.

Words by Kernan Andrews.
Photos courtesy of Galway Comedy Festival.