Graham Linehan: one half of the comedy duo that gave us Father Ted.

Today mark’s the 16^th anniversary of one of Ireland’s greatest comedic talents, Dermot Morgan. The most iconic role that he played was the lead role of Fr Ted Crilly in the hit sitcom, Fr Ted. The show was created by Graham Lineham and Arthur Mathews. It was thanks to the hard work of Linehan that Dermot Morgan is such a well known face both in Ireland and England. Dermot Morgan spoke extremely highly of Graham Linehan describing his as an “insane comedy genius.”

Graham Linehan is one of the most accomplished comedy writers Ireland has produced. He is a product of Colaiste Dhulaigh, studying in the post-leaving certificate institution from 1987 to 1988. Graham studied media in the Coolock campus, which was the only campus at the time.

The Castlenock native came from a middle class background. He attended Plunkett’s secondary school in Whitehall before completing his tenure at second level education at the Catholic University School on the south side of Dublin city. Although Graham had a staunchly religious upbringing he has referred to himself in the past as “the first generation to turn their back on the Church.”

From an early age, Graham wanted to pursue a career in writing. Colaiste Dhulaigh enhanced his appetite for a career in media. Shortly after departing from Colaiste Dhulaigh, Graham obtained a job with Hot Press magazine. The journey Graham took in his literary career focuses more on the portfolio of work he built, than the educational institutions he attended.

In the current world of media, which is transforming daily, it is important to have stories that you can call your own. The fact that you’ve got those stories in a portfolio of work is of paramount importance. Stories that landed; stories that were real. Even though they didn’t end up where you wanted, those are yours. Sometimes you get a story and you might not work at some place that’s that important in the national narrative but if it’s important enough people will reach down and grab it, and it will end up happening for you. Luckily for Graham, this is what occurred.

During his time at Hot Press, he met Arthur Mathews. Arthur and Graham formed a formidable comedy duo. They were the writers for the iconic Irish comedy, Father Ted. Graham’s major breakthrough came from the success of Father Ted, produced by Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. Actor Dermot Morgan regarded Hat Trick productions as the “AC Milan of comedy producers” Graham has stated in the past that he offered the show to Channel 4 instead of RTE because there was “no sophistication in Irish TV.”

Dermot Morgan who played the lead role of Fr Ted Crilly in the hit show Father Ted.

Graham departed for England in his early twenties. The early 90s was a very druggy scene in London, according to Graham. Ecstasy was the drug of journalism at the time. He had a very frugal living when he first arrived in the English capital. He spent his first few months living on floors, with a diet that, at one point, consisted entirely of hot dogs. While writing for music magazines in London, he maintained this unstable lifestyle for a few months going through those years in a slight fuzz.

His big break came with the production of the aforementioned Father Ted. The BAFTA award winning series is a timeless classic. First airing in 1995, it is still renowned today as one of the greatest comedy shows ever. It is also one of the most quotable comedy shows, thanks to the witty writing style of both Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan. In 2000, the pair released the scripts for the Father Ted series in a book entitled: ‘Father Ted: The Complete Scripts.’

Graham attributes the success of the series largely on the fact that it was aired on a British broadcasting channel. When talking about this decision Graham has also said: “why would you give it to RTE, you may as well give it to Waterford Glass”. Graham is aware that some of the clerical jokes may not be as successful in modern times, since the Church has been so victimised by the media.

The early complaints of the show being anti-Irish came largely from an English audience. Graham often found himself, as an Irishman, defending any anti-Irish sentiment perceived in the show against an opposing argument from an English contingent which was quite perplexing for the young Dubliner.

The success of Father Ted was a just reward for the gallant work the young and determined writer was putting into his work during his unglamorous living arrangements when he first emigrated to London in the early 90s.

Graham has also produced other hit comedic work. He scripted numerous scenes in sketch shows such as Harry Enfield and Chums, Brass Eye, Alas Smith and Jones, The All New Alexei Sayle Show, and The Fast Show where Graham, along with his writing partner Arthur Mathews, was the brainchild behind the characters Ted and Ralph.

Graham also wrote one series of Paris, which was not as highly acclaimed as Father Ted. It failed to get recommissioned after the first series. Graham’s most accomplished writing venture to date is Father Ted. However, the most tragic event of his career is also connected with this show. The actor, Dermot Morgan, who was omnipresent in the show with the lead role as Fr Ted Crilly, sadly passed away after suffering a heart attack just as the final series drew to a close.

The death obviously had quite an affect on the brash writer. It took Graham two years before returning to writing. During these years he returned to live in Dublin with his wife Helen, who he married in 2004. They had been living in the London suburb of  Canonbury, near Islington. Canonbury has been voted one of the most dangerous towns in England due to its high crime rates.

Graham and his wife would often see posters on street lamps asking for eye witnesses to assaults and rapes, which occurred in broad daylight. As crime became more frequent in his locality, he knew it was time for a change. And he returned to his hometown. However, Dublin had changed greatly since he first departed for England.

Graham had grown up in the ‘Hot Press scene’ of casual writing and drinking in pubs which did not appeal now to a more focused and driven Graham. He wasn’t a big drinker either, so the pub lifestyle was never an option. The addition of the love of his life, Helen, was also a big factor in his more work-centred lifestyle. He was creating a family; he needed a secure income to provide for.

Graham returned to the comedy scene by co-writing Black Books, another highly successful show receiving a BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy in 2001. Graham was a mainstay of the first series of Black Books, scripting all six episodes with Dylan Moran. Graham took a step back for the following series and was determined to embark on a venture where he would be the only writer, after numerous co-writing experiences.

Graham’s first solo project was The IT Crowd. Graham both scripted and directed all 25 episodes, and was the producer of the first series. The show is beautifully crafted to have jokes throughout every episode while at the same time maintaining a storyline based on loveable nerds in an IT office expertly played by Chris O’Dowd and Richard Ayoade. The extravagant Noel Fielding makes regular appearances in the show also.

Graham decided to return to the traditional method of producing a show in front of a studio audience, mimicking the success that Father Ted achieved from such methods of production. He chose this uncommon method while successful comedy shows at the same time, such as The Office, were created in the opposite manner in a mockumentary style.

The IT Crowd won both an IFTA and BAFTA award in 2009 having been nominated the previous two years and missing out on achieving the top accolade. In 2008 the global success of The IT Crowd was evident as it claimed an International Emmy. The talent of Graham was being recognised in Britain and Ireland, and also across the globe, which is no more than this quick-thinking writing sensation deserved.

Graham’s most recent work was co-writing Count Arthur Strong with Steve Delaney which aired for six episodes on BBC 2 last year. The now 45 year old Graham Linehan has had a decorated career, one which is still developing as he embarks on many new projects. Although he is now happily married with two young children, he is still as driven as ever.

Graham’s latest venture is The Walshes, starring Owen Roe who many would know from his five year stint on Ballykissangel. The show is based on an Irish family and is set in Ireland but it is due to be shot in London. It will be co-produced by RTE and the BBC. The three-part series is based in the fictional west Dublin suburb of Strollinstown. The idea is based on Diet Of Worms web series Taste Of Home, which recreated a family’s home videos from the 1980s. The Walshe's debuts on RTE next Thursday the 6th of March.

Graham has had a hugely successful career since graduating Colaiste Dhulaigh 26 years ago. But his success has come from exploring all avenues himself. In order to be successful in the business, one must be confident enough to take chances. Graham nostalgically talks of his past experiences, once saying that: “I found it [moving to London] quite freeing. London just didn’t care about me. I could become a writer or I could become a junkie, and there would be no ripples either way”.

Graham Linehan’s fame can be seen from the fact he has amassed over 340,000 followers on Twitter. Any writer from Colaiste Dhulaigh can only hope if they are to be a fraction as successful as this particular alumni; they can take solace in the fact that their time in Colaiste Dhulaigh was educational, character building, and most efficacious. One cannot wait for their own extraordinary experiences, they must be seized upon. The future depends on what you do today.

S.DAWSON 28/02/14