THESE are tough times and doesn’t Ardal O’Hanlon know it!

The Irish actor/comedian starts his new stand-up show by commiserating with the audience about the Recession... revealing that he’s had to sack his joke writers and outsource the work to India. It’s a great gag and one of many running themes employed by this razor-sharp wit.

With his air of childlike innocence and Woganesque accent, O’Hanlon comes over like a kindly if slightly odd uncle. It makes his acutely observed comedy all the more effective. At times, perhaps, the show plays just a little safe, treading that well-worn path through subjects like the weather, being a parent, getting older and marriage and sex.

But O’Hanlon wins with his superb sense of timing and assured delivery. He also has some hard-hitting stuff up his comedy sleeve.

As befits the man who made his name playing hapless Father Dougal Maguire in Father Ted, he takes a particularly barbed swipe at the Catholic Church.

Other targets included Ryanair and a group of people who turned up late for the show to find themselves subjected to some highly creative reverse heckling.