An excellent show on Irish comedy. Opens with Tommy Tiernan classic. Covered him, Podge & Rodge and Apres Match.

I normally hate RTE shows which consist of old clips. From terrible continuity scripts to rose tinted spectacles, they are usually designed for your granny.

What a surprise then to have them open with one of my favourite Tommy Tiernan routines of all time about how Irish people react to fire alarms. "If you were in a pub made of petrol and christmas trees"..... "between a fireworks factory and a remand centre for young offenders". This was Tommy at the peak of his powers. Sadly he's now a shadow of that former self.

The bits on Podge and Rodge were good fun but I'm one of those people who never bought into that repetitive "naughty" formula. I think Zig and Zag was better because of the limits placed on them, They were forced to be more creative.

The Apres Match section was hysterical. I really had forgotten how many fantastic routines these guys have done. I've followed Barry murphy since his days in Mr Trellis in The International and he is still my favourite of the Apres troupe. His old Frank Stapleton routines will go down in history.

I don't know if they have a full series of greatness in them. I'd happily watch an entire episode on Dylan Moran and another on Father Ted. But I know they are going to wheel out the chronically unfunny Deridre O'Kane and other C-listers. But who cares, revel in the great ones.

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