You probably know him as the man whose soul slowly leaves his body every time his father-in-law enters the room. As Da Gerry in Derry Girls, Tommy Tiernan perfected the art of the long-suffering sigh. But if you think that’s the extent of his career, you’re missing out on one of the most chaotic, brilliant, and unpredictable trajectories in Irish show business.
Honestly, the guy is a shapeshifter. One minute he’s a frantic stand-up comedian sweating under stage lights, and the next, he’s a soft-spoken philosopher-king on a Saturday night chat show. Tommy Tiernan movies and TV shows don't just follow a standard "funny man tries acting" formula. It's weirder than that. He’s been a suicidal priest, a voice-acting wolf-hunter, and an improvisational interviewer who doesn't know who he's talking to until they walk through the door.
The Derry Girls Phenomenon and the "Gerry" Energy
Let's address the elephant in the room: Da Gerry.
In Derry Girls, Tiernan plays Gerry Quinn, the only sane person in a house full of madness. His chemistry with Ian McElhinney (Granda Joe) is the backbone of the show’s domestic comedy. It’s a masterclass in facial acting. He doesn't need many lines to tell you he's miserable; he just needs to look at a potato.
What’s wild is how different this is from his stage persona. If you’ve seen his 1990s stand-up, he was high-octane, loud, and borderline terrifying. In Derry Girls, he’s suppressed. That tension—the feeling that there’s a wild man trapped inside a sensible fleece jacket—is what makes the performance so good. People often forget he was in 19 episodes over three seasons, basically acting as the "straight man" in a world of absolute eejits.
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The Talk Show That Changed Everything
If Derry Girls made him a global face, The Tommy Tiernan Show made him an Irish institution.
Most chat shows are boring. They’re scripted, rehearsed, and designed to sell a book or a movie. Tommy’s show is the opposite. He sits there in the dark, and a guest walks out. He has no idea who it is. No notes. No prep. No clue.
Since it started in 2017 on RTÉ, we’ve seen him interview everyone from Roy Keane to random people with extraordinary life stories. By January 2026, the show has reached its tenth season, and it’s still the most-watched thing on Irish Saturday night TV. Why? Because it’s real. When he doesn’t know the guest, he has to actually listen. It’s a vulnerable way to make television, and it’s why the show works so well.
Key TV Appearances You Probably Forgot
- Father Ted: He played Father Kevin in the final episode, "Going to America." He’s the "depressed priest" on the stairs. It’s a tiny role, but iconic.
- Small Potatoes: A short-lived but cult-classic sitcom from 1999 where he played Ed Blewitt.
- Conversations with Friends: He took a more dramatic turn here as Nick’s father, showing he can handle the heavy, Sally Rooney-style brooding just as well as the jokes.
- Hardy Bucks: He’s popped up in this mockumentary universe, proving he hasn’t lost his taste for the "low-budget and filthy" side of Irish comedy.
Tommy Tiernan Movies: From About Adam to Wolfwalkers
Acting in film is where Tiernan gets to be truly strange. He isn't interested in being a leading man in a romantic comedy. He wants the grit.
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Take Dark Lies the Island (2019). It’s a pitch-black comedy-drama written by Kevin Barry. Tommy plays Richie Tobin, and it’s a performance that feels lived-in and slightly dangerous. Then you have his voice work in Wolfwalkers (2020), the Oscar-nominated animation from Cartoon Saloon. He voices Seán Óg, bringing a rugged, earthy quality to a movie that is essentially a love letter to Irish folklore.
He’s been doing this for twenty-five years. He was in The Matchmaker back in 1997 with Janeane Garofalo. He was in About Adam in 2000. He doesn't do movies for the paycheck; he seems to do them when the script feels like it has a bit of "dirt" under its fingernails.
What’s Next in 2026?
As of right now, Tommy isn't slowing down. He’s currently touring his new stand-up show, tommedian, which is a "phone-free" experience using those Yondr pouches. It’s very high-concept, very physical, and slightly unhinged.
But the biggest news for 2026 is his musical theatre debut. He’s set to star in The House Must Win, a gritty musical drama written by Mick Flannery. He plays Ray, a man facing a "wall of moral debt." It’s a massive departure, but if anyone can transition from a stand-up stage to a 1970s-set musical drama about backroom poker, it’s him.
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Why You Should Care
We live in a world of polished, AI-generated, PR-managed celebrities. Tommy Tiernan is the antidote to that. He’s messy. He’s been in trouble for his jokes. He’s been praised for his empathy.
Whether you’re watching him get bullied by Granda Joe or watching him cry while interviewing a survivor on his chat show, you’re seeing a guy who is 100% present. That’s rare.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch the early stuff: Track down Small Potatoes on DVD or streaming if you can find it; it’s a time capsule of 90s London-Irish life.
- Go Phone-Free: If you see him live in 2026, be prepared to lock your phone away. It actually makes the show better.
- Check the RTÉ Player: Most of the back catalog of his chat show is there. Start with the Roy Keane interview; it’s a masterclass in breaking down a "tough" subject.
If you're looking for more Irish comedy history, check out the archives of the Tommy, Hector & Laurita Podcast. It’s finished now, but those hundreds of episodes are basically a PhD in Irish "craic."