John Linehan
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Linehan, MBE
(born 1952, Belfast
, Northern Ireland
) is better known as the character May McFettridge.
, a relative, had asked Linehan to phone his then radio show, to liven the programme up. Linehan pretended to be a Belfast housewife, and the banter between the two attracted an unprecedented number of positive phone calls to the radio studio, many asking for a return of the women as a regular on the show.
Linehan invented the name and the character by ad libbing — the first name being that of his mother-in-law and the surname being that of an Antrim hurler by the name of Olcan McFettridge, whose exploits in a National Hurling League game had made headlines in the local newspaper, The Irish News
, which happened to be beside Linehan when put on the spot.
The character became a regular on Downtown Radio
. Since that time, Linehan has topped the bill as his character
in the Christmas Pantomime
in the Grand Opera House in Belfast for twenty consecutive years (2009).
He/she was recently described by John Daly as 'the face that sank a thousand ships' during a charity event at the Oddessy in Belfast
broadcasts, and organising events such as golfing tournaments to help raise money for Children of the Crossfire. He was awarded the MBE
in 2006 for charitable services in Northern Ireland
.
Linehan starred as McFettridge every year in the Grand Opera House Pantomime, which are huge successes.
He usually plays a very comical role in the show and leaves every audience in stitches of laughter.
Here are some of his panto roles:
He is set to return to this year's panto Jack and the Beanstalk.
as the 'Announcer'.
In his early teens, Linehan's Key Stage Three English Literature coursework, 'A World without Windows' was published in a compilation of teenage idealist prose, and was subsequently re-written in the Irish Language
and published in a Gaelgoir poetry book named An Shiopa Geotta. The prose, laid out in four stanzas (in both English and Irish version) details a dream of Linehan's detailing a world where neighbours could not look through each other's kitchen windows and judge each other. The piece was so well written that teachers from his school were prompted to contact his home to inform guardians that he had been plagiarising already published texts (the lines "I look through not my neighbour's window, for I don't know the great crescendo, for what my ring throughout my ears, I dare not open to those peers" were compared to the written words of Wordsworth, among others). These claims were found to be false and Lineham was praised nationally with the awards for "Gaelgoir of the Young Generation", and internationally with the John Lennon
"Imagine" Literary award for Young People. Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono
was scheduled to meet Lineham several years later as a "follow up" on her much speculated, but never materialized Irish tour named "Aislingacht- the Irish Visionary Tour", which was shelved due to various financial, critical, and time related constraints. In recent times, not much else has been revealed about Lineham's literary past or more recent writings. John never appeared to collect his award from the South Eastern Education and Library Board however, citing in a later interview that he did not agree with their stances on the Eleven Plus
examination, and believed that every child in Northern Ireland
should be entitled to attend a grammar school
.
In the early 1980s, Linehan was diagnosed as having syringomyelia
and he had neurosurgery in 1983 following which he had meningitis
. The syringomyelia has caused muscle wastage and some loss of sensation on his left side.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 1952, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
) is better known as the character May McFettridge.
May McFettridge
John Linehan was a car mechanic before he rose to fame in the guise of his plain-speaking, gap-toothed housewife character, May McFettridge. Eamonn HolmesEamonn Holmes
Eamonn Holmes is an Northern Irish journalist and broadcaster. He is known for his work on UK and Irish television, notably presenting GMTV and This Morning. He is married to TV presenter Ruth Langsford.-Education:...
, a relative, had asked Linehan to phone his then radio show, to liven the programme up. Linehan pretended to be a Belfast housewife, and the banter between the two attracted an unprecedented number of positive phone calls to the radio studio, many asking for a return of the women as a regular on the show.
Linehan invented the name and the character by ad libbing — the first name being that of his mother-in-law and the surname being that of an Antrim hurler by the name of Olcan McFettridge, whose exploits in a National Hurling League game had made headlines in the local newspaper, The Irish News
The Irish News
The Irish News is a compact-sized daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is perceived as being broadly Irish nationalist in outlook...
, which happened to be beside Linehan when put on the spot.
The character became a regular on Downtown Radio
Downtown Radio
Downtown Radio is an Adult Contemporary music radio station based in Newtownards, County Down, that serves all of Northern Ireland using a network of FM and AM transmitters.- History :...
. Since that time, Linehan has topped the bill as his character
Pantomime dame
A pantomime dame is a traditional character in British pantomime. It is a continuation of en travesti portrayal of female characters by male actors in drag. They are often played either in an extremely camp style, or else by men acting 'butch' in women's clothing...
in the Christmas Pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
in the Grand Opera House in Belfast for twenty consecutive years (2009).
He/she was recently described by John Daly as 'the face that sank a thousand ships' during a charity event at the Oddessy in Belfast
Charity work
Linehan is also involved in charity work, appearing regularly in Northern Ireland's Children in NeedChildren in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
broadcasts, and organising events such as golfing tournaments to help raise money for Children of the Crossfire. He was awarded the MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in 2006 for charitable services in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Pantomime
He usually plays a very comical role in the show and leaves every audience in stitches of laughter.
Here are some of his panto roles:
- 2010-11 Nurse May in Snow White
- 2009-10 Widow May Twankey in " Aladdin "
- 2008-09 Mother Goose in Mother Goose
- 2007-08 The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella
- 2006-07 Mrs Smee in Peter Pan
- 2005-06 Nurse May in Snow White
- 2004-05 Dame Trott in Jack and the Beanstalk
- 2003-04 Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington
- 2002-03 The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella
He is set to return to this year's panto Jack and the Beanstalk.
Other appearances
Linehan appeared in the film Divorcing JackDivorcing Jack (film)
Divorcing Jack is a 1998 satirical black comedy. The plot is set around the Northern Irish reporter Dan Starkey who gets entangled into a web of political intrigue and Irish sectarian violence, at the same time as Northern Ireland is set to elect a new Prime Minister...
as the 'Announcer'.
Personal life
He is married to Brenda, and they have two daughters.In his early teens, Linehan's Key Stage Three English Literature coursework, 'A World without Windows' was published in a compilation of teenage idealist prose, and was subsequently re-written in the Irish Language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
and published in a Gaelgoir poetry book named An Shiopa Geotta. The prose, laid out in four stanzas (in both English and Irish version) details a dream of Linehan's detailing a world where neighbours could not look through each other's kitchen windows and judge each other. The piece was so well written that teachers from his school were prompted to contact his home to inform guardians that he had been plagiarising already published texts (the lines "I look through not my neighbour's window, for I don't know the great crescendo, for what my ring throughout my ears, I dare not open to those peers" were compared to the written words of Wordsworth, among others). These claims were found to be false and Lineham was praised nationally with the awards for "Gaelgoir of the Young Generation", and internationally with the John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
"Imagine" Literary award for Young People. Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
was scheduled to meet Lineham several years later as a "follow up" on her much speculated, but never materialized Irish tour named "Aislingacht- the Irish Visionary Tour", which was shelved due to various financial, critical, and time related constraints. In recent times, not much else has been revealed about Lineham's literary past or more recent writings. John never appeared to collect his award from the South Eastern Education and Library Board however, citing in a later interview that he did not agree with their stances on the Eleven Plus
Eleven plus
In the United Kingdom, the 11-plus or Eleven plus is an examination administered to some students in their last year of primary education, governing admission to various types of secondary school. The name derives from the age group for secondary entry: 11–12 years...
examination, and believed that every child in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
should be entitled to attend a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
.
In the early 1980s, Linehan was diagnosed as having syringomyelia
Syringomyelia
Syringomyelia is a generic term referring to a disorder in which a cyst or cavity forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, can expand and elongate over time, destroying the spinal cord. The damage may result in pain, paralysis, weakness, and stiffness in the back, shoulders, and...
and he had neurosurgery in 1983 following which he had meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
. The syringomyelia has caused muscle wastage and some loss of sensation on his left side.