Killinaskully
Encyclopedia
Killinaskully was an Irish television comedy which details the bizarre goings-on in a fictitious Irish village called Killinaskully located in the hills of Ireland. It was actually filmed on location in the villages of Killoscully and Ballinahinch in County Tipperary
, the title being a fusion of these two placenames. The show's humour comes from the unusual characterisations of traditional, stereotypical rural Irish folk. The show was chiefly written by the comedian, Pat Shortt
, who also performed many of his own roles. it has spawned its own themed holiday in farm accommodation in the Slieve Felim mountain range region, within walking distance of the village used for filming the series. In an allusion to the popular song released by Pat Shortt, visitors are given a complimentary "Jumbo Breakfast Roll
" upon their arrival.
Killinaskully was produced by Shortt's own company and has been broadcast by RTÉ as part of their Sunday night schedule since 2004. The first three series are available on DVD
and VHS
and have since been released in box set format. The show is currently in its fifth and final series, having begun transmission on 28 September 2008. It ceased on 2 November 2008, although the traditional special at Christmas time aired as normal the following month; in 2008 there were two such specials. Despite having a weekly audience of 800,000, Shortt has stated that this was the final series as he wishes to concentrate on the development of a new show with a new style, characters and storyline. Nevertheless, RTÉ continue to rerun the series as summer filler.
Pa Connors.
. Clancy is the local authority on all things, claiming to know everything about everything even though most of what he knows is inaccurate. He boasted in the 2005 Christmas Special Episode that he had been to Jacksie's Bar "every day for the last 30 years". If in the bar he is rarely shown on-screen without a pint of Guinness
on the counter in front of him and if not then he is off to the toilet. His trips to the toilet have become a regular gag on the show and have spawned Clancy a catchphrase. If his bladder feels heavy he says he must "go and sthrain the spuds", hops off his stool and walks to the toilet. Dan is rarely to be seen out of the company of his two sidekicks, drinking buddies and partners in crime Jimmy Bourke and Timmy Higgins.
. A mistress of the double entendre, she has lived alone since the mysterious disappearance of her husband, the magician Mossie The Magnificent. In her spare time she is the leader of the local power walking
group. She is good friends with the only other Protestant in town, Theo Wigmore.
with a keen eye for business. Based on Pat Shortt's character of Pa Connors from his DVD "Live and A Bit Dangerous". Has a brother, also called Pa Connors. He was named after his grandfather while the other Pa was named after his father. As of late, Pa has teamed up with his long time business rival Sgt. Dick O'Toole to sell bootleg goods in an arrangement leaving them both in a profitable position. He makes his debut in episode two of the series, entitled "The Date".
. He presides over a garda station, which is part betting office, part hardware store and part adult video rental agency amongst other things and will never meet a member of the public without trying to sell them something. Business partner of Pa Connors as well as being a good friend and co-conspirator of Willie Power.
, is the very grumpy proprietor of An Bonnán Buí
(Irish
for "The Yellow Bittern" (and the title of a classic Irish language poem) and spends his days indulging Dan Clancy, Timmy Higgins and Jimmy Bourke, without whom he would long since be redundant. Jacksie was formerly a Christian Brother
, although he was asked to leave by his superiors who believed his severe methods of corporal punishment
were an embarrassment to the order. Strictly a Guinness
man he has little time for people who order what he would consider exotic drinks. As of late, Theo Wigmore has moved in with Jacksie (in a bid to avoid a loan shark) leading to a lot of "Odd-Couple" style situations to occur between both men.
, is another one of Dan Clancy's sidekicks who spends most of his time in the pub. He is more often than not the butt of Dan and Jimmy's gibes and is frequently referred to by his two drinking buddies as a liúdar‚ through a succession of daft questions and observations. Timmy reveals he is 48 years of age when Dan asks him his age after Timmy tries to convince him that Santa is real. Timmy is in a relationship with Nurse Maloney, although he fears her greatly. According to the third episode his mother died in 1974.
. After some difficulty in making their film, including the squashing of their equipment (and Hans) and Dieter's growing love for the local schoolteacher, Miss Fahy, Dieter switches trade to become a cheese vendor, a respectable trade which he hopes to use to woo his new love. He operates his Dieter's Driven Deli through the village from the back of his van. However, his cheese is responsible for causing some very strange dreams and the concepts of cheese and cheese-vending are used repeatedly for comic effect throughout the series. Still trying to come to terms with the strange ways of the locals, Dieter's desire to fit in is somewhat hampered by his innate belief in the importance of being earnest.
Pharmacist with an air of sophistication and fan of literature who regularly quotes poetry and who likes to assist in the artistic and literary aspects of the community, such as directing the nativity play
at Christmas. He makes his debut in episode two of the series, entitled "The Date". As well as dispensing medicines for all the unusual ailments suffered by the local inhibitants, Theo was once the acting landlord at Jacksies while Jacksie was at a funeral and now lodges with him since the time his life was put under threat by his dead mother's dealings with a notorious money lender. Their living together leads to frequent bickering which leads both men to look like an old married couple, much to the amusement of Dan, Timmy and Jimmy. Incidentally his mother makes an appearance in the fourth episode, entitled "The Sign", when she is portrayed by Ronnie Masterson
.
and sports broadcasters George Hamilton
and Jimmy Magee
visit the village.
s television critic, said the programme emphasised the rural/urban divide and "because TV critics tend to stand very firmly on one side of that gap, they have seldom attempted to understand the popularity of something so old-fashioned, predictable and lazy." John Drennan of the Irish Independent
sneered if there was "a sweeter sound in Irish journalism than the wails of the effete South Dublin TV critic when RTE viewing figures show Killinaskully has trounced John Kelly's The View
once again?" Drennan said division over the show was the modern equivalent of the 19th-century cultural wars over the language movement, with one side featuring "the sort of cultural snob who faints at the sight of a Centra
breakfast roll and who also fondly imagines the drawing rooms and restaurants of South Dublin bear an uncanny resemblance to the set of Frasier
" [an American television series]. John Boland in the Irish Independent
has said how the characters lack depth: "I've never been much of a fan of Pat Shortt's broad brand of comedy, with its gallery of cartoon-culchie villager wearing silly wigs and speaking in exaggerated mock accents." Boland continued, "Killinaskully makes Shortt's earlier work with Jon Kenny
in D'Unbelievables
seem like Curb Your Enthusiasm
by comparison". Adele King
dislikes the "paddywhackery", describing it as "insular, embarrassing and lacking in sophistication".
Despite repeated negative publicity from critics the show pulls in an average viewership of 500,000 for each episode, which rose as high as 800,000 for the Christmas specials on 25 December. In 2004 and 2005 it was Ireland's top-rated programme during the festive season. On 25 December 2005, 825,000 viewers tuned in to watch "A Killinaskully Christmas Carol". The 25 December 2007 special episode attracted viewing figures of 770,000 for "Christmas Special IV: The Last Round". The 2008 festive double episode parodying The Emergency attracted 757,000 viewers, surprisingly losing its crown as Ireland's most popular Christmas Day show for the first time ever by 3,000 viewers to RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
. Despite this, the Christmas special was the fourth most watched television show in Ireland of 2008.
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, the title being a fusion of these two placenames. The show's humour comes from the unusual characterisations of traditional, stereotypical rural Irish folk. The show was chiefly written by the comedian, Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
, who also performed many of his own roles. it has spawned its own themed holiday in farm accommodation in the Slieve Felim mountain range region, within walking distance of the village used for filming the series. In an allusion to the popular song released by Pat Shortt, visitors are given a complimentary "Jumbo Breakfast Roll
Jumbo Breakfast Roll
"Jumbo Breakfast Roll" is a 2006 single by Irish comedian Pat Shortt, under the guise of Showband singer 'Dicksie Walsh'. The subject of the song is the ubiquitous breakfast roll....
" upon their arrival.
Killinaskully was produced by Shortt's own company and has been broadcast by RTÉ as part of their Sunday night schedule since 2004. The first three series are available on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and have since been released in box set format. The show is currently in its fifth and final series, having begun transmission on 28 September 2008. It ceased on 2 November 2008, although the traditional special at Christmas time aired as normal the following month; in 2008 there were two such specials. Despite having a weekly audience of 800,000, Shortt has stated that this was the final series as he wishes to concentrate on the development of a new show with a new style, characters and storyline. Nevertheless, RTÉ continue to rerun the series as summer filler.
Background
Shortt his stage show on the screen in the form of Killinaskully; it is this that leads him to play all the different characters that he does in the show. Shooting for the first series commenced in May 2003 in Limerick and Tipperary, continuing for a period of eight weeks. The pilot episode, entitled "The German Fillum', was broadcast during the Christmas period of 2003 and proved to be a massive ratings success. The first episode was later rebroadcast on Sunday 28 September 2004 at 20:30.Setting
Killinaskully, in keeping with the comic element of the show, has a fluctuating population; in the first episode it is said to consist of 167 inhabitants but in the second episode it is said to have a population of over 2,000 people. The village is located 117 km (72.7 mi) from the sea. The nearest town is neighbouring Bally, a mere 134 km (83.3 mi) from the coast. Bally is first alluded to in the fifth episode, entitled "The Pitch". The rural setting allows for greater comic effect in the introduction of such ideas as a community radio station to the show. The series is largely set around the buildings that Killinaskully is composed of, i.e. the church, school, garda station, public house and bed and breakfast.Pat Shortt's characters
The Irish comedian Pat Shortt, who writes the series, is responsible for many of the characters in the show. He plays professional alcoholic Dan Clancy, corrupt politician Willie Power, sexually empowered Bed And Breakfast proprietess Goretti, teacher Louis Cantwell and TravellerIrish Traveller
Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
Pa Connors.
Willie Power
Willie Power is the local politician, wheeler and dealer, fixer and chairman of every committee imaginable in the tiny village. A master stroke-puller, he is capable of turning any situation to his advantage and is easily excitable when someone tries to oppose him, particularly his arch-rival Larry Cummins.Dan Clancy
Dan Clancy is an almost permanent fixture in Jacksie's Bar, the local public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. Clancy is the local authority on all things, claiming to know everything about everything even though most of what he knows is inaccurate. He boasted in the 2005 Christmas Special Episode that he had been to Jacksie's Bar "every day for the last 30 years". If in the bar he is rarely shown on-screen without a pint of Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
on the counter in front of him and if not then he is off to the toilet. His trips to the toilet have become a regular gag on the show and have spawned Clancy a catchphrase. If his bladder feels heavy he says he must "go and sthrain the spuds", hops off his stool and walks to the toilet. Dan is rarely to be seen out of the company of his two sidekicks, drinking buddies and partners in crime Jimmy Bourke and Timmy Higgins.
Goretti
Goretti is the sexually voracious Protestant proprietress of the Mount Bernadette bed and breakfastBed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
. A mistress of the double entendre, she has lived alone since the mysterious disappearance of her husband, the magician Mossie The Magnificent. In her spare time she is the leader of the local power walking
Power walking
Power walking or speed walking is the act of walking with a speed at the upper end of the natural range for the walking gait, typically 7 km/h to 9 km/h...
group. She is good friends with the only other Protestant in town, Theo Wigmore.
Louis Cantwell
Mr. Cantwell is a teacher in the local school (albeit a not-so-good one) and holds a not-so-secret affection towards Miss Fahy. He first appears in the second episode, entitled "The Date", when his affection for Miss Fahy meets competition in the newly arrived film maker Dieter. Ever since Miss Fahy and Dieter got married, Cantwell is usually to be found in a depressed state over something or other, as the light has left his life.Pa Connors
A TravellerIrish Traveller
Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
with a keen eye for business. Based on Pat Shortt's character of Pa Connors from his DVD "Live and A Bit Dangerous". Has a brother, also called Pa Connors. He was named after his grandfather while the other Pa was named after his father. As of late, Pa has teamed up with his long time business rival Sgt. Dick O'Toole to sell bootleg goods in an arrangement leaving them both in a profitable position. He makes his debut in episode two of the series, entitled "The Date".
Sgt. Dick O'Toole
Played by Pascal Scott, O'Toole is the local member of an Garda SíochánaGarda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
. He presides over a garda station, which is part betting office, part hardware store and part adult video rental agency amongst other things and will never meet a member of the public without trying to sell them something. Business partner of Pa Connors as well as being a good friend and co-conspirator of Willie Power.
Jacksie Walsh
Jacksie Walsh, played by Páraic BreathnachPáraic Breathnach
Páraic Breathnach is an Irish actor and television personality. He has appeared in several major Irish films throughout the years, including Michael Collins and Breakfast on Pluto. He is also well known for playing the character of Jacksie Walsh on Killinaskully, as well as being a frequent...
, is the very grumpy proprietor of An Bonnán Buí
An Bonnán Buí
An Bonnán Buí is a classic poem in Irish by the poet Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna. In addition to the conventional end-rhyme, it uses internal rhyme An Bonnán Buí (The Yellow Bittern) is a classic poem in Irish by the poet Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna. In addition to the conventional end-rhyme, it...
(Irish
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...
for "The Yellow Bittern" (and the title of a classic Irish language poem) and spends his days indulging Dan Clancy, Timmy Higgins and Jimmy Bourke, without whom he would long since be redundant. Jacksie was formerly a Christian Brother
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
, although he was asked to leave by his superiors who believed his severe methods of corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
were an embarrassment to the order. Strictly a Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
man he has little time for people who order what he would consider exotic drinks. As of late, Theo Wigmore has moved in with Jacksie (in a bid to avoid a loan shark) leading to a lot of "Odd-Couple" style situations to occur between both men.
Jimmy Bourke
Bourke, played by Jack Walsh, is a mechanic by trade and is Dan Clancy's sidekick. Jimmy is an expert rally car driver and has won many racing titles. He spends most of his day in the local pub where he delights in hearing (and interrupting) Dan's stories.Timmy Higgins
Timmy Higgins, played by Joe RooneyJoe Rooney
Joe Rooney is an Irish actor and comedian. His best known acting role at home and abroad is that of Father Damo in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. He features in one episode, series two's "The Old Grey Whistle Theft"...
, is another one of Dan Clancy's sidekicks who spends most of his time in the pub. He is more often than not the butt of Dan and Jimmy's gibes and is frequently referred to by his two drinking buddies as a liúdar‚ through a succession of daft questions and observations. Timmy reveals he is 48 years of age when Dan asks him his age after Timmy tries to convince him that Santa is real. Timmy is in a relationship with Nurse Maloney, although he fears her greatly. According to the third episode his mother died in 1974.
Miss Catherine Fahy
Played by Aoife Molony, Fahy is the local primary school teacher. She is the object of Louis Cantwell's affections but marries the German Dieter instead. She makes her debut in the second episode, entitled "The Date", when the love triangle is first examined.Dieter Langer
Dieter Langer, played by Louis Lovett, is a former German film maker who arrives in Killinaskully in the first episode with his partner Hans. Langer is a large fan of the singer Johnny LoganJohnny Logan (singer)
Johnny Logan , is an Australian-born Irish singer and composer. He is regarded as "Mister Eurovision", having participated in the Eurovision Song Contest many times since the 1970s, and, since 1992, has been the most successful artist in Eurovision history.Logan has won the international contest on...
. After some difficulty in making their film, including the squashing of their equipment (and Hans) and Dieter's growing love for the local schoolteacher, Miss Fahy, Dieter switches trade to become a cheese vendor, a respectable trade which he hopes to use to woo his new love. He operates his Dieter's Driven Deli through the village from the back of his van. However, his cheese is responsible for causing some very strange dreams and the concepts of cheese and cheese-vending are used repeatedly for comic effect throughout the series. Still trying to come to terms with the strange ways of the locals, Dieter's desire to fit in is somewhat hampered by his innate belief in the importance of being earnest.
Fr. Philip Eno
Played by John Keogh, Fr. Philip makes his first appearance in the third episode of the first series when the previous parish priest, Fr. Mullarkey, is no longer fit to function and is packed off to a home for the bewildered. Eno is an amiable type who just wants people to get along, albeit his inadvertent habit of making insensitive remarks at the wrong time. His name sounds like "Filipino" when said quickly, a running joke throughout the episode of his arrival as caused confusion prior to his coming. Amongst other things his unusual name led to a Philippine tourist being sworn in as parish priest of Killinaskully. The show received a hostile reaction from viewers almost immediately as the name was deemed "severely racist".Larry Cummins
Played by Gerry Walsh, Cummins is a local politician with a consistent record: 1 vote at every council election. He is always seeking to put one over on Willie Power. Cummins makes his debut in the fourth episode of the series, entitled "The Sign".The Widow Gilhooley
Played by Maria McDermottroe, Mrs. Gilhooley is a stern woman who is "not, I repeat not in the habit of repeating" herself. Mrs. Gilhooley is an exceptionally pious woman who always makes time for the church in her life and has a habit of being preachy towards others. She is also an award winning fiddler. She makes her debut in the same episode of Fr. Philip Eno.Theo Wigmore
Played by Jim Queally, Theo is a well-educated ProtestantProtestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
Pharmacist with an air of sophistication and fan of literature who regularly quotes poetry and who likes to assist in the artistic and literary aspects of the community, such as directing the nativity play
Nativity play
A Nativity play or Christmas pageant is a play which recounts the story of the Nativity of Jesus. It is usually performed at Christmas, the feast of the Nativity.-Liturgical:...
at Christmas. He makes his debut in episode two of the series, entitled "The Date". As well as dispensing medicines for all the unusual ailments suffered by the local inhibitants, Theo was once the acting landlord at Jacksies while Jacksie was at a funeral and now lodges with him since the time his life was put under threat by his dead mother's dealings with a notorious money lender. Their living together leads to frequent bickering which leads both men to look like an old married couple, much to the amusement of Dan, Timmy and Jimmy. Incidentally his mother makes an appearance in the fourth episode, entitled "The Sign", when she is portrayed by Ronnie Masterson
Ronnie Masterson
Ronnie Masterson is an Irish actress.Masterson trained at the Abbey Theatre and first appeared on stage there in 1944. At the Abbey, she met and then married actor Ray McAnally in 1945, and they remained married until his death, although they resided in different homes; her husband with Irish...
.
Nurse Maloney
Played by Eileen Gibbons, Maloney is infatuated with Timmy. This infatuation is first addressed in the fifth episode, entitled "The Pitch". She expresses concern for him when he is in danger and is full of praise for him when he does something correctly. Although at the wedding of Dieter to Miss Fahy, she and Timmy share a drunken sexual encounter (in the bridal suite), which by the start of the following series, has blossomed into a relationship. She first appears in the second episode, entitled "The Date".Bridie Clancy
Played by Mary Harvey, she is Dan's sister. She makes her first appearance in the first episode of the second series, entitled "The Election". She is an expert at rabbit hunting and has a knack for getting into potentially lethal situations and coming out unscathed. It is implied on several occasions that she has a soft spot for Sgt. Dick.Clancy
A boy who has a habit of ruining important moments, such as spoiling the nativity play by saying that there was in fact room at the inn. He shares Dan's surname although it is not clear if he is related to him or not.Cast
- Dan Clancy as Pat ShorttPat ShorttPat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
- Willie Power as Pat Shortt
- Goretti as Pat Shortt
- Jimmy Bourke as Jack Walsh
- Timmy Higgins as Joe RooneyJoe RooneyJoe Rooney is an Irish actor and comedian. His best known acting role at home and abroad is that of Father Damo in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. He features in one episode, series two's "The Old Grey Whistle Theft"...
- Jacksie Walsh as Páraic BreathnachPáraic BreathnachPáraic Breathnach is an Irish actor and television personality. He has appeared in several major Irish films throughout the years, including Michael Collins and Breakfast on Pluto. He is also well known for playing the character of Jacksie Walsh on Killinaskully, as well as being a frequent...
- Sgt. Dick O'Toole as Pascal Scott
- Dieter Langer as Louis Lovett
Guest appearances
A number of well-known personalities have made appearances as themselves in Killinaskully. In episode six, entitled "The Funeral", RTÉ newsreader Ken HammondKen Hammond
Kenneth J. Hammond is Professor of History at New Mexico State University.Hammond was a student and Students for a Democratic Society leader at Kent State University from 1967 to 1970. He later completed his degree in Political Science, then studied Modern Chinese language at the Beijing Foreign...
and sports broadcasters George Hamilton
George Hamilton (commentator)
George Hamilton is an Irish sportscaster born in Belfast. He works for Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and is a household name in Ireland where his voice and refined commentary style of football are familiar to sports fans. He also presents a show on RTÉ lyric fm and previously presented Know Your Sport...
and Jimmy Magee
Jimmy Magee
Jimmy Magee is a longstanding Irish sports broadcaster. Known as 'the Memory Man', he has spent over half a century in sports broadcasting...
visit the village.
Episodes
The series has oft been repeated by RTÉ; below are the dates of original transmission of each series.| # | First airing |
| 1 | 26 September 2004 |
| 2 | 25 September 2005 |
| 3 | 2006 |
| 4 | 30 September 2007 |
| 5 | 28 September 2008 |
Reception
Killinaskully has received poor reviews from critics but large viewership figures. Shane Hegarty, The Irish TimesThe Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
s television critic, said the programme emphasised the rural/urban divide and "because TV critics tend to stand very firmly on one side of that gap, they have seldom attempted to understand the popularity of something so old-fashioned, predictable and lazy." John Drennan of the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
sneered if there was "a sweeter sound in Irish journalism than the wails of the effete South Dublin TV critic when RTE viewing figures show Killinaskully has trounced John Kelly's The View
The View (Irish TV series)
The View is an Irish television programme broadcast on RTÉ One. Presented by John Kelly, it centres on arts-related topics. It was initially known as Later On 2 and was presented by various presenters until John Kelly joined RTÉ from Today FM, Later On 2 was broadcast on first Network 2 in 1997, it...
once again?" Drennan said division over the show was the modern equivalent of the 19th-century cultural wars over the language movement, with one side featuring "the sort of cultural snob who faints at the sight of a Centra
Centra
Centra is a convenience store chain in Ireland.The chain is run by Musgrave, the Irish food wholesaler, however the stores are all owned by individual franchisees. The chain has three different formats available to franchisees — smaller Quick Stop outlets, mid-sized Foodmarkets, and larger...
breakfast roll and who also fondly imagines the drawing rooms and restaurants of South Dublin bear an uncanny resemblance to the set of Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
" [an American television series]. John Boland in the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
has said how the characters lack depth: "I've never been much of a fan of Pat Shortt's broad brand of comedy, with its gallery of cartoon-culchie villager wearing silly wigs and speaking in exaggerated mock accents." Boland continued, "Killinaskully makes Shortt's earlier work with Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt...
in D'Unbelievables
D'Unbelievables
D'Unbelievables are an Irish comic duo. The duo was formed in the late 80's by Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny in Limerick. Together they created characters which could be seen on every street corner and every pub in Ireland. They toured extensively all over Ireland for almost a decade until Jon Kenny was...
seem like Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
by comparison". Adele King
Adele King
Adele King is an Irish entertainer better known as Twink from her time as a member of a group called Maxi, Dick and Twink which was a girl band in Ireland in the late 1960s and 1970s. She is Chloë Agnew's mother....
dislikes the "paddywhackery", describing it as "insular, embarrassing and lacking in sophistication".
Despite repeated negative publicity from critics the show pulls in an average viewership of 500,000 for each episode, which rose as high as 800,000 for the Christmas specials on 25 December. In 2004 and 2005 it was Ireland's top-rated programme during the festive season. On 25 December 2005, 825,000 viewers tuned in to watch "A Killinaskully Christmas Carol". The 25 December 2007 special episode attracted viewing figures of 770,000 for "Christmas Special IV: The Last Round". The 2008 festive double episode parodying The Emergency attracted 757,000 viewers, surprisingly losing its crown as Ireland's most popular Christmas Day show for the first time ever by 3,000 viewers to RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock is the flagship evening news programme for Irish television channel RTÉ One. It is presented by Anne Doyle, and deputised by Eileen Dunne. It is the final comprehensive news programme of the day on RTÉ One...
. Despite this, the Christmas special was the fourth most watched television show in Ireland of 2008.