From appearances in Vicar Street and Republic of Telly, Alison Spittle has an impressive CV for someone who admits to falling into comedy.

“I’d no ambitions to do comedy at all – it was just one thing you try, like go karting or that kind of thing. I thought, ‘Sure I might as well, I’ll have something to tell my friends,’” she says.

Alison started performing around five years ago when her iRadio colleague, Bernard O’Shea, suggested she should try standup.

“My first gig was in Kavanagh’s in Portlaoise. I was supporting PJ Gallagher, and it was very glamourous and there was a big crowd there, and I thought, ‘This comedy stuff is great’. My second gig was in front of four people and I kind of realised how hard it is to do comedy.”

Living the dream

After finding it difficult to get gigs in the country, Alison moved to Dublin from her native Westmeath. Comedy has been her full-time job for the past two years.

“There was a recession and people had no choice but to chase their dreams, so there’s a load of comedians around and there is a bit of competition,” she says. “It’s hard to make a living, but I wouldn’t let that put you off. It’s hard to make a living in a lot of jobs.”

She has a steady gig at The Workman’s Club, where she presents The Alison Spittle Show, interviewing anyone and everyone on stage, and also appears regularly on Newstalk and RTÉ. Her latest standup show, Alison Spittle Discovers Hawaii, focuses on mental health, specifically her own experiences.

I’ve grown up not caring, not worrying about what other people think of me

“I do standup about my life, whether that is talking about going out for a few drinks and having a mad one or a mental breakdown, it’s all the same to me because it’s just a part of life. I know too many people with mental health difficulties… it’s just too common at this stage,” she says.

“I’ve had mental health issues since I was a teenager. I went to Moate Community School, and they were brilliant. They kind of nipped it in the bud and got help, and my mum was great too. I’ve grown up not caring, not worrying about what other people think of me. I didn’t realise there was a stigma (until later),” she says.

Nothing funnier than reality

Alison says she “knows a mile off” when a comedian is lying on stage. She prefers to be honest, as there is nothing funnier or more absurd than reality, and Ireland is also a great source of dark comedy.

“No one does a funeral like Ireland,” she muses. “The humour comes out because it’s such a horrible situation and someone always tries to break the ice by making a joke.”

Her mother also inspires her standup, and is very supportive of Alison’s career – even if her routine involves verging-on-defamatory impersonations.

“I did a big impression of her in front of 1,500 people at Vicar Street and she just sat there – I was really slandering her. She’s the best mother,” laughs Alison. “When I slag my mother it comes from a place of deep respect. She’s been very supportive and she’s always ringing from Westmeath to make sure I’m okay.”

Nothing’s stopping her!

At this stage, we want to ask Alison what it’s like being a woman in comedy – but is that the most annoying question in the world for a female comedian to hear?

“It is different to be woman in comedy,” says Alison. “When I was younger, I thought I’d do standup comedy and I was like, girls don’t do that, girls aren’t funny. I think I believed that… it’s so weird.

“You saying, ‘What is it like to be a girl in comedy’ is a better question than ‘People say women aren’t as funny as men’ or ‘Is it like a boy’s club’. The person who’s reading that article already has a negative view then.

“Is there sexism in comedy? Yes, there is, but there is sexism in every walk of life. Sexism is everywhere, but don’t let anyone stop you. If we were to worry about not doing something because it exists, we wouldn’t leave the house.”

Expressing herself

Alison also contributes to HeadStuff.org, from podcasts of interviews with guests on The Alison Spittle Show, to opinion pieces.

One article, entitled ‘Why Can’t All Lads Be Sound Like Hozier?’, based on incidents of harassment and verbal abuse on the streets, received widespread attention.

“It’s just another way of expressing myself – and you can’t really go on a big 10-minute tirade on the stage about how lads are feckers. At least the people who click (on an article) want to read that,” she says.

“I didn’t really write that as an article, it was more a thing to take out my frustration. I was just so tired of it. Like I said in the article, you can’t really go to the guards about lads calling your name. There was nothing I felt I could do, so I just decided to write to take out my frustration. The reaction from people was so sound and so class.

“I used to be pure soft, and feeling like I deserved it. I don’t, I’m a human being. I don’t want people to tell me I’m great or anything like that… there’s just no need (to verbally abuse someone),” she says.

Sure it’ll be grand

Despite self-deprecating admissions (“There’s a big theme in my life where someone says I should do something and I’m like alright so”), Alison Spittle is her own person doing her own thing.

“Sure it’ll be grand. That’s my motto in life,” she concludes.

Visit www.alisonspittle.com for more.