Q&A with comedian Gene Fitzpatrick

What is your earliest memory?

When I was a wee boy I lived with my granny in Newry Street in Banbridge, because when I was born my mother was ill. I lived with her until I was about seven and then my dad and my mum and all the rest of the family moved to a new house. One day my granny and them went to see the new house and left me on my own. I got up out of bed, down the stairs and into the yard and I headed off down Newry Street looking for my granny....seemingly I had no clothes on.

My grandfather put me in one of my da’s taxis and took me up to the new house and I stayed there until I got married.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

The pope - but once I discovered girls I soon got rid of that notion.

What if anything do you dislike about your appearance?

I just accept what I’ve got because there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m losing my hair and I’d like to be three or four inches taller, but I’m not, so you just accept what is and get on with it.

When did you last cry?

I would be a crier at stupid things like Little House on the Prairie. I would cry at a sad movie - anything else I just seem to manage to get through it.

What is your most treasured possession?

The gold album that I got for my comedy album that’s called - Live in the Group Theatre. I also got a gold album for the second one called Hits of Laughter. But I really don’t put much store in awards and things.

What has been your biggest extravagance?

If you’d talk to my wife she’d say: ‘‘The number of cars that you’ve had in your life and the money you’ve wasted on cars.’’ My favourite smell is the smell of a brand new car - it’s far better than Chanel No5!

If you were having a dream dinner party, who would you invite living or dead?

Anthony Hopkins, I think he’s brilliant, Charley Pride who met a couple of times - he’s a wonderful country singer and really lovely man; Dana is a lovely person and Johnny Cash (pictured above) who I would love to have met - to have him at a dinner party would be something special.

Who or what is the love of your life?

My grandchildren, Liam who is about to turn 16, Olivia, 8, and Erin, 6, I get more laughs out of them, it’s unbelievable.

Tell us something we may not know about you?

My real name is Dominic, When I went to be christened, the priest said to the sponsors ‘what are they calling this child?’ and he said ‘Dominic’ and the priest said - ‘that’s a terrible name’, adding: ‘There’s a new pope called Eugenio Pacelli’, so he christened me Eugene. I was never called Dominic in my life - except on passports - if you think about it this country a lot of people aren’t called by the name they were christened.