LAST WEEKEND, ALISON Spittle performed in Dublin’s 3Arena as part of a Comic Relief event organised by Deirdre O’Kane.

The fundraiser featured performances from comedy heavyweights like Tommy Tiernan, Dara Ó Briain, David O’Doherty, Jason Byrne and Des Bishop. It was Spittle’s largest stage to date, but she more than rose to the occasion and handled it with aplomb.

Alison Spittle first appeared on my radar a few years ago when she appeared in a silly, whimsical short for Republic of Telly entitled Allison Spittle’s Guide to Mullingar.

It features Alison ambling around Mullingar, poking fun at Joe Dolan’s hollow eyes and remarking on the town’s fondness for €2 shops.

The short stood out for a few reasons. First of all, it was a loving ode to the midlands, a novelty given the media’s tendency to focus on Dublin. Secondly, it was a young female comedian getting a primetime spot on the biggest comedy show in the country – a show that had form in giving female comedy roles to models like Nadia Forde and Georgia Salpa.

I’m not saying I’m a svengali or anything, but I knew she was destined for big things.

Since then, Alison Spittle’s career has gone from strength to strength. She has started a delightful podcast. She’s performed in Edinburgh.  She’s supported comedy giants like Rob Delaney. She’s become a fixture on radio and television, appearing on shows like Cutting Edge and High Noon.

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She’s now on the cusp of her biggest career breakthrough with a sitcom for RTÉ 2 in the works. Spittle will write and star in Nowhere Fast, a comedy about a millennial who returns to her hometown after things don’t work out in the big smoke.

None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who has seen Alison perform live. Her infectious energy and easy, conversational style is damn near impossible to resist.

Her unique perspective on the world coupled with her willingness to discuss thorny issues like mental health has set her apart as one of the freshest, most vibrant comedians on the scene today.

Not only that, but she’s gone to great lengths to encourage other young women to pursue comedy. (Here’s an excellent blog post she wrote on the matter.) Pretty deadly, if you ask us.

In an industry that isn’t always hospitable to young, female voices or, indeed, rural voices, Alison Spittle has managed to defy expectations by working hard, establishing her own comedy community and being really bloody funny.

We can’t wait to see what she does next.

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