An interview with Jimmy Cricket about his illustrious career is featured in a special edition of Ireland’s Own magazine.
The famous Northern Irish comedian talks about his life and work in the 2024 Humour Special edition of the publication.
Among the highlights, Jimmy reflects on his upbringing, including his dad running an undertaker’s and a pub in his birthplace of Cookstown, County Tyrone.
The family later moved to Belfast, which Jimmy said ended up being a good move for him.
“Dad would take us to the top theatres in town, like the Empire, to see the likes of Norman Wisdom, Billy Dainty and Harry Worth,” says Jimmy.
“Wonderful showmen, whom I had the pleasure of working with so many times.”
Door-to-door salesman
He went on to become good friends with Norman Wisdom, who died in 2010.
Jimmy also recalls in the article that he was living and working in Manchester by the early 1970s.
He worked long days as a door-to-door salesman – “I wasn’t very successful… as everyone I knew had a door!”.
At the same time, he was steadily building a reputation as a comedian.
He met his future wife, May – a professional singer – at a Pontins holiday camp in Morecambe.
“When I bumped into May, she was wearing a Halloween mask – it was love at first fright!”
After the article was published, Jimmy posted on social media: “My thanks to journalist Henry Wymbs, for my fun interview for @irelandsown1902 (Ireland’s Own) – The Humour Special 2024 edition.”
Ireland’s Own describes itself as “Ireland’s best-selling and longest-running family magazine”.
It is a full colour, weekly magazine “devoted to all that is best about Ireland and being Irish”.
The magazine is published in Wexford, first appearing in 1902.
Also read: ‘The ultimate feel-good book’ – Jimmy’s autobiography
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