Acting out his dreams: An interview with Dermot Ward

“I just want to make it clear that I think I’m a terrible person to include in a newspaper,” jokes Dermot Ward. “Nobody cares who I am or what I do, and I don’t consider myself to be a successful actor."

“With the pandemic, people didn’t know what to do with themselves and all the spare time they had, but to be totally honest it wasn’t much different for me. I have a lot of downtime between gigs so I’m used to trying to entertain myself and keep myself active.”

The Athlone native has recently moved to Sligo with his partner after living in Dublin for ten years, and says that while they have settled into their new home, they have yet to settle into Sligo.

“We can’t do anything, so we’re just at home most of the time. But Dublin was becoming insane with rent prices, and the place is being torn to the ground with everything being turned into hotels.”

Dermot’s family owned Ward’s bar in Baylough before the family moved to Drum. Having attended Summerhill Primary School and St Aloyisus College, acting was something that came to him outside of school.

“There was no acting going on in school. The only way Aloysius inspired my performative side was that I was acting the eejit. I don’t know if I can say I was a class clown but I was a bit of an idiot. I just tried to make everyone else laugh.

“I went back to repeat after the Leaving Cert, but it wasn’t for me. I didn’t get a good Leaving, and I didn’t know what I should do. I wanted to do something in acting, but I was too scared.

“Growing up, most people would watch Indiana Jones and Spiderman and say ‘I want to be those people,’ but most people have the sense to grow out of that. I never did, and I still try to be those people to this day.”

While there was never negativity from family or friends about his choice of career, Dermot says there was scepticism.

“I can’t even remember what my friends said, they probably just laughed it off, and I don’t really blame them for that either,” he explains. "I remember if I mentioned something about acting, they’d ask ‘oh yeah, do you want to win an Oscar?’ That’s how distant of an idea it was.”

Dermot enrolled in Moate Business College to study performing arts, and soon became hooked. Following on from that, he took part-time classes in the Gaiety School of Acting, travelling to Dublin two nights a week.

“Within a couple of years, there was an open audition for a show called Pure Mule in Tullamore. I just went and gave it a go, and I was lucky enough to get a part. That was my first professional gig. To be honest, it all started from a place of not knowing what to do and only being able to do one thing, and that’s the reason I’m still doing it.”

Following on from Pure Mule, Dermot worked with RTÉ on a YouTube show called ‘Apartment Red.’

“This was at a time when RTÉ were still trying to figure out what YouTube was, and how they could use it, so we were left to our own devices to make up weird sketches.”

The show then progressed onto our screens under the name of ‘The Rumour Room,’ as part of RTÉ’s children’s programming.

“I like to say that I killed The Den,” he laughs. “We had great ratings, but the bosses didn’t totally get it so it ended after a year. It was great, but stressful. The children’s department was one of the hardest working departments in there when it was around.”

He also had a small role in Game of Thrones, so small that he says he will buy a pint for anyone that can spot him.

“I was walking around more like a fan on set that had won a competition to be there! But it was loads of fun.”

Dermot can also be found as a cast member of the Try Channel on YouTube, a channel that creates original Irish comedic content that has almost one million subscribers. Titles of videos range from ‘Irish People Try Thanksgiving Meal Cocktails’ to ‘Irish People Try Weird Candy Flavours’.

“I wouldn’t consider myself a comedian, but I’ve always had a leaning towards comedy when it comes to performing. With Try, not everyone is a comedian or actor either. It’s a great excuse for a bunch of friends to get together and try to be funny online, and we like to think it’s successful.

“People have been trying to entertain themselves this year, so they’re more open to watching online content like Try compared to before the pandemic

“My comedian friends have been hit badly this year, because comedians thrive off an audience. Actors can be familiar with going without work, but some comedians need weekly work. It’s been a tough year.”

Dermot also has recently started a podcast called ‘The Substantial Meal’ with two friends, Justine Stafford and Martin Angolo.

“It’s billed as ‘two of the funniest comedians in the country – and me.’ I could be wrong, but seeing as I’m a straight white male, I think I’m obliged to have a podcast. Fairly sure that’s a rule in the 21st century,” he says.

“Imagine being in a pub with the three of us, and listening to the utterly ridiculous, tangential conversations we have. That’s the content of the podcast. We’re developing it as we go, but it’s going to change and grow as it continues.”

Christmas will be different this year for Dermot, but he hopes to get to Athlone if possible.

“I’d be more concerned with getting this out of the way so we can have a normal Christmas next year. I haven’t been home since August, but fingers crossed I’ll be able to get there for at least a few days.”

The Substantial Meal podcast can be found on: patreon.com/thesubstantialmeal