Comic Andrew’s leprechaun jibe from the English
5ft 6ins Maxwell tells TV host Murray about taunts over height
COMEDIAN Andrew Maxwell has revealed he’s been called a leprechaun by English people for being a short Irishman.
The Dubliner was speaking in a new TV show with British funnyman Al Murray.
Why Does Everyone Hate The English examines Blighty’s at times fraught relationship with the rest of the world.
When Al said he has “never met an English person who mocks the Irish as leprechauns” – Maxwell disagreed.
He said: “As an Irish comedian who is 5ft 6.5ins, I can definitely verify that English people, if they see an Irish person under a, ‘He can’t reach the top shelf magazines’ height, [they’re] getting the L-word. The L-bomb.”
The History channel show also features episodes on Germany, France, Scotland and Wales, but Al confessed given Ireland’s troubled past with England, it might be the most “tricky”.
He said: “When we drew up the five countries we were going to come to, Ireland was the one that had me thinking, ‘Hmm’.”
Also on the show, genealogist Declan Brady found Al has Irish roots.
He tracked his ancestors back to a woman who was married to his great grandfather.
Declan said: “She was born in India, but her mother was from Co Cork and her name was Isabella Creagh Shaw. You, Mr Murray, are Irish.”
Other historic events discussed in the show include the invasion of Oliver Cromwell and Bloody Sunday.
Murray concluded he can see why there are “many, many reasons” for the Irish to be angry at England.
Reflecting on his visit to Ireland, he added: “In a lot of these countries one of the things I use as a defence is, ‘Come on, it is a long time ago’.
“But some of the stuff to do with Ireland was not very long ago. It was within some people’s lifetime, so it’s great to discover Ireland is moving on in a way you could argue is exemplary.” ■ Al Murray: Why Does Everyone Hate The English? Monday at 9pm on History.
If they see someone under a height, they are getting the ‘L bomb’ ANDREW MAXWELL
HISTORY CHANNEL