At The Squealing Pig Bar & Restaurant · Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
The Squealing Pig Comedy Club has built a loyal following in Monaghan town, running regular stand-up nights that pull in some of the strongest names on the Irish comedy circuit. This July edition brings Diona Doherty to the mic - a Derry comedian who has become one of the most recognisable voices in Irish comedy. She has been a regular panellist on BBC Northern Ireland’s The Blame Game, appeared in Derry Girls, toured sold-out Edinburgh Fringe shows, and written stage comedies that have played to packed houses across the island. If you have not seen her live, this is a very good reason to make the trip to Monaghan on a Friday night.
The show runs from 9pm to 11pm at The Squealing Pig Bar and Restaurant on The Diamond in Monaghan town. The format is a headed bill: Diona Doherty leads as headliner, supported by a rotating cast of additional acts billed as “friends” - the kind of line-up that typically mixes established comics with newer voices from the Irish circuit.
The Squealing Pig has been a fixture on the Monaghan social scene for over 30 years. It operates across several spaces - the main bar downstairs, Porky’s restaurant, and an upstairs function room that hosts the comedy nights. The atmosphere is a pub comedy room in the truest sense: close, convivial, and very much better with a drink in hand. Arrive early to get a decent seat and order at the bar before the show kicks off.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite, and refunds are permitted up to seven days before the event.
Monaghan town sits on the N2, around an hour from Dublin and 90 minutes from Belfast. From Dublin, Bus Eireann operates regular services on the Dublin to Donegal route, calling at Monaghan. From the north, Ulsterbus links Enniskillen and Derry with the town. The Squealing Pig is on The Diamond - the central square - so it is an easy walk from any bus stop in the town. Street parking is available around the town centre in the evenings.
Monaghan town is a compact market town with a good few pubs, a 19th-century Gothic cathedral, and the excellent Monaghan County Museum if you are staying over. There is more to see in Monaghan and across Co. Monaghan.
Heading to The Squealing Pig Bar & Restaurant in Monaghan? Monaghan has plenty more to see. Read the Monaghan area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.