Most comedians have a particular public persona; be it Dylan Moran's articulate drunk, or "part troll" Bill Bailey. Neil Delamere's is perhaps less prosaic. Looking much like the software engineer he used to be, he is a sort of comic everyman, likeable and quick witted, he is not likely to court the kind of controversy which has recently gotten Tommy Tiernan into so much trouble. Like most comedians though he does love to talk unfortunately this is somewhat hindered by a sore throat which reduces his broad Offaly brogue to something of a whisper, however, this doesn't stop Delamere answering every question put to him completely.
A TV star through shows like "the Panel" and most recently "Republic of Telly" he has made the transition from stand up to TV star seemlessly, like most comedians though he insists he never had a career path planned out.
"I just wanted to make a living. I remember the moment I realised I could make a career out of it. I sat down one day and figured out if I could make as much money from stand up as from IT. I had no real interest in going down the IT route, " he adds quickly.
While he admits it was "difficult" starting out, places like the International Bar in Dublin had a "very conducive" atmosphere and were always supportive of new comics. Anyway he adds with a laugh, "if you were no good it was over in three or four minutes."
Delamere has blocked out the most "horrendous moments" of his early career though he has played in a few strange places, such as, Mountjoy Prison, a police station in the UK and someone's living room which was filmed for the internet, "like a reality TV show."
These early experiences of stand-up no doubt helped the comic develop a style which has consistantly garnered rave reviews in recent years.
His latest routine "Bookmarks" is a whistle stop tour through many of the landmark moments of his life, though he is already thinking about his next show, insisting he'll begin writing it soon.
His TV career may have taken off in recent years but he maintains that his first love, stand-up, is where his heart remains. "I don't envision a situation where someone puts a gun to my head and makes me choose", he laughs. "But if they did I would choose stand-up."
He is, though, more well known for his appearances on programmes like "The Blame Game" and of course "The Panel" a show he clearly enjoys doing not least of which because it is flimed in front of a live audience.
He lists some of his favourite lesser known guests on the show including chef Heston Blumenthal, who delighted the panelists with some of his favourite receipes such as "scrambled egg ice cream."
After its initial switch to RTE 1 the show was criticised for being too serious. Delamere admits that it did become more "current affairsy but I think we've pulled back a bit from that since." Being just a "sub contractor" on the show though, he has little say in it's future direction.
Away from "The Panel" and with "Republic of Telly" off air until April Delamere is currently winding up his "Bookmarks" tour.
Having toured the show since last summer the comic is clearly restless to go back to the "little clubs and try new stuff out." Once the final gigs are finished he'll begin the process of writing the bones of a new show putting ideas "into my phone or notebook."
Of course comedians are in an unusual position when it comes to performing their new material for the first time. Where actors rarely perform their work without the aid of a tightly edited script comedians must present their work not quite fully formed to gauge what works and what doesn't, Delamere clearly enjoys this form of audience editing. "I prefer it half formed and then to form it as you go."
Delamere has a busy few months lined up. "The Republic of Telly" is back in April, with the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival in June followed by the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and hopes to have the follow up to his "Bookmarks" show ready to go sometime in the Autumn.
You can still catch his "Bookmarks" show at the Arklow Bay Hotel on February 6 and at the Riverbank Theatre in Newbridge on March 11.