Ed Byrne

It's funny how career paths can suddenly shift. Comedian and actor Ed Byrne, who was born in Swords, Ireland, went to the University of Strathclyde with an intent to study horticulture. He wound up being named the entertainment convener at the Student Union when he was in his second year and he forgot all about plants. The comedy bug bit him and he wound up creating shows at the school and then after being able to successfully book a lot of acts, he left Strathclyde and plunged into the world of comedy. He became known for his observational comedy and became a huge international success, appearing on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" (NBC 1993-2009) five times and regularly appearing at comedy festivals around the world. Several of his stand-up shows were released on DVD, including "Different Class" (2009). Along with his stand-up career, Byrne appeared in movies like "Zemanovaload" (2005) and "Round Ireland With a Fridge" (2010) and became a regular fixture on British TV quiz and chat shows due to his improvisational wit.