Recently deceased man Kevin Dorothy took centre stage during a comedy night at The Pavilion Bar Ormeau Road Belfast.

Dying on stage: urn containing Kevin Dorothy's ashes take centre stage in Belfast's Pavillion Bar

A Belfast man with a passion for comedy has made his stand-up debut – from beyond the grave.

Before Kevin Dorothy passed away in December he'd wanted to take part in a comedy night at the city's Pavilion Bar.

Sadly, the 53-year-old's bucket list dream did not materialise, but his dying wish has now been fulfilled by friends.

On Monday night Stephen Mullan stood before an appreciative audience at the Ormeau Road venue to deliver Kevin's best jokes.

Kevin was there in both spirit and physical form. Well, sort of. The urn containing his ashes – complete with smiley face – was on the stage throughout.

The routine consisted of jokes he had texted to Stephen and other friends – and was a hit with the audience.

Pavilion Bar comedy night MC Conor McGinley told the Belfast Telegraph the venue was thrilled to be able to accommodate such a fitting tribute and unusual, poignant request.

"We were totally psyched about it," Conor said. "It is very in keeping with what Kevin would have wanted. I have been MC in the Pav for a few years now, me and Magic George, and Kevin came every week, religiously. He was always here at the bar with a Guinness. He loved to laugh.

"The idea that his friends have been able to tick this off his bucket list is well in keeping with the spirit of the Pav. Kevin would have found it hilarious."

Kevin's friend Tom Sweeney spoke of his late pal's comedy ambitions.

"Kevin had a habit of texting the most cringe-inducing jokes to all his pals," Tom said.

"I always read them, groaned and deleted them right away – they were awful.

"Stephen, however, kept them – five years' worth, and that's what the audience was treated to.

"And do you know something? Kevin's jokes weren't that awful after all on hearing Stephen deliver them.

"Nobody had seen anything like it. You hear about comedians dying on stage. Well, Kevin jumped the gun."

Now that Kevin's stand-up wish has come true there is just one final task for his friends to complete.

"The big fella loved his Guinness, so the plan is to scatter his ashes in the Liffey in the hope that maybe, just even one molecule of the man we all loved so much, will find its way into a pint of the black stuff."

BACKGROUND

A bucket list is a collection of wishes someone wants to fulfil before they die.

Belfast man Kevin Dorothy (53), who died in December, had always wanted to do stand-up so his friends performed gags he had texted them before his death at the the Pavilion Bar comedy night in Belfast this week. The comedy night runs every Monday from 8.30pm.

Belfast Telegraph