Derry comedian Max Roddy turns viral success into fundraising drive for addiction service

“Northlands deserves every single penny. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have a career and I want to give back.”

Those were the moving words of Derry comedian Max Roddy.

Sober since August 2023, Max credited his recovery with reigniting his career, and the viral sensation is now using his profile to raise money for the treatment centre.

In April, Northlands, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, had its annual core funding withdrawn by Stormont’s Department of Health.

It subsequently emerged the same department had failed to submit a business case to the British Treasury for the one million pounds funding ring-fenced for Northlands in the January 2020 ‘New Decade, New Approach’ agreement.

Speaking to The Derry News, Max (33), who has been “in and out of comedy for years” revealed that getting sober in August 2023 has “reignited” his career.

“I was the last ever comedian to perform in the Waterside Theatre,” smiled Max, “and since then I have worked with Danny Quigley. We had a night in the Millennium Forum.

“I performed in Liverpool last year, in the Hot Water Comedy Club,” he added, “and I have also written a new show this year. Called ‘Peter Pan’ it was only supposed to be in St Columb’s Hall for one night in July but they added a second night and word has been spreading quickly. I’m taking it to The Accidental Theatre on December 20 - my Belfast debut.

“For anyone who hasn’t seen the show, it is in the Brickworks - the longest running comedy club in Derry - on Sunday night (October 26).

“On top of all of that, Newgate Arts, the new theatre in The Fountain is hosting the Max Roddy Christmas Special on December 12.

“I sent videos of myself performing to the guys in Liverpool, which is one of the top 20 comedy clubs in the world, and on April 10, 2026, I will be the first ever Derry man to perform there. Mammy Banter and Diona Doherty are the only Derry women to have solo shows there, so that will be a bit of history, said Max, who is also taking his comedy to An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny, the Edinburgh Fringe and The Glasgow Comedy Festival next year as well.

“That all came from me getting sober.

“I was a performer for 20 years but through drink and addiction, I lost that performance side. The Northlands were the people who helped me to get sober. I have a lot to thank the Northlands for.

“The first charity stuff I did was last year with Danny Quigley, who did the Iron Man. Danny actually put a lot of trust in me.

“I was only sober nine days in 2023 and I came to him with this idea about mental health because he is a massive advocate for it. We ran a Hope Comedy Festival last year, a seven day comedy festival, where we all headlined.

“Then in March I heard about the Northlands not getting the funding. I put up a video saying how much I was upset, and how this shouldn’t be happening because if it wasn’t for Northlands I wouldn’t be in the position I am now.

“That video went viral and I mean hundreds of people reached out to me looking to raise money and it has sort of been a ripple effect. There have been loads of people fundraising: tattoo shops, people doing football matches and Thomas Campbell, who works with Northlands, held a golf event in Foyle Golf Centre.

Thomas Campbell, Andy Doherty (an actor who was in Bump Along the Way with Bronagh Gallagher) and Emmet Doyle the former Derry City and Strabane District Councillor and myself set up ‘Stand Up for Northlands’ , a mammoth fundraiser for the centre. We have raised £6,000 this year so far and other people have also been fundraising outside of that.”

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He added: “That is when I decided to do a big charity comedy night in St Columb’s Hall. It is taking place on Saturday, November 22, with some of the most massive comedians across the land: William Thompson, Ro Boyle, Sara Jane Davidson, Leeann Toland, John Devlin, and myself, with MC, Rory Mc Swiggan.

“Everyone is performing free of charge. They see what Northlands has done for me and they want to give back themselves because every family has experience with addiction.

“I would also like to mention Brian McCandless from City Menswear who has donated the cost of hiring the hall and Eugene Hutchinson a comedy fan made a donation to cover the cost of technician so they have made sure every ticket sale goes directly to the Northlands.

“This is the last big thing we are doing as a collective. We also have a GoFundMe page, which is open until January 2026.”

Philosophically he added: “Northlands asked in January 2024, ‘Max what did you do before alcohol and drugs was a thing?’ and I said, ‘I was a performer’ and they said, ‘Well well go that’.

“Since then I have grown a following of 20,000 in less than 18 months on TikTok, I am working with some of the biggest comedians in Ireland and I have had two solo shows.

“It is a no brainer, if it wasn’t for Northlands I wouldn’t have a career.

“The Northlands deserves every single penny this year. As you can tell it is more than just a passion project, it means a lot.”

Tickets for Stand Up for Northlands are available CLICK HERE.