Barry’s Tea, HBO Classics, and Improv Podcasts: Dave Coffey’s Essential List

Dave Coffey joined THINKHOUSE as a copywriter in 2015 and has delivered successful campaigns for global organisations and beloved Irish brands, including Ben & Jerry’s, Heineken, Three Mobile, Lynx, Deloitte, Tourism Ireland, and many more.

His speciality is writing TV and radio scripts. He’s written TV ads for the likes of Jameson Whiskey, Barry’s Tea, Frank and Honest Coffee, and RTÉ.

With a background in TV, radio, podcasting, and live theatre, Dave is an IFTA-nominated writer/director with a track record for creating smart, original comedy shows with recognisable characters and a satirical edge.

He recently sat down with LBB to chat all things essential for him, from holiday getaways to his favourite authors and latest AI curiosity…

Lifestyle

Place of birth: Dublin
Hometown: Dublin
Staycation: Kilkenny or Galway.
Vacation: I’m a big fan of Portugal. The weather, the food, and the people.
Pet: Had a childhood cat named Murdoch (named after the A-Team character, not the media mogul).
Place of work: THINKHOUSE, the youth marketing agency. For over a decade.
Place of workout: A gym five minutes from the office. No excuse not to go.
Side Project: Improv podcasts ‘Phoning It In’ and ‘Welcome Back’
Mode of transport: Walking - as much as possible.
Bonus Travel Essential: A box of Barry’s Tea. No Irish person leaves home without it.

Culture

Musician: Joanna Newsom
Film director: Cohen Brothers or Paul Thomas Anderson
Author: Larry McMurtry, Flann O’Brien, Margaret Atwood
Photographer: Kevin Goss Ross
Film: ‘Casablanca’
Series: All the HBO classics. ‘The Sopranos’, ‘Deadwood’, ‘The Wire’, ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘Succession’, ‘Watchmen’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘Veep’.
Invention: Curious to see where AI is going to take us.
Commercial: John West - ‘Bear’ or those hilarious Panda Cheese ads. I’m a sucker for an angry bear.
Music Video: ‘Virtual Insanity’ by Jamiroquai
Video Game: ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’. I’ve clocked up hundreds of hours playing and replaying this. I just started a co-op playthrough with my wife (who was a lead writer on it). I’m not biased.
Board Game: ‘Inis’ is a board game based on Irish myths and legends with beautiful imagery by Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick.
Book: ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ by John Kennedy Toole or ‘True Grit’ by Charles Portis. Both are very funny.
Graphic Novel: ‘Watchmen’
Podcast: ‘Phoning It In’ and ‘Welcome Back’ (this one is biased)
Newspaper (off or online): The Guardian
Obsession: Improv Comedy, Games, Karaoke
Bonus Culture Essential: Live Pro Wrestling or Ukulele Singalong Sessions

Food and Drink

Breakfast: The Veggie Fry from my local café, Parklife
Restaurant: Pickle Indian Restaurant
Cheap bite: Dash Burger for the best smash burgers in Dublin
Working lunch: A chicken fillet roll
Dish: Jambalaya or Achari Chicken
Snack: Banshee Bones
Guilty Pleasure: Smoked Beef Brisket
Bar: BAR 1661 for cocktails. Fidelity for beers. And Teach Beag for music.
Booze: Cider or Red Wine
Not Booze: Sparkling water
Bonus Food: Keelings Strawberries
Bonus Beverage: Barry’s Tea

Kit

Phone: Samsung S24+
Computer: MacBook Air at work. Generic PC at home.
Headphones: JBL Tune 175 BT
Camera: Canon DSLR
Pen/ pencil: Blue BIC Biro
Where you document an idea: The obligatory black notebook
Casual Clothing: Adidas meets Hawaiian shirts
Smart Clothing: All in black
Footwear: Converse or Nike Air Max 90
Accessory: Silver Casio watch, silver rings
Home comfort: Hanging out with my wife
App: Duolingo (Irish)
Website: BBC Good Food
Work program: Google Docs, ClickUp, Adobe Express
Analogue work tool: Pen and paper
Morning grooming/ makeup essential: Bulldog Moisturiser
Bonus Kit Essential: A pack of Rowntree’s Fruit Gums