What's your earliest holiday memory?I used to go to Ballyheige, in Co Kerry, with my family. I was the second-youngest of five kids. We had a little dinghy, and my father used to walk through the waves and pull us along. There is footage of us from a Super 8 camera playing on holidays in the garden, swimming, running at the camera and running away from it.
What was your worst holiday?Bristol airport and myself don't get on. I once arrived two hours early for a flight to Dublin, but it was delayed for 12 hours. I remember watching people arrive for work and finishing their shift eight hours later. There was nothing there, and I missed a gig over it. The worst thing was they only updated us every half an hour, so I didn't know how long I would be. Then the last time I was there I was hassled for holding newspapers, as they insisted that I put them in my bag. There were three security guards ready to jump on me. It was awful, and I am not in a hurry to get back.
What was your best holiday?I really liked Cape Town, the area around it and the wine country. Though I am not a wine drinker, I had a few glasses there. I thought it was a beautiful city. I did a few gigs in Johannesburg but didn't really like it. I also had a great time in New York, where I did two gigs. Travel is probably the thing I like most about my job.
If budget or work were not a restriction, what would be your dream holiday?I would travel the world and go everywhere in luxury. I'd love to go to India and do a gig in the Comedy Store in Mumbai. I haven't been to South America, and I'm a big fan of football, so I would love to go to Argentina and Brazil and the whole of South America.
If you had your pick, who would you bring on holiday with you?My girlfriend was my first pick to come to China once I realised that Angelina Jolie was busy and she stopped returning my calls.
What's your favourite place in Ireland?Limerick. I have travelled the length and breadth of the country, to lots of beautiful places, like Bunbeg, in Co Donegal. But it would have to be Limerick city. (I am obviously biased.)
Your recommended holiday reading?I like factual books and biographies. I also like Ian Rankin's books and novels by Mark Billingham, who is a comedian turned detective novelist.
Where will you go to next?I'm doing two weeks of gigs in China and then spending a week travelling around. I will also be travelling to all Ireland's soccer games, home and away, as part of the Soccer Republic files.
Karl Spain's new series, Karl Spain Wants to Rock!, which follows tribute bands, begins on RTÉ2 on October 26th. He also continues his video files on soccerrepublic.ie
In conversation with Genevieve Carbery