Madhouse: The naked truth about my chaotic childhood, losing my mind and finding a place to call home

by PJ Gallagher

Nothing about PJ Gallagher's life has followed the usual script . . . Adopted at six months old by Dubliners Sean and Helen Gallagher, PJ spent much of his childhood knocking back Lucozade with the local alcoholics in his parents' northside pub. But the chaos that reigned for his first ten years was nothing compared to what happened when - having lost the pub - Helen took in psychiatric patients from the local hospital to give them 'care in the community'. Now it was a household of ten - PJ, his sister, his parents and six lost souls. Worst. Idea. Ever. Madhouse is PJ's riotous life story. The fantastic fantasies that come with being adopted (what if your birth parents are gangster space aliens on the run?). Being a kid while the adults around you are usually drunk, throwing house Masses or taking you to Camp Jesus instead of Trabolgan. Struggling at school, leaving early and discovering a talent for comedy. Making Naked Camera and creating iconic characters like Jake Stevens, the Dirty Aul One and Jumper Man. Acting in the ground-breaking The Young Offenders . Finally, finding a home in radio. PJ also writes powerfully about mental breakdown and what he learned from his spell in a psychiatric hospital. Most surprising - to PJ more than anyone - is the prospect of becoming a dad in his late forties, when he always thought of 'family' as a trap. Madhouse is the funny, insightful and moving story of someone just trying to keep his head above water - and how he is making sense of it all at last!

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction, Irish Literature, Autobiography

320 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2024

Reviews

[Graham Connors · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Audiobook*

Part of the draw of choosing an audiobook over a hardcopy was getting to listen to PJ tell this, his story. And it's excellent! Remarkable in many places, hilarious in others, bravely honest in others too!

Would I recommend this book? Yes, it is well-worth your time!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.
Very interesting and often laugh out loud funny.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was way more easy listening than it should have been

[Oonagh Considine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about pj. Always been a fan of him .

[Barbara Marquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very interesting, but wasn’t my favorite memoir!

[Kathleen Ritchie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but sadly found it a bit of a slog. That’s not to discredit the difficult experiences of the author which are harrowing and writing the book must have taken alot of courage.

I just felt that the chapters that were interesting didn’t have enough detail and the ones less interesting had more detail. The use of humour was good and the author makes alot of really good points with a different way of looking at things.

It’s probably a 2.5 rating wise.

[Lyndsey Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

MAD HOUSE - PJ GALLAGHER: MY REVIEW 🗞

PJ is one of those names that I'd heard of,and knew what he did, but had never watched him. I did however listen to a sample of this and laugh...so I was sold.
Like I say I knew nothing about him. I didnt know he was adopted..or that he grew up in a house shared with mentally ill people. As in,people with problems living in his home that his mother looked after as a social experiment back in the 1970/80s. She worked hard with them for little money..6 or 7 patients at a time. He saw all sorts in that house growing up...thinking this was everyone's home life experience. His Dad was an alcoholic..and PJ by his own admission was rubbish in school..simply because he couldn't sit still. Its an eye opening account of his working class life in Dublin,his search for a job with little education,but at the same time its hilarious. I laughed so much during this book..and it wasn't all funny bits either..its PJs delivery. He suffered a breakdown in 2021,and that's what spurred him on to write the book. He denied his bad mental health for so long that he decided to put it all out there now.
His description of poor mental health- anxiety and Depression really hit home..it wasn't triggering but I found myself agreeing with lots he had to say,on how he felt. For serious topics but also belly laughs read this.

BOOKWORMS RATING: 📒 📒 📒 📒

[Aoife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having an otigin story that features Bessborough, it’s not the heartbreaking story you’d imagine, but it’s close.
PJ was soon adopted into a home that strongly featured alcoholism and some weird experimental outpatient treatment, (that has since ended for obvious reasons) where to subsidise their living expenses they took in 6 patients that suffered with and from mental health disorders on rotation.
I had briefly heard PJ mention this on the Late Late when the book was released, but when you actually hear the inner workings of this arrangement, it’s another story altogether (quite literally).

PJ felt he could only write this book honestly once his mam had died, so he doesn’t hold back or feel guilty in divulging in the private family matters of: his father’s magic can of Guinness, not knowing who the ambulance outside his house was for and his own admittance into St. Pat’s in 2021.

He has made us all laugh as a standup, in the parts he played on Naked Camera and Young Offenders and now on the Radio, but this is his time to make us think and understand the not so typical upbringings people face. Definitely recommend even if you’re not fan, as I wouldn’t have said I was either.

[Sandra Donegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know if I enjoyed this or not, and there were a couple of times where I almost added it to my did not finish list which is a very rare consideration.

I was looking forward to reading it as I have always enjoyed PJ on the radio & and in interviews. His recent life experience and recovery made me want to know more about the man behind the laughs. He shares it all, the good, the bad(mad?) and the downright silly. I thought I might laugh more, but it’s not that kind of book.

Anyway, it doesn’t really matter what I thought of it, because he doesn’t care and fair play to him 🤓 so read it if you want to, don’t be bothering about waiting for a review to help you decide

[Don Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on recommendation, and I really enjoyed it. I have not paid any attention to anything PJ has done since his Naked Camera days (aside from Nova every now and then) but his story is a very interesting one and there were plenty of laugh out loud moments here.

Open and honest about his upbringing, family, love life, and mental health issues. It's a very good book.

[Marielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book, read it in two days.
Well written, frank, funny (obviously) and whatever the subject, he describes it with kindness. I really only know PJ from Nova but he’s definitely caught my admiration with this book.

[sabinagilmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a signed copy of this on Radio Nova, it wasn’t my intention to read it but I felt drawn to read it, and what a great decision. I’ve always been a fan from the Young Offenders and Radio Nova, and he has had some life! This was so interesting to read. A very good autobiography, Thanks PJ

[Josephine White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read, didn't know half the stuff about him until I read this. He's had a remarkable life, fair play to him.

[Niamh Kendlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big fan of PJ from radio nova. Had to read this book and I was not disappointed. Funny, insane and sad. Hard to believe how he grew up

[Sinead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook is amazing

[Kelly Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely amazing read. Highly recommended this book.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love PJ and really enjoyed this book. Plenty of little nuggets of shock and humour. Get the audiobook if you can

[Máire Goggin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting thoughts shared on adoption.

[Jeff Brennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting,funny at times and tough also to read about a person’s mental health issues,overall seems like a good guy and this book is a half decent read

[Zek Po · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh out loud funny, loved it.

[Éabha Wall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and funny at times, I think it felt a bit short or like I wanted to know more.

[Declan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a funny and easy to listen to book about a guy with an interesting life.

[John Gannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put the book down. Laugh out loud funny in parts, which might seem odd, given the subject matter.
Although our situations are not the same, this book resonated with me on numerous levels.

[Ailbhe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not everyone needs to write a book...

[Niamh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect to like this, but it’s really good! What a crazy life..!

[Aisling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly honest and completely likeable.

[Karen]

No rating because I don’t rate people’s lives and how they write or talk about it.

[Sarah Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting life Pj has had, and great honest words, and he's a dog lover! Great audiobook

[Lorraine Kehoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to PJ reading this and it was lovely hearing him speak in his own words.