Irish snooker legend Ken Doherty was one of last night's guests on the Tommy Tiernan show, speaking candidly with the comedian about his life and career.
Doherty grew playing in the famous Ranelagh snooker club, Jason's, before launching into an incredible professional career that included winning the 1997 World Championship.
During his conversation last night, Doherty told a brilliantly nostalgic story of his early days in Jason's.
When I used to go into Jason's, and this is a true story, they used to give me a biscuit tin to stand on, you know the old Jacob's biscuit tins?
I'd stand on it, play a shot, then kick it around and play the other shot. I used to beat some of the older boys, my brother's age, four and eight years older then me.
And they used to hide the biscuit tin on me, they said tis little bastard, he's not beating us today. So they used to hide the biscuit tin on me, and it was sort of then I knew.
It also became almost bragging rights or a stature thing and I just wanted to get better and better and better.
And every day I'd get off the bus and pass my mother's house, straight int Jason's, school bag under the table, I'd be cleaning out the ash tray, sweeping the floor, just for the free game on the table.
And then until my mother would send my sister around to say your dinner's on the table, get home, get out.
Ken Doherty Reminisces About Childhood In Jason's Of Ranelagh
"They used to give me a biscuit tin to stand on!"
Snooker legend Ken Doherty recalls how it all began in Jason's snooker club in Ranelagh.#TommyTiernanShow | @tommedian | @kendoherty1997 pic.twitter.com/xgHJPa5OOv— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) February 25, 2023
READ HERE: Watch: Ken Doherty Caught Out Brilliantly After Having No Idea He Was On Live TV
Doherty also famously uses a warped cue stick, one which he randomly picked off the rack at his old snooker club.
"It's warped," said Doherty. "I must be one of the few professionals playing with a warped cue, but I wouldn't dream of changing it. I have got used to holding it in a certain way, with my eye trained on a piece of grain."
While Doherty's best days are years behind him, he did recently qualify for the Welsh Open, before losing in the tournament to Iranian Hossein Vafaei.
SEE ALSO: Shane Lowry Pays Emotional Tribute To His Uncle Jimmy Lowry, A Stalwart Of Offaly GAA
