FARMER DAN, the Answer Man has become something of an internet oddity by answering the most abstruse questions, in his own inimitable way, and posting the videos on YouTube.
A recent query about the complex subject of relativity came from Lulu in Limerick, and Dan immediately got to grips with the topic.
“Today’s question is a big one,” he says. “The theory of relativity. No Lulu, from what I can gather. . . Einstein said different things travelling in time could be travelling at different times, but they’re all travelling at the same time. Or again, the theory of relativity: you might have relatives born at different times but they’re all related to you. Unfortunately.”
Find out what makes Farmer Dan tick:
Where are you from?
I’m from a small village, Ballybehind, in the county of Clare. I live in a small cottage overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the West of Ireland. I've been moulded by this part of the world — it has allowed me to become a small farmer, an armchair philosopher, a Junior B champion hurler, and an award-winning pine marten breeder.
I live with my dog Rosie O’Hanrahan, and my precocious, bossy cat Quentin O’Handgrenade.
What gave you the idea of becoming an Answer Man?
It came from Joan O'Hanrahan my girlfriend, a brilliant artist. We share a lot of the same sensibilities. Being a mix of seanachaí and agony aunt she has brought much-needed wisdom and laughter to our cruel, silly, wonderful world. Joan also films the episodes when I’m in answering mode. That's the ones you can see on the YouTube contraption.
Have you had a huge education that allows you to answer the trickiest questions with such erudition?
I have a doctorate from Oxford and one other doctorate from Cambridge…at least that’s what it said on the matchbox where I saw the advertisements for the courses.
I also did a hairdressing course at hair salon that created Donald Trump’s hairstyle. I’d prefer to forget that part of my considerable education.
In regards to being erudite, it comes naturally to me on account of my time working as TIVL teacher (English as a Second Language) in the Dáil Éireann bar.
Scroll down to see Farmer Dan in action...
On average, how many questions are you called on to answer in a given month, say?
From one to infinity could be the answer, yet it averages about 13 a week, and about 55 a month.
What's been your toughest question?
Predictions are always tough mainly because people may not like the answer. Time travel is another tough one especially since my time traveling machine broke down and is being worked on by the local garage.
Science, sex and flower-arranging can be tricky enough as well.
What's been your favourite answer?
The right one! And the question recently sent into me on the back of a 50 euro note. That question got my full undivided attention.
How can people submit questions to you?
At the moment they can e-mail me at [email protected] or on the Twittering machine @FarmerDanAMan
Also over in the old Facebook, the young fella of the Zuckerbergs, Mark, has allowed me to use one of his pages at www.facebook.com/danfarmeranswers/
In time we hope to have more details regarding a possible website etc. But we have to be careful at the moment as we wouldn’t want to break the internet, like.
