After I left school, I went straight into the entertainment business. That's not to say that I didn't think about going to university. I did apply for computer courses, but my dad could tell that my heart wasn't in it. So he said: "I'll take you on full-time." It all happened from there. The plays were the brainchild of his son Rory, who started working with his dad at the age of 12, filling in on the sound desk. The pair of them went on to form Little Round Records Ltd in Ballybofey, where Rory is mainly involved in the production side of the business. There were issues about which lines to leave in, where the most laughs would come from, and how a scene would progress and so on, but Rory and I never seriously argued about it. She was aware I earned money playing music and so told me I could continue signing on and risk being investigated or else sign off."

Relatively Speaking: A chat with Conal and Rory Gallen". Belfast Telegraph. 3 February 2015 . Retrieved 25 September 2020.After gigging in bars across the country, Gallen took a decision at the start of the 90s to "upgrade" himself, and book events in four theatres. He admits he then "took cold feet", before teaming up with old friend Charlie McGettigan to make them joint gigs.

My dad has always been a big role model. I've a nine-year-old daughter called Amber, and I always say that if I can be half the father to her as he was to me, my older sister Trasa and my younger brother Ciaran, we'll be alright. Gallen, who has just returned from leading a group of Irish fans on a tour to Tennessee, admits "I still surprises myself". "This Joker stand-up tour we are doing at the minute is the most successful tour I've ever done."Gallen credits his career choice to a social-welfare officer, with a helping hand from Leitrim singer Charlie McGettigan and inspiration from Dublin comedian and singer Brendan Grace.