Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
if you grew up in Belfast in the 1950s, 60s or early 70s, there was one voice you simply couldn't mistake — James Young, better known to generations as “Our Jimmy.”
Born in Ballymoney in 1918, Jimmy was brought to Belfast as a baby and grew up around the Ormeau Road.
He left school at 14 and worked as a rent collector, travelling through areas including the Shankill, Falls and Crumlin Road. The colourful Belfast people he met along the way would later help inspire some of the unforgettable characters that made him famous.
Jimmy wasn't just a comedian — he was a seriously talented actor. He became part of Belfast's famous Ulster Group Theatre and established himself on stage before becoming a household name as Derek the Window Cleaner in the BBC radio comedy The McCooeys.
Then came the characters Belfast would never forget:
😂 Wee Sammy ⚓ Wee Ernie the Shipyard Worker 👒 Orange Lil 🤒 Mrs O'Condriac 🍸 The Cherryvalley Lady 🪟 And, of course, Derek the Window Cleaner
Jimmy had an extraordinary ability to imitate the voices, attitudes and little habits of Belfast life.
And the remarkable thing was that he could make fun of everybody.
Protestant, Catholic, working class, well-to-do — nobody escaped Our Jimmy's eye for comedy. During the Troubles he could perform essentially the same politically barbed material on the Shankill and in the Bogside.
His fame travelled far beyond Belfast. Jimmy toured Ireland, Canada and the United States, and his comedy records sold more than a quarter of a million copies.
But his story ended far too soon.
On 5 July 1974, aged just 56, James Young suffered a fatal heart attack while driving along Belfast's Shore Road. He had been travelling to the funeral of a fellow actor.
Northern Ireland had lost one of its greatest entertainers.
More than half a century later, people still remember the voices, the characters and those wonderful Belfast expressions.
Our Jimmy didn't just tell jokes — he captured Belfast.
He preserved the voices of ordinary people and turned them into characters that became part of Northern Irish history.
❤️ Do you remember James Young? Which Our Jimmy character or sketch was YOUR favourite? Tell me in the comments — I'd love to hear your memories.
BELFAST JACK — KEEPING THE MEMORIES ALIVE
if you grew up in Belfast in the 1950s, 60s or early 70s, there was one voice you simply couldn't mistake — James Young, better known to generations as “Our Jimmy.”
Born in Ballymoney in 1918, Jimmy was brought to Belfast as a baby and grew up around the Ormeau Road.
He left school at 14 and worked as a rent collector, travelling through areas including the Shankill, Falls and Crumlin Road. The colourful Belfast people he met along the way would later help inspire some of the unforgettable characters that made him famous.
Jimmy wasn't just a comedian — he was a seriously talented actor. He became part of Belfast's famous Ulster Group Theatre and established himself on stage before becoming a household name as Derek the Window Cleaner in the BBC radio comedy The McCooeys.
Then came the characters Belfast would never forget:
😂 Wee Sammy ⚓ Wee Ernie the Shipyard Worker 👒 Orange Lil 🤒 Mrs O'Condriac 🍸 The Cherryvalley Lady 🪟 And, of course, Derek the Window Cleaner
Jimmy had an extraordinary ability to imitate the voices, attitudes and little habits of Belfast life.
And the remarkable thing was that he could make fun of everybody.
Protestant, Catholic, working class, well-to-do — nobody escaped Our Jimmy's eye for comedy. During the Troubles he could perform essentially the same politically barbed material on the Shankill and in the Bogside.
His fame travelled far beyond Belfast. Jimmy toured Ireland, Canada and the United States, and his comedy records sold more than a quarter of a million copies.
But his story ended far too soon.
On 5 July 1974, aged just 56, James Young suffered a fatal heart attack while driving along Belfast's Shore Road. He had been travelling to the funeral of a fellow actor.
Northern Ireland had lost one of its greatest entertainers.
More than half a century later, people still remember the voices, the characters and those wonderful Belfast expressions.
Our Jimmy didn't just tell jokes — he captured Belfast.
He preserved the voices of ordinary people and turned them into characters that became part of Northern Irish history.
❤️ Do you remember James Young? Which Our Jimmy character or sketch was YOUR favourite? Tell me in the comments — I'd love to hear your memories.
BELFAST JACK — KEEPING THE MEMORIES ALIVE
