Not So Coolaboola: Love/Hate’s Fran Reveals He Can’t Escape His Signature Catchphrase

It’s his signature phrase in RTE’s Love/Hate but in real life, it’s just wrecking his head. Peter Coonan, who plays Fran in the gritty gangland drama has revealed that he can’t escape his signature “coolaboola” catchphrase.

The Irish Sun reports that the actor admitted he is still struggling with his newfound fame (and with having people yell the catchphrase at him as he goes about his daily life).

“It was insane around Christmas time after the series aired. I couldn’t walk down the street without people looking at me and then going ‘Is it him? It is him, come here, let’s get in a picture,’” said Peter.

“You get used to it after a little white but it doesn’t stop getting weird,” he added.

And speaking about his “coolaboola” catchphrase, he said:

“I get a lot of people just shouting it at me. I was buying a CD and I could see the guy was dying to say it for about ten minutes so then I bought the thing and he said ‘that’s coolaboola, mate’ and him and his mates started laughing.”

The next series of the hit show is currently filming in Dublin

The fourth series of Love/Hate is currently filming in Dublin however the cast and crew have been sworn to secrecy about the storylines.

“It’s nice to be back with everyone, it’s a great team of people so it’s exciting,” said Peter.

Peter was speaking yesterday with his Love/Hate co-star Aoibhinn McGinnity, who plays Trish, to launch Pieta House’s nationwide Darkness into Light event with Electric Ireland.

The event which is a 5km fundraiser is in aid of the suicide and self-harm crisis centre and begins at 4am. Participants complete the walk as dawn breaks.

Peter said that he was inspired to get involved with the event as he experienced suicide first hand when one of his friends passed away.

“In the past few years in my area, about five or six men my age and younger have died from it,” said Peter.

“This country needs to get rid of the stigma attached to depression and mental health issues and tackle it in a positive way,” he added.

If you’d like to get involved with the Darkness into Light event in aid of Pieta House, you can sign up online by visiting Pieta.ie.