Aisling Bea might be best known for quick comedic timing and and quick wit, but some fans have been left surprised to learn her mother is a celebrity and trailblazer in her own right, having made history as one of Ireland's early female jockeys.

While it's long been known that Aisling's mother is Helen O'Sullivan, a former professional jockey and secondary school teacher, the comedian's recent comments about her upbringing have sparked renewed interest in her family background, with many admitting they had "no idea" how accomplished her mum really is.

Speaking on RTÉ's Second Captains, Aisling, 41, reflected on how her mother's resilience shaped her own career in a male-dominated industry.

"In many ways, she was quite a pioneer for female jockeys. I'm extremely proud of her," she said. "It is interesting how there aren't as many women in my industry, in comedy, as there should, could, and hopefully will be, but it is interesting growing up watching a woman ploughing ahead in a male-dominated industry."

The This Way Up star explained that while she never felt limited by her gender in her early years, things changed when she went to university.

"Up to that point, I'd managed to get away with being a person and then, all of a sudden, I started being kind of segregated," she said. "Those little moments, those little niggles, push away at your mindset and your confidence sometimes - that inner, intrinsic thing which has been helped by my mother's determination."

She also highlighted the double standards her mother faced during her racing career, recalling: "I remember she always said that if she won a race, it was because the horse was fast. But if she lost the race, oh, it was a female jockey, so that's what it was... You never just got to be there on your own merit, but it didn't stop her."

Though Aisling has since become a familiar face on panel shows and scripted TV, including 8 Out of 10 Cats and Taskmaster, she admits her rise hasn't always been smooth.

"One year, I did 10 or 11 pilots of TV shows that never went anywhere," she said. "They are the things that make you, but also they're so sad and disappointing and most of it is grit and pulling yourself back up again."

Born Aisling Clíodhna O'Sullivan, the Irish star adopted her stage name Bea in tribute to her late father Brian, a horse vet who died when she was three. "I took Bea from the start of Brian O Suilleabhain," she explained during a podcast appearance.