Brendan Grace, one of Ireland’s most beloved comedians, died on July 11, 2019 at the age of 68.
Grace, a native of Dublin, had been in hospital being treated for pneumonia for a number of weeks before his death. He was also receiving ongoing treatment for cancer.
Grace was survived by his wife Eileen Doyle, who he married in 1973, and their four children, Melanie, Brendan, Amanda, and Bradley.
Following Grace's death, his longtime booking manager Tom Kelly paid tribute: "One of the greatest entertainers of this era, he gave a performance every night that merited the applause he received.
"We look back with pride on Brendan's lifetime.
"He was a great family man, very close with them, and was adored by his fans all over the world."
Grace's funeral in Dublin on July 15, 2019, was attended by thousands. Fans lined the streets to see the procession which made stops at the Guinness brewery and Grace's childhood home on Echlin Street.
A year after his funeral, Grace's family scattered his ashes on Lough Derg, near the family home in Killaloe, Co Clare.
Grace's career in entertainment spanned over 50 years, but the Irish comic is probably best known for his role as Fr Fintan Stack in “Father Ted,” as well as his original character 'Bottler,' an Irish schoolboy.
Brendan Grace as Fr Fintan Stack
Brendan Grace as Bottler
Grace also forayed into music and film. His song, “Combine Harvester,” hit number one in both Ireland and the UK in 1975.
"Combine Harvester" by Brendan Grace
In 1995, Grace hit the big screen when he featured as Murphy in the Irish film "Moondance," described as a "romantic, humorous, rite-of-passage drama largely set in contemporary rural Ireland."
In his later years, Grace split his time between Ireland and West Palm Beach, in Florida. He came back to Ireland when his health failed.
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In celebration of Grace’s comedic legacy, we share here some of his most popular bits:
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