Pauline McLynn has broken down in tears while paying tribute to her Father Ted co-star Frank Kelly, who sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 77.
The actress, best known for her role as Mrs. Doyle, couldn’t hold her tears back while speaking about the iconic Father Jack actor, who died on the 18th anniversary of the show’s star, Dermot Morgan.
Speaking to Anton Savage on Today FM, she relayed her favourite memories and stories of the late, great star.
“He told me that his local priest and clergy in general did not approve that he was going to marry Bairbre because she already had a family and he was hauled over the coals and brought to meet them and talk about it and they said, ‘Why are you going to marry this woman?’ and he said, ‘Because I love her.’ And nobody spoke to them like that in those days,” she revealed.
“And marry her he did and they had so many decades of happiness. My heart goes out to them, because they more than us – we mourned him as a nation, as admirers, those of us like myself lucky enough to spend time and work with him – their loss is is so much harder because they had all of him…”
At this point, Pauline became emotional and said: “I knew I was going to cry. Bloody hell. He’d kill me if he heard this!”.
She added: “For us now to have lived at a time when we could have a bit of him we don’t know our luck. I really don’t believe we will see his like again.”
VIP had the pleasure of meeting Frank and his loving wife Bairbre, as well as their extended family, just two months ago for what would be his last ever photoshoot. Click here for more.