Sharon Horgan has broken her silence on the death of her beloved dad.
John Horgan, who was also father to former Irish rugby star Shane Horgan, died on December 28th, 2023, surrounded by his family, following a battle with cancer.
In her first post on Instagram since her dad passed, the Bad Sisters star admitted she misses him “terribly”, but explained that “life is hard but it does go on.”
The 53-year-old shared a touching tribute to her father following the condolences she received while attending the IFTA Awards over the weekend.
She wrote: “I haven’t posted for a while. My darling dad died at Christmas and I hadn’t – and still haven’t – learned how to accept condolences properly.
“But I was at the IFTAs at the weekend and it was my first one without him and lots of people talked to me about having met my dad and what a gorgeous man he was. And he really was. Such a dude.
“I was so proud of him and how he could talk to anyone. I remember him bending Brian Gleeson’s ear last IFTAS about how characterfully he ate an egg and onion sandwich in Bad Sisters.”
Sharon confessed: “He was my biggest cheerleader but also the best at levelling it all and reminding you not to get ahead of yourself that none of it matters. He loved nothing more than tickling a grandchild or having a pint in the sun. And he really rocked a hat.”
“I miss him terribly,” she admitted.
“Sending love to anyone who’s lost someone they love be recently or not so recently. Life is hard but it does go on.”
“So. Back to posting photos, thanking people for dresses and what not and plugging my wares. Think he’d be happy with that.”
A notice on RIP.ie after John’s death read: “The death has occurred of John (Donald) Horgan of Strand Rd, Termonfeckin, Co Louth, formerly of Bellewstown, Co Meath, London and Christchurch, New Zealand.”
“He was a hugely loved husband of Ursula, father to Maria, Sharon, Lorraine, Shane and Mark and grandfather to Sadhbhy, Amer, Marianne, Charlie, Sadie, Neala, Joni and Aoibh.”
John was laid to rest at the start of January at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Termonfeckin, Co. Louth.
Mourners in attendance included Shane’s Leinster team-mate Brian O’Driscoll, actress Sarah Greene, who co-starred in Bad Sisters alongside Sharon, and comedian Deirdre O’Kane.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik and former Leinster rugby player Shane Byrne were also seen among the mourners.
