President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins has penned a touching tribute to the late Brendan Grace.
The beloved comedian sadly passed away at the age of 68 in the early hours of this morning, following a short battle with lung cancer.
In a statement, President Higgins said: “I have learned with great sadness of the death of Brendan Grace, singer and comedian.”
“As a comedian Brendan’s spontaneous wit and his sense of timing, his obvious delighting in interaction with his audiences, meant that Brendan’s sense of humour was drawing from, and itself a profound contribution to, the deep wellspring of Irish wit.”
“Brendan’s sense of humour was drawing from, and itself a profound contribution to, the deep wellspring of Irish wit.”
Statement by President Higgins on the death of Brendan Grace: https://t.co/XOOod4wL8b pic.twitter.com/blXObBtQAN
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) July 11, 2019
He continued: “His best-loved characters will endure, precisely because they are both recognisable and representative of the experiences lived and recalled by Irish people of all ages.”
“It was a privilege to know him, and a pleasure to meet Brendan as recently as the 5th of June last, when he accompanied The Forget Me Nots choir to a Garden Party at Áras an Uachtaráin.”
“As President of Ireland, I express my deepest condolences to his wife Eileen, his children Bradley, Melanie, Brendan and Amanda, and to his wider family and his friends, and all who valued his acuity and sharp sense of humour.”
Brendan had a remarkable career as a comedian and entertainer, which spanned five decades.
In October 2018, to mark Brendan’s 50 years in the entertainment business, RTÉ screened the documentary, Brendan Grace – Funny Man, which was directed by Brian Reddin and looked back over the brilliant career of Ireland’s favourite funny man.
Shot on location throughout Ireland the UK and Boston and featuring interviews with a who’s who of the Irish entertainment business, this documentary offered a revealing and often hilarious portrait of a performer beloved by everybody.
The documentary will be repeated at 10.15pm on RTÉ One tonight.
