‘Fr Jack’s going to cause a scene at Pearly Gates!’
ACTOR Frank Kelly was fondly remembered at his final curtain call by his loved ones yesterday.
Hundreds of mourners from the world of entertainment gathered for the funeral of the Father Ted star, to pay tribute to a veteran performer committed to his faith, his family and his profession.
Kelly, who became a household name thanks to his portrayal of foulmouthed priest Father Jack, died on Sunday at the age of 77.
His funeral service was held at his family’s local Church of the Guardian Angels in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, where he had been a parishioner for many years. Chief celebrant Fr Bill Fortune noted how strange it was not to see him in his usual spot,
Always carried a French dictionary
‘tenth seat down on the outside’.
In their eulogy, the comedian’s sons Emmett and Stephen spoke of their father’s private and public life, revealing quirky habits including the fact that he always carried a French dictionary in his pocket.
They recalled family holidays in Ballyconneely, watching their father plug a portable television aerial into a live plug socket, and seeing him catch a seagull when he threw his fishing line back too high.
They spoke of how Kelly, who had qualified as a barrister, encouraged his children to be ambitious but always said he would rather ‘starve on stage than grow fat at the bar’.
There was laughter among the congregation when Emmett noted: ‘When he gets to heaven, when they choose to let Fr Jack through the duty free at the Pearly Gates, it will be the first time anyone ever told St Peter to feck off.’
Kelly revealed last October that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease but his death last Sunday was unexpected.
Hours before he died, he told his family that he wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. ‘We all said, “We’ll come too”. Little did we know he would die the next day,’ Emmett said.
Fr Fortune commented on Kelly’s adoration for his seven children, 17 grandchildren, and above all Bairbre, his wife of 51 years. They first met in 1961 at the Gaiety Theatre, and married three years later.
Father Ted co-star Ardal O’Hanlon and the sitcom’s creators Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews were among the mourners. President Michael D Higgins was accompanied by his wife Sabina.
Broadcaster Gay Byrne and Riverdance producer Moya Doherty were there, as were the sons of Father Ted star Dermot Morgan, who died 18 years ago. Kelly died on the anniversary of Morgan’s death.
Gifts offered at the altar symbolising the actor’s life included an Irish Times crossword, a photo of the Forty Foot in Dún Laoghaire where he often swam, a picture of the family pet Lucky, 17 flowers representing each of his grandchildren, and a copy of his autobiography The Next Gig.
The service concluded with the songs Oft In The Stilly Night and Will Ye Go Lassie, Go? as the coffin was taken from the church.
His remains were cremated at a private ceremony.