Declan Hassett, former arts editor of the ‘Irish Examiner’, marks the passing of a ‘true great’, Niall Tóibín

One made us laugh at times; the other cry at times but, best of all, they always made us think.

Tributes flooded in yesterday for “comic genius” Niall Tóibín who has died after a lengthy illness.

Remembered as an actor, comedian, raconteur and mimic without parallel, Niall Tóibín died today after a long illness, a week shy of his 90th birthday.

WITH roles in prolific TV dramas like Taken Down and Charlie, Cork actor Gavin O’Connor is having a successful career. However he also has a passion for writing, and his first novel, Mojo, was a labour of love. “I sat down one day on the good advice of a friend of mine and it just poured out of me. I finished it pretty quickly. It’s about a boy band who reunite 10 years and 10lbs too late only to be double-crossed by their ex-manager and record company. There was so much comedy to mine from that set-up too,” he says.

As the stage version of Edna O’Brien’s classic novel tours to Cork and other centres, Marjorie Brennan hears from well-known figures about their experiences of the iconic book.

Rugby legend Ronan O’Gara will be conferred with the Freedom of Cork City today during a ceremony which will be streamed live to the world.

SATURDAY

Niall Tóibín has been awarded the freedom of Cork city.

“The freedom of one’s native city is a very special honour. But when that city is Cork City then it’s difficult to retain one’s humility.”

Hands — first nights are all about hands. Hands for shaking, sweating, hugging, backslapping, pint-holding, but mostly clapping.

Punters at Tipperary Racecourse were left awestruck when a rider by a different steed revved up some winning thrills.

Christy Ring made his championship debut for the Cork senior hurlers in 1940. They were dark days for the county.

ONE of the things friends remember about Luke Kelly — who passed away 30 years ago next Thursday — were his teeth. He got them fixed up in England where he went to live for a few years at 17 years of age.

City stable block has a colourful past link to horse betting scam, writes Tommy Barker.

Gay Byrne begins a new series of The Meaning Of Life on Tuesday at 10.15pm on RTÉ One with an interview with Mary McAleese.

Gay Byrne, Niall Tóibín and Brenda Fricker recount lasting memories from their meetings with John B Keane

Actor David Kelly got one final standing ovation as his coffin was carried out of his local parish church at the end of his funeral Mass in Dublin yesterday.

Stars of the stage and screen turned out today to bid a fond farewell to actor David Kelly.

PRESENTER Miriam O’Callaghan, who hosts RTÉ One’s New Year’s Eve Live show tonight, says viewers can expect a big star line-up.

Residents of the Dublin suburb of Clontarf are making their voices heard tpdau in opposition to a flood defence plan which they say is wrong for the local seafront.

ARRANGEMENTS are being made to fast-track social welfare payments for staff of Cork Opera House, who will be temporarily laid off next month.

UCC’s award of an honorary doctorate to Niall Toibín last week was, if anything, overdue. Beginning with the Borstal Boy, his range was prodigious.

“I’M probably fairly tame now and can’t do any more damage so they gave me a doctorate,” was how a modest Niall Tóibín summed up UCC’s decision to grant him an honorary doctorate.

Legendary comedian Niall Toibin has been awarded an honorary doctorate by UCC.

ACTOR and comedian Niall Tóibín is to receive an honorary doctorate of arts in his native Cork next week.

World renowned playwright Brian Friel joined the walk of fame at one of Dublin’s top theatres today.

THE 53rd Corona Cork Film Festival opened yesterday with the screening of Burn After Reading, the latest Coen brothers film starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

Four of Ireland’s renowned playwrights have joined forces with four celebrated actors for the Dublin Theatre Festival, it emerged today.

The Bulmers International Comedy Festival returns to Dublin for its second year with American Denis Leary confirmed to appear in his only European performance.

Top comedians from Ireland and abroad will perform at 20 separate venues at the second Bulmers International Comedy Festival, it emerged today.

THE indomitable Niall Tóibín has done it again... this time in bronze (Irish Examiner, May 12).

Possibly, his handprints should have been cast in gold rather than the bronze in which the Gaiety Theatre last evening honoured Niall Tóibín.

THE Irish love a rogue. He was a contemporary of Frank McCourt.

I READ with great interest the programme to celebrate Cork’s designation as European capital of culture. I look forward to a wonderful year of activity.

LISTENING to actors talking about themselves is not an edifying experience at any time. An exception is the inimitable Niall Toibín (Eamon Dunphy, Newstalk 106, Sept 13).

WHILE world leaders recently gathered to mark the tenth anniversary of Rwanda’s genocide, another horror story has been unfolding in Sudan.

Dan Buckley

QUITE how a commemorative piece of art sculpture would fit into the late writer’s view on positive PR will probably remain uncertain.

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to amalgamate two of Cork City’s best-known schools must go ahead, despite opposition from teachers and parents, the Bishop of Cork and Ross has told the Irish Examiner.

IN A land of ‘f***ing animals, Kerry football manager Páidí Ó Sé is a “horse of a man” in many ways, according to a well-known cleric.

Ireland is the home of four out of six CFT Excellence Award nominees up for best television acting in the 2001 television season.