Acting great gets his final standing ovation

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.

A large congregation, including many leading figures from the Irish acting world, paid one last traditional tribute to the well-loved actor who died on Feb 12, aged 82.

Mourners at the Church of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Clonskeagh heard the veteran star of film, TV and theatre being described as an “actor’s actor”.

Local parish priest Fr Kevin Bartley praised the longevity and scope of Mr Kelly’s 70-year career on stage and screen. “He was a talented actor who made a great contribution to the arts in our country,” said Fr Bartley.

He said the actor had touched hearts through his famous portrayal of Rashers Tierney in Strumpet City and cheered hearts in his comic role as O’Reilly in Fawlty Towers.

“He had a huge fan base which spanned many generations,” he observed.

Chief mourners were Mr Kelly’s wife, actress Laurie Morton and their children, David and Miriam.

In his homily, Fr Bartley said Mr Kelly was a private man who only acknowledged public recognition from children who recalled him as Grandpa Joe in the 2005 remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

He also recalled how the actor died moments after his daughter had finished reading him a Valentine Day’s card from her mother.

Among the offertory gifts were a painting and pen in recognition of the actor’s own love of painting and writing as well as a copy of Samuel Beckett’s plays and a theatre award.

The director of the Gate Theatre, Michael Colgan, described his late friend as someone who had remained an enigma despite their long friendship.

He recalled “a man who was a beautiful contradiction — an exotic creature who yet was everyone’s grandfather.”

Among the attendance were Arts council chairperson, Pat Moylan; Abbey Theatre director, Fiach MacConghail; theatre director; Patrick Mason; playwrights, Bernard Farrell, Frank McGuinness and Lee Dunne; Riverdance producer, John McColgan and RTÉ director general, Noel Curran.

From the acting world were Tom Hickey, Des Cave, Pat Laffan, Sean McGinley, Fionnuala Flanagan, Eamonn Morrissey, Frank Kelly, Emmet Bergin, Phelim Drew, Jim Bartley and Niall Tóibin.

The theme music from Fawlty Towers and Glenroe (in which he played Sylvie Dolan) was played as Mr Kelly’s coffin was led out of the church before being brought to Mount Jerome Crematorium.