In The News

Leading Irish actor passes away

Leading Irish actor passes away

Tributes have been paid to the leading Irish actor T. P. McKenna who has died aged 81.

Mr. McKenna enjoyed a long career which embraced stage and screen.

He began his working life as a banker in Dublin, but it was acting that held his interest. 

His banking career ended when he decided to turn down a proposed transfer within the bank and instead became a full-time actor.

The County Cavan man went on to spend many happy years performing at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre before leaving for England where his TV career began to develop.

Over the years he was to appear in many popular shows including The Avengers, The Sweeney and The Sweeney.

His films included Straw Dogs (1971) and The Scarlet and the Black (1983).

Mr. McKenna died in the Royal Free Hospital in London following a long illness.

Among those to pay tribute was the Irish Culture minister Mary Hanafin.

She said: “T.P. was one of the great generation of Irish actors whose talents on the screen and stage both at home and abroad gave us all great pride in his accomplishments.”

A statement from the actor’s family said: “As an actor he was unique, as a friend and colleague he was exceptional, as a father he was irreplaceable”.

 

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