Tributes paid to a 'gentle giant' of the circuit

Tributes have been paid to Irish comedian Michael Downey, after his family announced his death yesterday.

A former accountant, he emerged on to the stand-up scene in 2001, when he came in joint third place with Alan Carr in the So You Think You're Funny stand-up competition at the Edinburgh Fringe. He was also a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Award that year, which Carr won.

However, in April 2002, he was involved in a major car crash en route to a gig at Dublin’s Comedy Cellar and  sustained a traumatic brain injury, as well as multiple physical injuries. 

He spent three months in intensive care and many more years in rehabilitation, not retuning to comedy until 2010.  And in 2012 he performed at the Edinburgh Fringe with Standing Up Again, which addressed the accident. He returned later with another show, Blue Sometimes.

His family posted a notice of his death on the rip.ie website, saying he passed away peacefully at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. They added that he is ‘sadly missed and remembered with love by his beloved wife Elaine and his mother Mary [his father Micheál having died], his brother Anthony and sister-in-law Siobhán, his extended family and his many friends’. 

The Carrick Arts festival posted a lengthy tribute on social media saying: ‘Devastated to hear of the passing of Michael Downey. A dear friend of the festival. Comedian, Carrick man and an all ‘round good guy. Michael graced our stage many times and lit up our wee festival comedy nights with his witty ways.

‘He was both smart and silly, sincere and flippant, droll but always sharp, Localised yet worldly. Off the stage, he was a kind and funny arts lover and was always delighted to see our festival grow year on year. He wanted it to be a success.

‘He was both smart and silly, sincere and flippant, droll but always sharp, Localised yet worldly. He would call into our office months out and say "well have ya all booked?" It was code for "do you need a hand with anything?". He was a good soul.’

And the Comedy Cellar called him ‘a gentle giant of Irish comedy that will be sorely missed’. 

Condolences can be left at rip.ie.

Published: 2 May 2024