Tributes paid as Irish comic Jon Kenny dies at 66

Farewells to a 'comedy powerhouse'

Tributes have been paid to Irish comic Jon Kenny, who died yesterday at the age of 66.

He had suffered a heart attack last Sunday and had not regained consciousness since.

Kenny started his career in the 1980s in the double act D'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt, releasing several videos.

They toured extensively over Ireland for almost a decade until Kenny was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease in 2000, but was fully treated by 2004.

He returned to comedy in 2010, performing a one-man show across the country.

On screen, his credits include playing both cinema-owner Michael Cocheese and A Song For Europe host Fred Rickwood in two episodes of Father Ted, Frank Cunningham in Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie in 2014, Gerry in The Banshees of Inisherin in 2022.

However he had several other health issues, In 2011, he underwent a triple heart bypass, his cancer recurred in 2020 and he underwent lung surgery.

Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris led the tributes, saying he learned of Kelly's death with the 'utmost sadness' and said he had the 'ability, that very few people possess, to make his audiences crack up laughing with a glance or a single word'.

He added: 'Behind that seemingly effortless talent to joke, there was a gifted performer and an extremely deep thinker," Harris said in a statement. Jon was an interesting and thoughtful person, he had some stunning dramatic performances on stage and on screen and the country is still in stitches from the magic that was D’Unbelievables.'

Kenny leaves a wife Margy, to whom he had been married since 1990, and daughter Leah and son Aaron.

Shortt posted: 'We are all devastated with the news of Jon passing and our thoughts are with Margy Aaron and Leah. I was lucky to spend so many years touring with Jon and learning from him. Creating some great shows and videos. Hilarious hours in the rehearsal room and playing great tunes. But sitting in the kitchen with Margy and [Shortt’s wife] Caroline just having the craic in Lough Gur will never be forgotten. Thanks Jon.’

Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan wrote on X: ‘Ah, no John Kenny checked out. You’ll know him from Father Ted but I first saw him in D’unbelievables where he and Pat Short did a whole show as if the audience were guests at a wedding. Never saw anything like it. RIP and love to his family and friends,"'

Fellow comic Bernard Casey posted: ‘RIP Jon Kenny. So talented he was in Fr Ted as 2 totally different characters, and people didn't even spot it… One of our greats.’

And Dara O Briain wrote: ‘Jon was a lovely, lovely man, and a comedy powerhouse. D’Unbeliveables opened the door to all the rest of us, doing epic tours and dragging the audience, sometimes bodily, into a mad world of their creation. A unique man, and will be missed. RIP.’