LEGENDARY Limerick actor Jon Kenny has passed away at the age of 66.
His wife Margy confirmed the sad news to Limerick Live this Saturday morning.
Jon passed away in Galway Clinic on Friday evening.
The Hospital native is best known as one half of the famous comic duo d’Unbelievables with Pat Shortt, while he also appeared in the breakout Irish hit film The Banshees of Inisheerin. Latterly he lived in Lough Gur.
READ MORE: Green Limerick: Homeowners encouraged to avail of heating grants
He also starred in Les Misérables and was a popular figure in theatres both locally and nationally.
A jack of all trades, he has been an actor, a comedian, a writer and latterly a poet.
Even this Saturday night, he was scheduled to perform at The Schoolyard Theatre in Charleville, the venue announcing the cancellation of the event earlier in the week.
Jon had spoken openly about his health struggles. In the early 2000s, he was treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and also suffered from heart failure.
There is intense sadness following the tragic news, with Bruff solicitor and former Fine Gael councillor Bill O’Donnell saying: “This is a great tragedy. I am very sad for his family. I am particularly saddened becuase mine and Jon’s family have a long history together.”
“This will be a great shock to the community and the community will be very saddened by this event. Jon not only was a public man, he was also a very good friend and neighbour. While we have known he has had bad health in the past, this has come as a total shock to all of us,” he said.
“A born comedian and actor with such a wit, and he will be sadly missed,” was the verdict of Cllr Noreen Stokes.
A number of people have also paid tribute to the performer on the social network X, formerly Twitter.
One person wrote: “So sad to hear of the passing of Jon Kenny, a true legend from D’Unbelievables and a cherished local figure. He leaves behind a lasting legacy of laughter and memories. He will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, Jon.”
Cllr Conor Sheehan wrote: “Devastated to hear of the untimely passing of Jon Kenny, a Limerick legend. We were privileged to have him grand marshal our St Patrick’s Day Parade in 2023. He brought much joy to many through d’Unbelievables and latterly as Gerry in the Banshees of Inisherin. Taken too soon.”
And Cllr Olivia O’Sullivan described him as “a staple of the stage in Limerick for as long as I can remember.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris added: “Jon had the ability, that very few people possess, to make his audiences crack up laughing with a glance or a single word. Behind that seemingly effortless talent to joke, there was a gifted performer and an extremely deep thinker. 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.”
It was his health struggles which brought a premature end to his hugely successful partnership with comedian Pat Shortt.
Earlier this year, the celebrated actor revealed he was undergoing chemotherapy after cancer was detected on his left lung.
He said it was the second time cancer was found on his lung after it was operated on four years previously.
Only last year, Jon cycled through Limerick as he played a starring role in the St Patrick’s Day parade, as its grand marshal.
Speaking at the time he said: “Being part of this society or community, this greater thing called Limerick you just begin to identify, I suppose we are part of a tribe, in a nice way.”
“It’s brilliant to feel you belong to part of something and to carry it with you in your work when you go away. It’s amazing no matter where I’ve been or performed whether you are in New York or Toronto or London or Belfast or any place or even in Dublin people come up to you and they say ‘you’re from Limerick aren’t you?’”
“I’m part of that group of people like a lot of people from County Limerick who are artists and musicians who have to travel for a living and so we do carry Limerick with us no matter where we go and with great pride.”
Jon Kenny is survived by his wife Margie, daughter Leah, son Aaron and his wider family.
Funeral details have yet to be announced.