Joan Brosnan Walsh
Joan Brosnan Walsh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 June 1938 |
| Died | 20 December 2009 (aged 71) |
| Other names | Joan Brosnan-Walsh |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1989–2009 (her death) |
| Spouse(s) | Willie Brosnan Walsh; 3 daughters |
Joan Brosnan Walsh (29 June 1938 – 20 December 2009) was a veteran Irish actress, best known for her long-running role as the character Mags Kelly on the Irish soap opera Fair City, a role she had played for almost twenty years, from 18 September 1989[1] until her final screen appearance broadcast on 11 January 2009.
Brosnan Walsh appeared in a number of films such as The Boxer and Fatal Inheritance. She also worked as a costume designer.[2] She first worked for ACNielsen and Aer Lingus, the latter providing her with her first experience of acting. After nearly twenty years she announced her departure from Fair City in January 2009 after declaring that she had contracted motor neurone disease the previous year.[3]
She discussed her disease during an appearance alongside her husband, Willie Brosnan Walsh, on The Late Late Show on January 23, 2009, receiving a standing ovation at the end. She had painted since the 1970s but her illness forced her to revert from landscape painting to abstract painting. [citation needed]
Early life and career
Brosnan Walsh was born in 1938 in Greystones, County Wicklow.[4] She had two other siblings but her mother died when she was young. An aunt brought her up in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin.[4]
Brosnan Walsh attended the Dominican Convent on Eccles Street before pursuing a career with ACNielsen, a market research firm.[4] In 1956 she moved to Aer Lingus where she first experienced acting alongside the Metro Players, an amateur group of players which included her colleagues.[4]
Brosnan Walsh designed costumes for The Secret Marriage produced by the Irish National Opera in 1976.[4] She acted with Mobile Theatre and Team Theatre Company throughout the 1970s and 1980s, appearing on stage in The Puppeteer from Lodz (1986), The Year of the Hiker at the Gaiety (1990) and The Mother (1997).[4] She was member of the Backlane Painters, with whom she exhibited and sold her work.[4]
Family
She married Willie Walsh.[4] The couple had three daughters, Helen, Ruth and Ingrid.[4]
Fair City
Brosnan Walsh played the character of Mags Kelly in Fair City for almost twenty years, making her screen debut on September 18, 1989[1] and her final screen appearance on January 11, 2009.
Her colleague Dave Duffy (aka Leo Dowling) said she got a "terrific send-off" with "champagne and flowers for her and a bit of a party in McCoy's pub".[4]
While appearing on The Late Late Show on January 23, 2009, Brosnan Walsh spoke of her character and her time in Fair City:
I loved the character of Mags, foil to Charlie's shenanigans and I particularly enjoyed her strong relationship with, for example, Dolores, Rita, Dermot and Jo. I really enjoyed playing her.[4]
Health and death
Brosnan Walsh departed Fair City due to declining health as a result of her motor neurone disease (known as Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) in North America). The "hardest thing" was her loss of singing voice.[4]
On 23 January 2009, she appeared with her husband, Willie Walsh, on The Late Late Show to discuss her condition, saying she discovered her condition whilst holidaying with her neighbour in South France in October 2007.[5] She was then diagnosed the following Spring.[6] The audience presented her with a standing ovation at the end.[2] In February 2009 she launched Rare Diseases Week.[4]
After Brosnan Walsh's death on 20 December 2009, aged 71,[7] the cast of Fair City released the following tribute to Brosnan Walsh: "She was warm and lovely in person, a consummate professional and a delight to work with. A talented actress, singer and artist who bore her illness with incredible dignity, she will be very much missed around Carrigstown".[2]
Jane Gogan, RTÉ's drama recruiter, said "She has been at the heart of Fair City for the last 20 years and was without doubt one of its most popular characters. She was also one of the most warmly regarded colleagues in RTÉ and will be greatly missed by the Fair City cast and crew and all who worked with her in RTÉ, as well as her host of fans throughout the country".[2][8][9]
Selected filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Fatal Inheritance | Mrs. O'Toole | |
| 1997 | The Boxer | Mrs. Orr |
Awards
In 1969 she was a cast member of The Caucasian Chalk Circle Strand Players production and they won the Esso Trophy at the all-Ireland drama festival held in Athlone, County Westmeath.[4]
In 1970 Brosnan Walsh won best actress at Templetuohy's one-act drama festival in County Tipperary.[4]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Esso Trophy | all-Ireland drama festival | Won |
| 1970 | Best Actress | Templetuohy | Won |
See also
References
- ^ a b "Mags Kelly" character profile. RTÉ. Accessed 9 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d Alison Healy (2009-12-22). "'Fair City' actor Joan Brosnan Walsh dies". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Mags bows out of Fair City due to illness". Evening Herald. 2009-01-09. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Talented 'Fair City' actress who dealt with motor neuron disease bravely". The Irish Times. 2010-01-23. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Late Late show pays tribute to Fair City's Mags". Evening Herald. 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Friday 23 January 2009. The Late Late Show. Accessed 23 January 2009.
- ^ "Fair City's Joan Brosnan Walsh dies". RTÉ. 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
- ^ "Tributes paid to late Fair City star". RTÉ. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
- ^ Jason O'Brien (2009-12-22). "Fair City actress Brosnan-Walsh dies". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)