Actor Frank Kelly, best known for his role as the foul-mouthed priest Father Jack in the sitcom Father Ted, has died aged 77.

Kelly, who survived bowel cancer in 2011 and underwent treatment for skin cancer in 2014, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year.

The Irish actor had a celebrated career on stage and on television. He spent years working as a subeditor at Irish newspapers before his first acting role, in The Italian Job in 1969, escorting Michael Caine’s character out of prison.



He continued to act in films right up to 2014 when he played Justice Cannon in Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie.

Kelly as Father Jack (right), with Father Ted co-stars Dermot Morgan, Ardal O’Hanlon and Pauline McLynn. Photograph: Channel 4

Kelly had ongoing roles in the Irish TV drama Glenroe between 1999 and 2001 and in Emmerdale in 2010. However, it was his comic turn in the Channel 4 sitcom as the swearing alcoholic priest Father Jack, whose vocabulary was mainly limited to “Drink! Feck! Arse!”, that was his most beloved role.

The creator of Father Ted, Graham Linehan, paid tribute to the actor. “Terribly sad news. Thanks for everything, Frank,” he said.

Kelly had vowed he would not let his diagnosis of Parkinson’s interfere with his acting. “I’ve been working as an actor for over 50 years and a shaky hand won’t stop me. I remain open to offers for work on stage and screen. I’m quite available and my mobile is always on,” he said last year.

“I’m not going to let Parkinson’s beat me. I’m just not that kind of person,” he told the Irish Sun.

Kelly passed away exactly 18 years after the death of his Father Ted co-star Dermot Morgan, who died on 28 February 1998. Remarking on the coincidence, Don Morgan, Dermot Morgan’s son, tweeted: “Isn’t life just weird? Frank Kelly going on dad’s anniversary …”

Kelly is survived by his wife of 51 years, Bairbre, seven children and 17 grandchildren.

Many who had known and worked with Kelly paid tribute via Twitter.

RIP Frank Kelly. You made us laugh a lot. pic.twitter.com/w4cAlQTr1j — David Schneider (@davidschneider) February 28, 2016

Sad news about Frank Kelly. I know Father Ted was the thing everyone knew him for. I worked with him on The Deal and he was such a great guy — David Morrissey (@davemorrissey64) February 28, 2016