Legendary Irish actor and comedian Niall Tóibín has sadly passed away after a long illness. 89-year-old Tóibín died earlier today in Dublin, just one week off turning 90.
He is predeceased by his wife, Judy, and is survived by his children Sean, Muireann, Aisling, Sighle and Fiana and his seven grandchildren.
Tóibín has starred in the likes of 'Far & Away', 'Veronica Guerin', 'Ryan's Daughter' and alongside Pierce Brosnan in 'The Nephew'. He was working right up until last year, appearing in Irish short film 'Remains'.
The Cork man has also had many TV roles with screen credits including RTÉ's The Clinic, 'Ballykissanger', 'Bracken', 'Murphy's Stroke', 'RAT', 'The Ballroom of Romance', 'King of the Castle', 'Brideshead Revisited' and 'Frankie Starlight'. He also famously starred in Brendan Behan’s ‘Borstal Boy’ in Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre.
He was honoured with the Irish Film and Television Academy's (IFTA) Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony at the Irish Film Institute on 3 November 2011. In 2015, he was awarded the freedom of Cork city.
RTÉ recently commissioned a documentary on his life from filmmaker Brian Reddin for broadcast later this year. Ins statement, Dee Forbes, Director-General, RTÉ, said: "Niall Tóibín started acting in the 1950s and spent fourteen great years with the Radio Éireann Players. He became, ultimately, a familiar face on RTÉ to generations of Irish people.
"A proud Corkman, he was as at home in film as on the stage, and an especially entertaining guest on many Late Late Shows over the years. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."
