RSS
Entertainment



Mick Lally, actor, co-founder of Druid Theater dies



Bookmark and Share

Mick Lally
Mick Lally

Mick Lally one of Ireland’s best-known actors, has died. He was a founder of the Druid Theater and best known  to Irish television audiences as Miley Byrne in  the long running series ‘Glenroe’ and in the BBC hit series ‘Ballykissangel’. He was aged 64.

Lally’s other roles included voice work on the Oscar nominated feature animation, ‘The Secret of Kells’ as Brother Aidan and roles  in ‘Circle of Friends’ and ‘Alexander’.

He was born in Tourmakeady, Co Mayo, and began his career as a schoolteacher  before moving to acting.He became a founder member of the world acclaimed Druid Theatre Company with Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen In 1979.

He was a fluent Irish speaker and a strong  supporter of the language, appearing in the Irish language series ‘Ros na Rún’..

Mary Hanafin TD Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport extended her heartfelt sympathy on the death of Mick Lally, to his wife Peggy and their children saying: “Mick Lally’s contribution to the theatrical world has been immense. Whether he was voicing Keane, Synge or indeed Burrows, his was a distinctive, inimitable contribution to our stage and screen craft. His wonderful ability to communicate with his audiences whether in the intimate setting in the early days of Druid, on stage in the National Theatre or in the sitting rooms of homes every Sunday for over 10 years playing the character of Miley in 'Glenroe', Mick Lally was an integral part of the world of acting and, by extension, our society.

"His rich distinctive tones were at home too in the Irish language and theatre goers from the Abbey to the Taibhdhearc will have wonderful memories of the man from Tourmakeady. A testimony to his prowess as an actor was that he could resonate across the generations – with the theatre community, the television and film world and, with very notable success, with the young generation of 'The Secret of Kells', this year’s Oscar nominee. Mick was a versatile actor and although associated forever with Miley, was never one to be typecast.

"I know that the theatrical world is in deep mourning today, and that his loss is enormous not just for his wife Peggy, their children Saileog, Darach and Maghnus and extended family but also for the community of artists who tread the boards and for whom Mick Lally was an iconic role model."



5 Comments

It may take several minutes for your comment to appear.
He was unforgettable in The Secret of Roan Inish - wish I could have heard that wondrous, rich voice in live theater. May he rest in peace. Sincere condolences to his family.
RIP Miley
Bea McGing Hillstead, my grandmother, always tells me her only claim to fame is that she was the first babsitter for Michael Lally. "Being 12 years old, I was quite good, and he was the most precious baby in the whole world!" It's a shame I could not meet this man. Rest in Peace, Michael Lally. Patrick M Hillstead - Concord, CA
Mick was my cousin, a few years older and I sadly rarely saw him as we live in the States. However, he was so widely known and people felt that they knew him. Whenever I'd meet Irish students working here I'd ask if they knew of Miley from Glenroe and never had anyone say no. Saying I was his cousin often got me the story of seeing him in a play or how the family watched Glenroe and even the occasional free drink, which says a lot about how people felt about him. He was part of their lives and I will truly miss him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam John McGing, Columbia MD USA
I was totally hooked on Glenroe and loved Miley. I don't know why we stopped getting the show here in the States but I would love to see it come back here. May Mick Lally rest in peace he surely will be missed.
 


Click to learn more from DiscoverIreland.com.


Connect to IrishCentral with your Facebook account


or sign-in directly

Welcome to IrishCentral!
Please provide the following information in order to create your account

Username:
E-Mail Address:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy


Welcome to IrishCentral!
All we need is the following information and you will be part of the #1 Irish community in the US

E-Mail Address:
First select a unique username:
Username:
Now choose a password:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Thank you!

Just one more step and you will be part of the largest Irish community in America! Tell us a little more about you to start enjoying all the features of IrishCentral.

Additional Information:

First Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Zip:
Gender: Male  Female 
Country:

Degree of Irishness:
Household Income:
Level of Education:

Subscribe to our newsletters:

The Best of IrishCentral - Daily Newsletter
Special Offers from our sponsors

or
Skip

You can edit your information at any time, just go to "my account" when you're logged in.

Log into IrishCentral with your Facebook account


or sign-in directly

E-Mail:
Password:
 Remember me Forgot my password