Brendan Grace was one of Ireland’s most loved singers, comedians, and personalities, receiving particular notoriety for his most loved character ‘Bottler’.
He had strong links to County Clare for many years, with some of the first gigs with the folk group, The Gingermen, taking place in Scariff and Kilrush.
Throughout the years he formed a very close friendship with the late Johnny Burke from Spanish Point and he was an avid fan of Shannon Airport, from where he and his family frequently flew to Florida.
One of the most popular TV shows that was connected to Clare was Fr. Ted. During Season 2, Brendan starred as the obnoxious Fr. Fintan Stack, which was one of the most popular characters to ever appear on Craggy Island. Considering his connection to the Banner County it was no surprise that Brendan and his family relocated to Killaloe and eventually purchased a local bar in the Town.
However, health problems were also part of Brendan’s life as he battled type 2 diabetes, with more serious health problems following for the funnyman as he was diagnosed with Cancer. He subsequently passed away on July 11th, 2019.
It’s ironic that one of Ireland’s funniest men was born on April 1st, 1951 and to mark his birthday Clare FM has produced a very special documentary about his life and times, with a particular focus on his connections to County Clare.
During this documentary Brendan’s wife Eileen and children Amanda, Melanie, Bradley and Brendan Patrick all remember family times together, while also recounting Brendan’s career and their time in County Clare.
When Eileen heard the documentary for the very first time she said “It was a trip down memory lane for me and a wonderful tribute to Brendan. We laughed and we cried while holding each other, it was very moving. This documentary tells our story beautifully. It was very touching, Brendan would be very happy with it as he always loved his visits to Clare FM”.
Clare FM’s Programme Director and producer of ‘Bottler’ Padraic Flaherty said “Brendan was a hero to many people growing up, myself included. His love for Clare is deep-rooted for years. I was thrilled that all of the Grace family gave their permission for this documentary to be produced. You will hear Brendan’s family, showbiz friends, and many more on this tribute documentary”.
The documentary will be broadcast on Clare FM at 11 am this Friday, March 31st.
This Friday Morning at 11am Clare FM will broadcast a very special documentary I produced about the one and only Brendan Grace. Hear his life story and his connection to Clare. Mentions for @ShannonAirport @ArmadaHotel @ArleneHarris11 @KillaloeCruises pic.twitter.com/ph0R6415H5
— Padraic Flaherty (@PadraicFlaherty) March 27, 2023