Irish Comedian and Actor Jon Kenny Remembered with Tributes

Ireland’s taoiseach has honored the memory of Jon Kenny, the Irish writer, comedian, and actor, who has passed away. He gained significant recognition for his performances alongside Pat Shortt as half of the comedy act D’Unbelievables. Pat Shortt expressed his devastation in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating he felt fortunate to have spent “so many years touring with Jon and learning from him”. Mr. Kenny, aged 66, had been undergoing treatment for both cancer and heart failure. The performer, who hailed from County Limerick, also accumulated numerous screen credits, such as roles in Father Ted, The Van, Les Misérables (1998), Angela’s Ashes, and The Banshees of Inisherin, where he once again collaborated with Pat Shortt. Simon Harris, the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister), conveyed that he received news of Jon’s passing with “utmost sadness,” noting Kenny’s “ability, that very few people possess, to make his audiences crack up laughing with a glance or a single word.” In a statement, Harris further remarked, “Behind that seemingly effortless talent to joke, there was a gifted performer and an extremely deep thinker.” He added, “Jon was an interesting and thoughtful person, he had some stunning dramatic performances on stage and on screen and the country is still in stitches from the magic that was D’Unbelievables.” Beyond his comedic and acting roles, Kenny was also recognized as an accomplished singer, poet, and solo stand-up comedian. Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin, in his own tribute, characterized Kenny as “one of our most iconic actors and comedians.” Mr. Martin’s statement continued, “Deeply saddened at the passing of Jon Kenny.” He concluded, “Through the D’Unbelievables, and his appearances on stage & on screen, Jon made us smile. He was an entertainer to his core.” Jon Kenny and his comedic partner Pat Shortt established D’Unbelievables in Limerick during the late 1980s. Their sketches often depicted aspects of daily life in the Republic of Ireland. One of their most memorable performances involved the duo portraying two inept Garda (Irish police) officers seeking public assistance on the show Crimebusters. Pat assumed the role of Garda Tom Walsh, while Jon played Garda PJ Moloney. Additionally, the actor made a notable cameo appearance as a boisterous television host in the Eurovision episode of Channel 4’s Father Ted, a role that brought him to the attention of an international audience. In 2000, at the age of 40, Jon received a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Disease, a development that led to the conclusion of the D’Unbelievables duo’s collaboration. During an appearance on The Oliver Callan Show on RTÉ Radio 1 in April, he recounted that the diagnosis compelled him to “not do anything.” He stated, “Over the space of two years I was on different forms of treatment.” He continued, “That went on for two years, and I got a stem cell transplant, thanks be to God, in James’s (hospital), and they sorted me out, and I motored on for another while.” Nevertheless, he informed Oliver Callan that his cancer had recurred. He explained, “I had it there again; it came back again about three years ago, four years ago.” He added, “So I had some operation to remove some of my left lung, and that was good – good luck to that.” He further commented, “I’ve been lucky now because my chemo is working, so I’ve been grand, you know? “But just in the middle of it all, just for the craic of it – you know when you’re getting on with things? – and after I had my second chemo, I had heart failure. “Throw that in the mix, like. A nice little cocktail of things there to be getting on with.” Beyond his work in television and cinema, Jon was also highly esteemed for his performances as a stage actor. His stage credits include John B Keane’s The Matchmaker, Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer at The Abbey Theatre, and Katie Holly’s dark comedy Crowman, a one-man production where he embodied 10 distinct characters.