Mick Lally passes away
1945 - 2010
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Wednesday September 01 2010
ONE OF Wicklow's best know adopted sons, actor Mick Lally has died. The 64-year-old actor was best known for playing Miley Byrne in Glenroe. Mr. Lally passed away yesterday (Tuesday) morning following a short stay in hospital. RENOWNED actor Mick Lally, known to a generation of Irish people as Glenroe farmer Miley Byrne, has died at the age of 64.
A native of Mayo and resident of Dublin but honorary Wicklow man, Mick appeared on Irish television screens every Sunday night for over 20 years. The unforgettable soap was filmed in the village of Kilcoole and Lally's familiar catchphrase 'Well holy God,' became part of the vernacular across the country.
He also enjoyed some musical success when 'The By-Road to Glenroe' went to the top of the Irish charts in 1990.
'He was a warm-hearted kindly man, a great character for a drink, a song and a chat in the Irish style,' said a college friend of Mick's.
'A great loss, especially in these hard times. I saw him in Anouilh's Antigone in 1971 – he played Creon. Even in an amateur production, you could see he had a special talent.'
The acclaimed actor had been admitted to hospital a short time before his untimely death yesterday morning.
A graduate of University College Galway, Lally taught briefly before becoming a full-time actor.
Along with Garry Hynes, he was a founder member of the Druid Theatre company which worked closely with many Irish playwrights, most notably Tom Murphy.
Mick later starred in the BBC television series 'Ballykissangel,' also filmed in County Wicklow, TG4's 'Ros na Rún' and in the award-winning 'Ballroom of Romance'.
He was a fluent Irish speaker and appeared in a number of Irish language films. He also starred in Oliver Stone's 'Alexander' and in the animated film 'The Secret of Kells,' as well as theatre productions.
'It's hard to think of him as anyone else but Miley,' said a fan.
'It's sad for anyone who grew up watching Glenroe on a Sunday evening before the school week began again.'
- MARY FOGARTY
