{{Short description|Irish comedian and singer (1951–2019)}} {{About|the Irish comedian-singer|the South African professional golfer|Branden Grace}} {{use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Brendan Grace | image = Brendan Grace with Frank Sinatra.JPG | caption = Grace with Frank Sinatra in Dublin, 1991 | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1951|4|1}} | birth_place = Dublin, Ireland | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2019|7|11|1951|4|1}} | death_place = Galway, Ireland | occupation = Comedian, singer | years_active = 1969–2019 | spouse = {{marriage|Eileen Doyle|1973}} | children = 4, including Bradley | website = }} '''Brendan Grace''' (1 April 1951 – 11 July 2019) was an Irish comedian and singer. He portrayed the comedy schoolboy character 'Bottler', appeared in the 1995 film ''Moondance'', and played Father Fintan Stack in the Irish TV sitcom ''Father Ted''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.offalyindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2011/01/07/4002485-catch-brendan-grace-at-the-county-arms |title=Catch Brendan Grace at the County Arms |publisher=Offaly Independent |date=2011-01-07 |accessdate=2013-05-13}}</ref> His 1975 song "The Combine Harvester" was a number one hit in Ireland, as well as his cover of "The Dutchman" in 1982.

==Early life== Born in the heart of Dublin in 1951, Grace was raised on Echlin Street, in the inner city Liberties neighbourhood. His father Seamus worked as a bartender, an ambulance man and other odd jobs to keep the family going. Like many young Dubliners of the time, Grace left school young to begin working. His first job was as a messenger boy, an occupation he often referred to in his live act.{{fact|date=October 2024}}

==Music career== At the age of 18, Grace formed a folk group band known as the Gingermen. During a gig one night, the band found themselves two members short; in an attempt to calm an anxious crowd, Grace was thrust upon the stage to humour them. His wit and observations of daily life in Ireland won over the crowd.{{fact|date=October 2024}}

Grace's hit songs included "Cushie Butterfield", "The Combine Harvester"—which topped the charts in Ireland in 1975, and in 1976 was a UK number one hit for The Wurzels<ref name="musicweek">{{cite web |url=http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storyCode=11443&sectioncode=2 |title=1000 number ones: The Seventies |date=17 January 2005 |work=Music Week |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004910/http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storyCode=11443&sectioncode=2 |archive-date=August 13, 2011 |via=Wayback Machine}}</ref>—and "The Dutchman".<ref>{{cite web|author=Jaclyn Ward |url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/index.html |title=Irish Charts Website |publisher=Irishcharts.ie |date=1962-10-01 |accessdate=2013-05-13}}</ref>

==Acting career== In 1995, Grace starred in ''Moondance'', and the following year he appeared in the ''Father Ted'' episode "New Jack City" as Father Fintan Stack. In 2007, he appeared as Big Sean in ''Killinaskully'', and in 2015, he starred in ''The Gift''.

He also reprised his Bottler character in a TV movie also called ''Bottler'' in November 2013. It tells of Bottler's exploits in his early years.{{fact|date=October 2024}}

==Personal life== Brendan Grace married Eileen Doyle in 1973. They had four children, including Bradley Grace, a member of the American metalcore band Poison the Well.{{fact|date=October 2024}}

In November 2009, Grace released his autobiography, ''Amuzing Grace'' ({{isbn| 0956354114}}). In his later life, he divided his time between his home and his pub which he named Brendan Grace's Bar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irishtourist.com/details/brendan_graces_bar.shtml |title=Brendan Grace's Bar – Main St, Killaloe, Co. Clare, Ireland |publisher=IrishTourist.com |date= |accessdate=2013-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219003303/http://www.irishtourist.com/details/brendan_graces_bar.shtml |archive-date=19 February 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Grace was diagnosed with pneumonia in June 2019, and died from lung cancer at the Galway Clinic in Galway, Ireland, on 11 July 2019, aged 68.<ref name="death">{{cite web |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/comedian-brendan-grace-dies-aged-68-1.3953592 |title=Comedian Brendan Grace dies aged 68 |work=The Irish Times |access-date=11 July 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190711081358/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/comedian-brendan-grace-dies-aged-68-1.3953592 |archive-date=11 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/brendan-grace-rip-4719855-Jul2019/ |title=Comedian Brendan Grace has died aged 68 |date=11 July 2019 |work=The Journal |accessdate=11 July 2019}}</ref> His funeral took place on 15 July at the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra in Dublin, followed by cremation. The funeral was attended by thousands of fans who lined the streets outside the church as well as along the procession route, which included stops outside the Guinness brewery and Grace's childhood home on Echlin Street.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/comedian-brendan-grace-had-the-kindest-kindest-heart-1.3953752 |title=Comedian Brendan Grace had 'the kindest, kindest heart' |first1=Jack |last1=Horgan-Jones |first2=Aine |last2=McMahon |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=July 11, 2019 |accessdate=July 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/a-true-dub-who-made-everybody-laugh-thousands-of-brendan-grace-fans-fill-streets-for-funeral-38316548.html |title='A true Dub who made everybody laugh' – thousands of Brendan Grace fans fill streets for funeral |date=16 July 2019 |work=Irish Independent |accessdate=16 July 2019}}</ref> A year later his family scattered his ashes on Lough Derg near their family home in Killaloe, County Clare.<ref name=scatter>{{Cite web|last=Rowley|first=Eddie|date=2020-07-13|title=Brendan Grace's family scatter his ashes along the river Shannon on the first anniversary of his death|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/brendan-graces-family-scatter-his-ashes-along-the-river-shannon-on-the-first-anniversary-of-his-death-39363682.html|access-date=2022-04-22|website=Irish Independent|language=en}}</ref> A seat was also dedicated to the entertainer at his favourite spot in Killaloe where he used to feed the ducks and the swans.<ref name=scatter/>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading== * {{cite web |title=Brendan Grace: Ireland's Ambassador of Comedy And Song |work=ComediansUSA.com |url=http://www.comediansusa.com/php/featuredartist.php?id=102 |accessdate=2009-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223030739/http://www.comediansusa.com/php/featuredartist.php?id=102 |archive-date=2007-12-23 |url-status=dead}}

==External links== *{{official website|www.brendangrace.com}} *{{IMDb name|0333324}} *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcGUlliTFBg The Combine Harvester (1975)] via YouTube

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grace, Brendan}} Category:1951 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Irish male film actors Category:Irish male comedians Category:Irish male television actors Category:Deaths from lung cancer in the Republic of Ireland Category:20th-century Irish male actors Category:21st-century Irish male actors Category:21st-century Irish autobiographers Category:People from The Liberties, Dublin Category:Comedians from Dublin (city) Category:Actors from Dublin (city) Category:1960s in Irish comedy Category:1970s in Irish comedy Category:1980s in Irish comedy Category:1990s in Irish comedy Category:2000s in Irish comedy Category:2010s in Irish comedy