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Irish TV star pays tribute in heartbreaking post after death of ‘darling’ father-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro
She returned to social media after taking a break.
Sharon Horgan has shared a tribute to her late father John on Instagram (Picture: Instagram/@sharonhorgan)
Irish TV and film actress and writer Sharon Horgan has paid tribute after the death of her ‘darling dad’, John, in December.
The 53-year-old Catastrophe star returned to Instagram after a break from social media, where she revealed she was struggling to ‘learn how to accept condolences properly’.
Originally a farmer from New Zealand, John was thought to have been ill for some time with cancer before his death, with his family – including wife Ursula and five children – holding a funeral for him in County Louth in January.
Sharing a stream of lovely family photos with her dad, Sharon wrote on the social media platform: ‘I haven’t posted for a while. My darling dad died at Christmas and I hadn’t – and still haven’t – learned how to accept condolences properly.’
However, she revealed that his absence at a recent event had spurred her into being more public with her grief as looked back on fond memories.
‘I was at the IFTAs [Irish Film & Television Awards] at the weekend and it was my first one without him and lots of people talked to me about having met my dad and what a gorgeous man he was. And he really was. Such a dude. I was so proud of him and how he could talk to anyone,’ she continued.
The Irish actress and writer shared a slew of pictures, including ones from the IFTAs, which she had attended with her parents (Picture: Instagram/@sharonhorgan)
‘I remember him bending Brian Gleeson’s ear last IFTAs about how characterfully he ate an egg and onion sandwich in Bad Sisters. He was my biggest cheerleader but also the best at levelling it all and reminding you not to get ahead of yourself that none of it matters.’
Award-winning comedy writer Sharon also remembered how her dad ‘loved nothing more than tickling a grandchild or having a pint in the sun’.
‘And he really rocked a hat. I miss him terribly,’ she added, alongside pictures of herself with John over the years, including at the IFTAs with her mum, as well as a selection of him in hats and holding his grandchildren.
She shared that she missed John ‘terribly’ as she said she was struggling to ‘learn how to accept condolences properly’ (Picture: Instagram/@sharonhorgan)
‘Sending love to anyone who’s lost someone they love be [sic] recently or not so recently. Life is hard but it does go on.
‘So. Back to posting photos, thanking people for dresses and what not and plugging my wares. Think he’d be happy with that.’
A source close to the family told The Sun that John had been in ill health before his death.
‘All the family were with him when he died. He was a very proud dad, they are a very tight unit as families go.
‘He loved that none of his children let their fame go to their heads and are all very level headed.
‘He was firm but fair and they all loved him. They are a very private family and not sure how they will cope with his passing.’
John Horgan died in December, but Sharon had not spoken about it publicly until now (Picture: Instagram/@sharonhorgan)
Sharon and John with her siblings and mother, Ursula, in a family photo (Picture: Instagram/@sharonhorgan)
Sharon’s brother Shane is a former rugby player for Leinster and Ireland, while her sister Lorraine is also an actress.
Her parents had previously resided in Hackney, London – where she was born – running a pub, before upping sticks to move to Ireland, where they changed careers to become poultry farmers.
Discussing the move in a previous interview, the mum-of-two recalled: ‘I was born in London and when I was very small my family owned a pub in the East End — the deep East End where the Kray brothers worked.
‘One day someone came to my father and asked him to give an alibi for something very serious.
‘That’s when my parents decided to move my sister and me to Ireland.’
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