Most of us outside of the Irish Republic knew Dermot Morgan only for his portrayal of Father Ted. Although Ted deservedly stands amongst the great comic creations of our times, due to the wonderfully surrealistic and droll scriptwriting of Linehan and Mathews, nonetheless the character owes equally as much to the unique charm and presence of Dermot. His subdued Irish accent, distinct wonderful voice and unique charisma meant that although the script he had to follow wasn't of his own pen, the character he created was his very own ... the one and only Ted .

In the aftermath of the tragic and untimely death of the actor a lot of his friends and colleagues and people who knew him told the story of the life and career of this man so many of us knew only as Father Ted.

From the pages of tributes, memories and recollections emerges a portrait of a fascinating Dermot Morgan in his Irish homeland. A brilliant satirist full of dynamism and creative energy who was loved by the general public of his country and yet had to struggle with RTE to be heard by the nation. Despite all the difficulties, setbacks and disappointments, he still managed effortlessly to shine and keep coming out with brilliant material. He had so much to offer and could not be kept silent.

A talent and personality like this is rare and a great asset to ones' country. It should be treasured and nurtured and allowed to flourish. We in Britain got to know Dermot Morgan too little and too late. He hit our skies like a passing meteor, shone brightly for a moment before passing into the darkness. Just as we had time to begin to admire the display it was over, leaving us bereft of all that still could have come.

The lucky ones, like the Irish audiences of the Dublin Olympia, the viewers of Father Trendy, the listeners to Scrap Saturday ... they will all have their magical memories of the dedicated and passionate man who on all these occasions and numerous others was there to entertain them while ridiculing those who patently deserved it, be they of the political or, equally powerful. religious establishment.

This he did to deflate humbug and hypocrisy, with the ordinary mans interest at heart and in the name of social justice and progress.

As a person he was a genuine and sensitive man and great fun to be with, someone you'd love to meet.

After having learned about his work and dedication to a cause, and his lonely crusade in pursuit of his goals, I grew to admire and respect him for his professionalism, talent and stamina. And especially for his contribution in tackling the bastion of Catholicism and its grip on peoples lives. This area of his achievements is of quite a heroic character. He deserves to be put upon a pedestal for this alone.

Alas, I never knew Dermot Morgan and I envy those who did .... I really do.