‘Queen of the Liberties’: Dublin mourns actor Brenda Fricker

Meath Street in Dublin was lined with mourners bidding a final farewell to their beloved neighbor, 81-year-old Brenda Fricker. Known globally for her Oscar-winning performance in "My Left Foot," Fricker was cherished locally as a familiar figure who "just pottered around here like the rest of us."

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She just pottered around here like the rest of us. She was a great friend of my late mother. They’d sit all day having the chats.

Friends and neighbors shared fond memories, highlighting her lack of pretension. "There was nothing grand about her," said Sandra McAvoy. Jimmy Doona, who walked his dog with Fricker and her dog Juno, fondly called her "The Queen of the Liberties." He added, "But there was nothing grand about her. No airs and graces." The deep connection Fricker had with her community was evident, with one friend noting, "These are her people."

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She was like a queen around here. The Queen of the Liberties.

Local children created artworks in her honor, displayed at St. Catherine's Church. Meath Street poet Sarah Conway hung a poem she wrote about Fricker, while Catherine O'Connor, a flower seller, recalled Fricker's friendship with her late mother. The funeral service itself was described as simple but beautiful, with chief mourners including her niece Billie and nephew Chimo. Fricker's close friend Liz Duffy delivered a heartfelt speech, mentioning local businesses Fricker frequented and ending with Fricker's wish for everyone to "Be happy for her today... because she is out of pain."

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But there was nothing grand about her. No airs and graces.