Brendan Grace (1 April 1951 â€" 11 July 2019) was an Irish comedian
and singer. He was best known for his comedy schoolboy character
'Bottler', the 1995 film Moondance, and his 1996 appearance in the
Irish TV sitcom Father Ted as Father Fintan Stack. His 1975 song "The
Combine Harvester" was a number one hit in Ireland, and his 1982
release of "The Dutchman" is considered to be one of the most enduring
versions of the song.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 at the age of 13 to begin working. His first
job was as a messenger boy, an occupation he often referred to in his
live act.At the age of 18, Grace formed a band known as the Gingermen.
They toured Ireland in what has become known as the showband era of
the 1960s, although the Gingermen were a folk group rather than a
showband. 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 immediately won over the crowd, and he would go
on to sell out venues around the globe. He shared stages with many
well-known names, such as Frank Sinatra, who referred to Grace as his
"man in Europe", and John Denver, among many others.
and singer. He was best known for his comedy schoolboy character
'Bottler', the 1995 film Moondance, and his 1996 appearance in the
Irish TV sitcom Father Ted as Father Fintan Stack. His 1975 song "The
Combine Harvester" was a number one hit in Ireland, and his 1982
release of "The Dutchman" is considered to be one of the most enduring
versions of the song.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 at the age of 13 to begin working. His first
job was as a messenger boy, an occupation he often referred to in his
live act.At the age of 18, Grace formed a band known as the Gingermen.
They toured Ireland in what has become known as the showband era of
the 1960s, although the Gingermen were a folk group rather than a
showband. 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 immediately won over the crowd, and he would go
on to sell out venues around the globe. He shared stages with many
well-known names, such as Frank Sinatra, who referred to Grace as his
"man in Europe", and John Denver, among many others.
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