Actor Emmet Bergin, who starred in Glenroe, has died

Actor Emmet Bergin, best known for playing businessman Dick Moran in the popular RTÉ series Glenroe, has died, his family has confirmed.

In a statement to RTÉ, his daughter Tara said: “Sadly, dad died on Friday morning (15th March) at home. It was unexpected.

“He had only recently been alerted to a possible heart issue and had been discharged from a short stay in hospital.

“We thought and hoped he would be okay. We were all at home when it happened – my mum Sarah, my brother Gavan, and me. He was such an important presence in our lives. He will be greatly missed.”

Mr Bergin appeared in Glenroe from its inception in 1983 to 2001.

Before joining the RTÉ Sunday-night soap, which followed the lives of the residents of the fictional Wicklow village and also starred Mick Lally, Joe Lynch, and Mary McEvoy, Mr Bergin had roles in Excalibur in 1981 and the RTÉ thriller The Burke Enigma. He also appeared in the RTÉ drama The Clinic.

His extensive stage work with the Abbey Theatre included True West, The Silver Tassie, and Philadelphia, Here I Come!.

He also played former Sunday Independent editor Aengus Fanning in the 2003 biopic about journalist Veronica Guerin opposite Cate Blanchett.

Mr Bergin’s brother, Patrick Bergin, is also a well-known actor.

Emmet Bergin is survived by his wife Sarah and his children, Gavan and Tara.