Actor Emmet Bergin Dies Unexpectedly After Learning of 'Possible Heart Issue'

Irish actor Emmet Bergin has passed away at age 79. In a statement to Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ, his daughter Tara said: "Sadly, dad died on Friday morning (March 15) 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."

The Abbey Theatre is deeply saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Emmet Bergin. His long association here stretches from 1971 to 2006. There will be a tribute to Emmet from our stages tonight. Pictured here in the Patrick Pearse Motel, 1986 (photo credit: Fergus Bourke). pic.twitter.com/PPXr7MZQtb

— Abbey Theatre (@AbbeyTheatre) March 20, 2024

Bergin appeared in the RTÉ series Glenroe from its debut in 1983 to 2001. The soap portrayed the lives of residents in the fictional Wicklow village and also starred Mick Lally, Joe Lynch, and Mary McEvoy. 

Bergin was born in Carlow, Ireland. His father, Paddy Bergin, worked for the Carlow Sugar Factory and was also a trade union official and a Labour Party politician. During Bergin's time at the Brendan Smith Academy, he took acting lessons. His first theatre job was as a prompter and assistant stage manager at the Eblana Theatre. He then went on tour with the Irish Theatre Company before enrolling at the Abbey School of Acting in Dublin. 

In 1969, Bergin played a small role in Ryan's Daughter, followed by the role of Sir Ulfius in Excalibur in 1981. He became a household name two years later when he played solicitor Dick Moran in the soap opera Glenroe. One of the soap's and Bergin's most famous characters was having an extramarital affair with Terry Killeen, which was a major plotline in the show. 

The actor went on to appear in the medical drama series The Clinic and the television thriller The Burke Enigma. In 2003, Bergin played the Sunday Independent's editor, Aengus Fanning, opposite Cate Blanchett in the film Veronica Guerin.

Among the many stage works he has performed with the Abbey Theatre include the productions of True West, The Silver Tassie, and Philadelphia, Here I Come!

Bergin has a brother, Patrick Bergin, who is also a well-known actor. He is survived by his wife, Sarah, and his children, Gavan and Tara.