Soap Opera Actress Anne Kent Has Died

Anne Kent, best known for her role as Angela O’Connell in the hit Irish soap opera Fair City, has died. The actress passed away “suddenly” at Beaumont Hospital surrounded by family on Tuesday, June 4, according to an online obituary. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Kent, who was originally from Mount Pleasant Square in Ranelagh but recently relocated to Gorey in Co Wexford, had an acting career that spanned decades. Her first credited TV appearance came in 1991’s The Commitments, the musical comedy-drama film based Roddy Doyle’s novel of the same name, per her IMDb profile. After starring as Mrs. Rabbitte in the film, Kent went on to add numerous credits to her name throughout the ’90s, including Widow’s Peak, The Gambling Man, The Long Way Home, Rural Heat, I Went Down, The Last Bus Home, The General and more.

The actress is perhaps best known for her starring role in Fair City. The Irish soap opera follows the domestic and professional lives of the residents of Carrigstown, a fictional suburb of the Northside part of the city of Dublin. Kent began appearing on the show as Angela O’Connell in 2005 and went on to star on the RTE soap for a total of 83 episodes and 11 seasons until 2016.

The Dubliner also notably starred as Rose Kennedy in 2007’s P.S I Love You, Patti Truman in the British series Coronation Street, Deidre in several episodes of the drama series The Woman in the Wall, and Moira Lennon in the series Primeval. Her other credits include Red Rock, Foyle’s War, The Return, No Tears, and Faithless, which marked her most recent acting credit.

Paying tribute to Kent online, director Mark O’Brien wrote, “I am gutted to hear that the wonderful Annie Kent has passed away. One of the finest people & actresses. I had the great pleasure of working with her many times over the years. A lady and a star. Sending love to Pierce, all her family, friends [and] colleagues.” Fair City star Stephanie Kelly, who portrayed Sash Bishop in the soap wrote, via Metro, “Sad to hear the news of Annie passing. Such a lovely lady. Thinking of all her loved ones. Rest in peace.”

Kent is survived by her husband Pierce H; children Pierce T and Jayne; grandchildren Hannah, Aimee, Lucie, and Alice; daughter-in-law Jenny; son-in-law Greg; and her surviving brothers and sisters Terry, Jane and Charlie.