THE WORDS of James Joyce echoed through London’s Covent Garden, as family, friends and admirers of the late actor TP McKenna gathered for a memorial service for a man described as “a distinguished, versatile, and charming actor”.
Acknowledged as a master of the spoken word, the tributes to the Cavan-born actor, who died in February aged 81, were led by his friend British actor Benjamin Whitrow, who described him as “a most glorious man”.
“He had huge natural charm, he was the most charming person I have ever known,” he told the congregation at St Paul’s Church. “He was ebullient, irrepressible, passionate; he cannot really be replaced.”
A bronze bust of the actor looked on as fellow thespians and family members conducted readings and sunlight streamed through the windows, highlighting plaques to Charlie Chaplin, Sir Noël Coward, Boris Karloff and Dirk Bogarde.
The readings and music selected, from John McCormack's version of Thomas Moore's Oft in the Stilly Nightto Lord Byron's So We'll Go No More a-Roving,reflected McKenna's passion for poetry, prose and music.
Actor Jim Norton read an excerpt from The Dead, which was one of McKenna's favourite short stories. He had himself read an extract from this story at a Bloomsday celebration in the Irish Embassy in London some years ago.
Actor Peter Bowles, star of the RTÉ/Channel Four dramatisation of the Somerville Ross stories Tales of an Irish RM, read from Journey of the Majiby TS Eliot. Later, he recalled his first meeting with McKenna during filming of The Charge of the Light Brigadein 1968. He said their friendship endured for more than 40 years.
McKenna's sons gave readings – Kilian read Ask Me No Moreby AE Houseman, Breffni read from the 2nd lesson, Corinthians, Chapter 13, and Ralph read A Christmas Carolby poet Patrick Kavanagh. Grandson Tom McKenna performed Panis Angelicus.
Family members present included his sons Ralph, Kilian, Breffni, Stephen and his daughter Sally. Also there were his sisters, Sr Annette, Sally, Sr Imelda and Angela McNicholas and his brothers Raphael, John and Peter.
The Irish Ambassador was represented by the cultural attaché to the Irish Embassy in London, Ciarán Byrne.
Sir Ronald Harwood and Lady Harwood represented the Prince of Wales. In February, Prince Charles wrote to the McKenna family extending his condolences and saying that he and his wife had fond memories of a “particularly special and wonderfully Irish character whose talents were prodigious and who gave so much pleasure to so many people over the years”.
Other members of the acting profession who attended included Ian McElhinney and Tim Pigott-Smith. The latter worked with McKenna on the television drama The Chief.Actors Mary Larkin and Marcella O'Riordan also attended. The National Theatre was represented by Emma Lloyd.