"A great lady, a unique artiste, an Irish icon, a super trouper." John McColgan led the many tributes to Maureen Potter last night at a special celebration of her life by friends and fellow performers in the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. The theatre was the obvious venue for such a night as it will long be synonymous with memories of Gaels of Laughter, Maureen Potter's annual pantomime which entertained generations of children.
"Tonight is a thank you to Maureen for enriching the lives of five generations of theatregoers, said Mr McColgan, who organised the evening. Among the many people who performed and paid personal tribute were Pauline McLynn, Des Keogh, Donal McCann, Michael Colgan, John Cost igan, John Kavanagh, Niall Toibin and Eamon Kelly.
Gay Byrne also spoke: Maureen Potter had been the subject of one of the first Late Late Show own tribute programmes. Members of Riverdance performed a dance called Heartland.
Singers included Johnny Logan, who flew in from Germany, Kathy Nugent, and Patricia Cahill.
Rosaleen Linehan read a piece written by her husband, novelist Fergus Linehan. And the Billie Barry Kids, hundreds of whom have skipped their way through Gaiety pantos for the last three decades, were also there, dancing to a Michael Jackson compilation.
And Maureen Potter's own response to the full house? "To tell you the truth, I am gobsmacked that so many of my mates have turned up," she confessed.
The President, Mrs McAleese, also attended. At the end of the evening, she came out on stage to unveil a portrait of Maureen Potter, which was painted by James Hanley. It will now hang in the Gaiety as a lasting reminder of Ireland's first lady of panto.
