2015 marks ten years since the late character actor David Kelly was honoured by the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his fantastic contributions to film.
David Kelly, who sadly passed away on February 12th 2012 aged 82, was honoured for his huge body of work among Irish and international films. On stage and screen, Kelly’s forte was the affable rogue; a sparkle in his eye, a bounce in his step and that look of wisdom that still remained to his last days. Among his most famous roles are Plunkett O’Reilly in ‘Ballykissangel’, Rashers Tierney in ‘Strumpet City’ and Grandpa Joe in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’.
Perhaps his best remembered role was Michael O’Sullivan in the 1998 Irish comedy ‘Waking Ned Devine’. He garnered both Golden Satellite and Screen Actors’ Guild Award nominations for his work in the film with Pulitzer Prize winning critic Roger Ebert saying of his performance ‘Kelly is engaging, conspiratorial and delighted by all things not too wicked. I have a feeling that an evening spent with David Kelly would be a merry one.’
When accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award, Kelly said: ‘My sincere thanks to IFTA. I still marvel at the fact that I have achieved my only real goal in life – to be an actor. That a group of kind people wish to reward me for this is moving and I am grateful beyond words.’
Áine Moriarty, Chief Executive of the Academy, said, 'It was an honour for the Academy to present this Award to David in 2005; he was an exceptional actor, an inspiration to our Members, and a wonderful Irishman'.