Hugh Leonard (1926-2009), RIP

Hugh Leonard, the Irish commentator and playwright, whose father-and-son drama 'Da' won critical acclaim on Broadway died last week, aged 82.

He had been receiving hospital treatment for some time and died in Dublin.

His death was followed by messages of dismay from most Irish leaders including the President and Taoiseach who praised Leonard's work.

"Hugh will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of his company and counsel throughout the years," said Irish President Mary McAleese.

"[He] infused his work with a unique wit, all the while demonstrating a great intuition, perceptiveness and forgiveness of human nature."

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen, recalled a famliar newspaper column by Leonard: "His Curmudgeon column which ran for many years in the Sunday Independent was required reading and was always guaranteed to raise a smile.

"Hugh will be remembered as a great literary figure of modern Ireland," he added.

Hugh Leonard was born John Joseph Byrne in Dublin on November 9 1926; his mother immediately giving him up for adoption.

He changed his name to Hugh Leonard later in life, but he was always known as 'Jack'.

When he found out about his past, he was able to make light of his adoption, saying of his mother: "She never said a word to my father about the adoption. A few years later she did the exact same thing with a dog, and didn't consult my father that time either. The dog's name was Jack too, which made for some confusion."

He was raised as Jack Keyes by his adoptive parents, and attended at the Harold Boys' School at Glasthule in Co. Dublin, winning a scholarship to the Presentation College, Glasthule.

He was married in 1955 to Paule Jacquet, a Belgian, who died in 2000; they had a daughter.

He married, again in 2000 to Kathy Bateson.

'Da', written in 1973 and winning Play of the Year on Broadway in 1978, was a dramatisation of his childhood at Dalkey in Co. Dublin

The 1988 film of Da featured Martin Sheen and the late American actor "Barnard" Hughes, who had first starred in the Broadway production of the play.