Brenda Fricker, Oscar-Winning Irish Actress, Dies at 81

Brenda Fricker, the Irish actress who won an Academy Award for My Left Foot and was loved by many as the Pigeon Lady in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, has died at the age of 81.

Her agent, Phil Belfield, said Fricker passed away peacefully in Dublin on Thursday night after a period of ill health. No cause of death was announced.

Born in Dublin in 1945, Fricker began her career in television and theater before becoming internationally known. She won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1990 for her role as Christy Brown’s mother in My Left Foot, becoming the first Irish actress to receive an Academy Award.

She also appeared in popular films and TV shows, including The Field, Angels in the Outfield, Albert Nobbs, and Home Alone 2, where her role as the kind-hearted Pigeon Lady became a fan favorite.

In later years, Fricker said winning an Oscar had led to typecasting, making it harder to find a variety of roles. She retired from major film acting in 2015, with some of her final appearances including Holding, The Catch, and The Miracle Club.

Last year, Fricker spoke openly about living with constant pain and poor health.

She is remembered as one of Ireland’s greatest actresses, with a career that spanned more than five decades.