Tributes have poured in for legendary Cork entertainer Billa O'Connell, led by the Taoiseach.
A legend of Pantomime in the Cork Opera House and at other venues around the city (he made his debut in Panto in 1947) Billa was also known as a great singer, a recording artist and an ambassador for the city.
He used to joke he was 'born for the Panto' as he arrived into the world on Christmas Day, 1929.
A proud Corkman, from The Lough, he was a regular on RTE radio and TV, and made some memorable appearances on the Late Late Show with Gay Byrne in the '70s and '80s.
In 1982, the Late Late Show was broadcast live from Cork - a rare trip outside the capital - and Billa was front and centre as one of the star turns.
But he was probably best known as the greatest Panto performer Cork has ever produced, entertaining kids (and parents) for decades - it wasn't really a Cork Christmas unless you had seen Billa on stage at the Opera House.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, currently in New York, led the tributes.
He tweeted: "Deep sadness across the country today over the loss of one of our most iconic singers and entertainers. Billa O’Connell was quintessential Cork and we will miss him. My deepest sympathies to his wife Nell and all the family."
Denis McSweeney, Chair of the Everyman Board, said: "It is with deep sadness that we, in Everyman, together with legions of Cork people, young and old, heard this morning of the passing of Billa.
"His name, just Billa, is sufficient to bring a smiling, maybe tearful memory to mind.
"He was, for many Corkonians, our first experience of the magic of theatre across the dazzle of the footlights."
