Jon Kenny

Jon Kenny (born 1957, Hospital, County Limerick, Ireland) lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt.^[1] They were a very successful duo until 2000, releasing One Hell of a Video, D'Unbelievables, D'Video, D'Telly, D'Mother and D'collection but the group stopped touring after Kenny was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.^[2][3] He has since made a successful recovery and still performs shows across Ireland. Kenny is best known outside Ireland for appearing in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted (as Michael the cinema owner in "The Passion of St Tibulus" and as presenter Fred Rickwood in "Song For Europe"). He also played the role of Monsieur Thénardier in the 1998 film version of Les Misérables.

Kenny is an accomplished singer and supporter of Munster Rugby. Jon has just completed filming a lead role in an independent Europe feature film called Insatiable, directed by Jessie Kirby. On his new DVD, Back to Front, Jon says he plays the nastiest man in Ireland in the film which is his first serious role. Jon Kenny has many relatives from The Irish Midlands and the West of Ireland. His mother's maiden name is Dirraine and her grandparents came from Inis Mór in the Aran Islands. His daughters name is Leah.

Kenny returned to solo comedy and has performed throughout Ireland with his one man show. In the spring of 2007, Kenny realised his first solo stand-up DVD 'Back to Front'.^[4] The DVD was filmed in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry and Kenny is joined by the fiddler Ivor Ottley and double bassist Damien Evans.

Kenny performed as a celebrity Gaelic football Manager in the reality series Celebrity Bainisteoir. He was put up against other Irish celebrities such as Nell McCafferty, Ivan Yate and Marty Whelan. Kenny managed Limerick side Galtee Gaels which were knocked out in episode 3 by McCafferty's St. Mary's Faughanvale.

Kenny created a brand new theatre show 'Mag Mell' with visual Artist Des Dillon and Musician/Composers Benny McCarthy & Conal Ó'Gráda in 2012-13.

References

External links

• Jon Kenny in 'Actors' file at Limerick City Library, Ireland
• Jon Kenny in 'Musicians, Singers, Comedians, etc.' file at Limerick City Library, Ireland