Rest in peace ... They died in 2017

Irish and international stars of film, music, politics, sport and real life who left us this year

Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, who died along with her crewmates Capt Mark Duffy, Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby while on a search and rescue mission in March. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, who died along with her crewmates Capt Mark Duffy, Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby while on a search and rescue mission in March. Photograph: Cyril Byrne

JANUARY

8 – Peter Sarstedt, English singer/songwriter – Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? – age 75

9 – TK Whitaker, economist and former public servant – credited with a pivotal role in the economic development of the State. Served as a senator and also as Chancellor of the National University of Ireland from 1976 to 1996 – age 100

10 – Clare Hollingworth, war correspondent – famously broke the news that second World War had started in what was dubbed "the scoop of the century". She spotted German forces amassed on the Polish border while travelling from Poland to Germany in 1939 – age 105

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10 – Buddy Greco, jazz singer – The Lady Is a Tramp – age 90

12 – Graham Taylor, English football manager – managed England national football team (1990 -'93) – age 72

12 – William Peter Blatty, writer/filmmaker – wrote both the novel and screenplay for The Exorcist – age 89

14 – Dermot Gallagher, civil servant and secretary general at the Department of Foreign Affairs – promoted and developed the peace process, leading to the Belfast Agreement – age 71

18 – Ronan Fanning, professor emeritus of modern history at UCD – played an important role in the Hume initiative to bring peace to Northern Ireland – age 75

19 – Miguel Ferrer, actor – Bob Morton in Robocop and Owen Granger in NCIS:LA – age 61

23 – Gorden Kaye, actor – René Artois in TV show 'Allo 'Allo! – age 75

Actor John Hurt, who died in January. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Actor John Hurt, who died in January. Photograph: Cyril Byrne

25 – John Hurt, actor – Midnight Express, The Elephant Man, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – age 77

25 – Mary Tyler Moore, actor – Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966) and Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) age – 80

26 – Mike Connors, actor – Joe Mannix in TV show Mannix (1967-1975) – age 91

FEBRUARY

5 – David Axelrod, jazz musician, composer – released 13 albums between 1968 and 2004 – age 85

6 – Alec McCowen, British character actor whose roles on both sides of the Atlantic ranged from St Mark to the Fool in King Lear, and from Rudyard Kipling to James Bond's ever-inventive outfitter – age 91

7 – Richard Hatch, actor – Captain Apollo in Battlestar Galactica (1978-80) – age 71

8 – Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, English socialite and television personality– age 45

12 – Al Jarreau, jazz singer – won seven Grammy Awards, We're in This Love Together, After All – age 76

25 – Bill Paxton, actor – Aliens, Predator 2, True Lies, Apollo 13, Twister – age 61

Martin McGuinness, policitian and former IRA member, who died in March. Photograph:  Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA
Martin McGuinness, policitian and former IRA member, who died in March. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

MARCH

9 – Robert James Waller, author – The Bridges of Madison County (1993) – age 77

10 – Joni Sledge, singer – with two sisters founded R&B group Sister Sledge, We Are Family – age 60

13 – Eamon Casey, former bishop – left his post after the revelation in May 1992 that he was the father of a teenage son following his affair with Annie Murphy, a US citizen, when he was Bishop of Kerry in the 1970s – age 89

14 – Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, Irish Coast Guard helicopter search and rescue pilot. She piloted the Dublin-based Rescue 116 helicopter. Died in a crash in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Co Mayo, while on a search and rescue mission – age 45

Capt Mark Duffy, who was also on the mission.

Winchmen Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby, who were also on the mission.

17 – Derek Walcott, poet – Omeros (1990) for which he won a Nobel Prize in Literature – age 87

17 – Maureen Haughey, married to Charles Haughey, who served as Taoiseach on three separate occasions between 1979 and 1992. She was daughter of Seán Lemass and mother of Seán Haughey who is the party's TD for Dublin Bay North – age 91

18 – Chuck Berry, singer/songwriter – 1950s rock & roll pioneer, Maybellene (1955), Johnny B. Goode (1958) – age 90

19 – Ryan McBride, Northern Irish footballer – played as a defender for Derry City in the League of Ireland – age 27

21 – Colin Dexter, novelist – Inspector Morse crime novels (1975-1999) and ITV TV show (1987-2000) – age 86

21 – Martin McGuinness, former IRA commander and Sinn Féin politician – served as chief negotiator in the Northern Ireland peace process that led to the Belfast Agreement of 1998. Entered powersharing government with the Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley, and continued to serve as deputy first minister until resigning on January 9th, 2017, over Arlene Foster's refusal to step aside as first minister over the Renewable Heat Incentive (cash for ash) scandal – age 66

27 – David Storey, novelist/screenwriter – wrote both the book and movie screenplay for This Sporting Life (1963) – age 83

APRIL

7 – Tim Pigott-Smith, actor – Ronald Merrick in English TV series The Jewel in the Crown – age 70

11 – J. Geils, musician – J. Geils Blues Band, Centerfold, Freeze Frame – age 71

22 – Erin Moran, actor – Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi – age 56

26 – Jonathan Demme, filmmaker/director – Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia – age 73

MAY

9 – Robert Miles, music composer/DJ – known for his trance and electronica music, biggest hit Children – age 47

14 – Powers Boothe, actor – Jim Jones in Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones – age 68

17 – Chris Cornell, singer/songwriter – Soundgarden frontman, won two Grammys – age 52

23 – Roger Moore, actor – Simon Templer in The Saint (1962-'69), James Bond in seven films (1973-'89) – age 89

27 – Gregg Allman, muscian – The Allman Brothers Band, Midnight Riders, Ramblin Man – age 69

28 – John Noakes, TV host – Presented BBC children's TV show Blue Peter – age 83

Actor Roger Moore, who died in May. Photograph: Chris Pizzello/AP
Actor Roger Moore, who died in May. Photograph: Chris Pizzello/AP

JUNE

1 – Roy Barraclough, actor – Alec Gilroy in Coronation Street (1986-'98) on ITV – age 81

2 – Peter Sallis, actor – played Norman Cleggy Clegg in Last of the Summer Wine (1973-2010) – age 96

9 – Adam West, actor – Bruce Wayne on Batman TV series (1966-'68) – age 88

10 – Brendan Duddy, Derry businessman – played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process. A Catholic republican who was a pacifist and firm believer in dialogue, Duddy became known by MI6 as The Contact – age 81

13 – Anita Pallenberg, Italian actor – starred in Barbarella (1968), Candy (1968) – age 73

25 – Barbara Sinatra, children's advocate and philanthropist – the the fourth wife of singer Frank Sinatra, she raised millions of dollars to help abused children – age 90

27 – Michael Bond, writer – the Paddington Bear series of 20 books (1958-2014) – age 91

JULY

15 – Martin Landau, actor – Mission: Impossible (1966 -1973), Space: 1999 (1976-1977) – age 89

16 – George A Romero, filmmaker – Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978) – age 77

18 – Mavis Arnold, journalist – worked for the Guardian, Sunday Independent, Irish Press and Irish Medical Times, mainly on lifestyle and consumer topics. Co-founder in 1969 of the Women's Progressive Association (later called the Women's Political Association) to facilitate women's access to political power, in both the Dáil and the Seanad. Age – 80

20 – Chester Bennington, musician/singer – frontman for Linkin Park (2000-2012), Stone Temple Pilots (2013-2015) – age 41

21 – John Heard, actor – Father in Home Alone and Home Alone 2 – age 72

27 – Sam Shepard, actor/playwright/author – The Right Stuff (1983), Steel Magnolias (1989), Black Hawk Down (2001)– age 73

30 – Simone Veil, French minister for health and Holocaust survivor – Secured the legalisation of abortion in France in the 1970s – age 89

31 – Jeanne Moreau, actor – Seven Days… Seven Nights (1960), Viva Maria! (1965) – age 89

AUGUST

7 – Haruo Nakajima, actor – played Godzilla in 12 movies (1954 – 1972) – age 88

8 – Glen Campbell, singer/songwriter – By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Wichita Lineman; nominated for 21 Grammys and won 10 – age 81

18 – Bruce Forsyth, TV host – The Generation Game (1971-1977), Play Your Cards Right (1980-1987) Strictly Come Dancing (2004-2014) – age 89

20 – Jerry Lewis, comedian/actor/humanitarian – The Bellboy (1960), Nutty Professor (1963), Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon – age 91

24 – Jay Thomas, actor – Remo DaVinci on Mork & Mindy (1979-'81), Eddie LeBec on Cheers (1987-'89) – age 69

26 – Bernard Pomerance, playwright – wrote the Tony Award-winning The Elephant Man (1977) – age 76

26 – Tobe Hooper, horror films writer/director – The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and Poltergeist (1982) – age 74

28 – Willie Duggan, international rugby player – won 41 caps playing for Ireland, from 1975 to 1984, finishing as captain. Toured New Zealand in 1977 with the British and Irish Lions – age 67

28 – Melissa Bell, singer – fronted the groups, Soul II Soul and Soul Explosion – age 53

31 – Richard Anderson, actor – Oscar Goldman on TV shows The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman – age 91

Actor Elizabeth Dawn, who died in September, played Vera Duckworth in 'Coronation Street' for 34 years. She is pictured with her co-star Bill Tarmey, who played her husband Jack. Tarmey died in 2012. Photograph: Phil Noble/PA Wire
Actor Elizabeth Dawn, who died in September, played Vera Duckworth in 'Coronation Street' for 34 years. She is pictured with her co-star Bill Tarmey, who played her husband Jack. Tarmey died in 2012. Photograph: Phil Noble/PA Wire

SEPTEMBER

3 – Walter Becker, musician/songwriter – co-founder and songwriter for Steely Dan – age 67

4 – Don Cockburn, journalist, presenter and newsreader – long-serving newsreader for RTÉ, who anchored the main evening news programmes during more than 30 years of service – age 87

6 – Kate Millett, thinker and activist – wrote the book Sexual Politics (1970) which became a keystone of second-wave feminism – age 82

8 – Don Williams, country and western singer/songwriter – You're My Best Friend (1976), I Believe in You (1980) – age 78

13 – Frank Vincent, actor – Salvy in Raging Bull (1980), as himself in The Making of the Mob – age 80

15 – Harry Dean Stanton, actor – Tramp in Cool Hand Luke (1967), Private Willard in Kelly's Heroes – age 91

20 – Jimmy Magee, sports broadcaster – Known as the "Memory Man", he spent over half a century in sports broadcasting, and presented radio and TV coverage of the FIFA World Cup since 1966 and the the Olympic Games since 1968. He was the world's longest-serving sports commentator – age 82

23 – Charles Bradley, funk/soul singer – recorded with the Menahan Street Band, Changes (2016) – age 68

25 – Tony Booth, actor – played Mike Rawlins in the BBC show Till Death Us Do Part (1965-1975) – age 85

25 – Elizabeth Dawn, actor – played Vera Duckworth in British soap opera Coronation Street (1974-2008) – age 77

25 – Bobby Knutt, actor/comedian – Albert Dingle in soap opera Emmerdale, and garage boss Ron Sykes in Coronation Street – age 71

27 – Hugh Hefner, publisher – editor-in-chief and publisher of Playboy magazine – age 91

‘Memory Man’, sports broadcaster Jimmy Magee, who died in September. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
‘Memory Man’, sports broadcaster Jimmy Magee, who died in September. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

OCTOBER

2 – Tom Petty, singer/songwriter – Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers: I Won't Back Down, Free Fallin', Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (2002) – age 66

4 – Liam Cosgrave, politician – served as taoiseach from 1973 to 1977 and leader of Fine Gael from 1965 to 1977. Son of W T Cosgrave, the first president of the executive council in the newly formed Irish Free State, he was leader of the opposition from 1965 to 1973, minister for external affairs from 1954 to 1957, parliamentary secretary to the minister for industry and commerce and government chief whip from 1948 to 1951. He served as a TD from 1943 to 1981 – age 100

15 – Sean Hughes, actor/stand-up comedian – created and starred in the TV show Sean's Show (1992-1993) – age 51

18 – Eamonn Campbell, musician – played guitar with The Dubliners from 1987 until his death – age 70

24 – Fats Domino, singer/songwriter – Ain't That a Shame (1955), Blueberry Hill (1956), he sold over 65 million records – age 89

24 – Robert Guillaume, actor – Benson on the TV-series Soap (1977-1981) and Benson (1979-1986) – age 89

26 – Simon Fitzmaurice, film-maker – His short film The Sound of People screened at Sundance in 2008. He directed the critically acclaimed My Name is Emily starring Evanna Lynch. He died of motor neurone disease – age 43

Heather North, who voiced  Daphne  in TV cartoon ‘Scooby-Doo’ for 33 years, died in November
Heather North, who voiced Daphne in TV cartoon ‘Scooby-Doo’ for 33 years, died in November

NOVEMBER

5 – Nancy Friday, author – wrote feminist erotic books; My Secret Garden (1973), Forbidden Flowers – age 84

15 – Gustav Åhr, rapper – known as Lil Peep, songs White Wine, Benz Truck released on You Tube – age 21

15 – Keith Barron, actor – Gregory Wilmot in Upstairs, Downstairs, The Odd Man (1960-63) – age 83

16 – Earle Hyman, actor – Cliff's Huxtable's father, Russell Huxtable in the Cosby Show (1984-92) – age 91

18 – Malcolm Young, musician/guitarist – co-founder of rock group ACDC; Back In Black , Highway to Hell – age 64

21 – Rodney Bewes, actor – Bob Ferris in BBC TV series The Likely Lads (1964-66) and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1973-74) – age 79

21 – David Cassidy, actor/singer – played Keith Partridge in TV series The Partridge Family (1970-74) – age 67

30 – Heather North, actor and voice artist – Best known for voicing Daphne Blake in TV cartoon Scooby-Doo for 33 years – age 71

Christine Keeler, photographed in 1963, the year she was involved in the British political scandal known as the ‘Profumo affair’. She died in December. Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images
Christine Keeler, photographed in 1963, the year she was involved in the British political scandal known as the ‘Profumo affair’. She died in December. Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

DECEMBER

3 – Thomas Finlay, judge, politician and barrister – former Chief Justice of Ireland from 1985 to 1994. Also served as a TD in Dublin South-Central from 1954 to 1957 – age 95

4 – Christine Keeler, the model at the centre of the 1963 British political scandal known as the 'Profumo affair' – age 75

7– Steve Reevis, Native American actor – Played Shep Proudfoot in Fargo, also starred in Geronimo: An American Legend, The Longest Yard – age 55

10 – Toni Mascolo, hairdresser and businessman – one half of international hairdressing empire Toni & Guy, founded with his brother, Guy in 1963 – age 75

10 – Max Clifford, publicist and convicted sex offender – age 74

11 – Keith Chegwin, TV presenter and children's entertainer – presented Multi-Coloured Swap Shop and Cheggers Plays Pop in the 1970s and '80s – age 60

16 – Keely Smith, singer – That Old Black Magic, I've Got You Under My Skin, Grammy winner (1959) – age 89

23 – Maurice Hayes, politician and author – Served in Seanad from 1997 to 2007 and was voted European Person of the Year in 2003 – age 90

24– Heather Menzies Urich, actress – played Louisa von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1966) – age 68