Brenda Fricker, the acclaimed Irish actress who won an Academy Award for her performance in My Left Foot and became widely recognized as the “Pigeon Lady” in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, has died at 81.

Her death was confirmed by her agent, Phil Belfield, who said Fricker passed away in Dublin on July 16 following a period of ill health.

“We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her,” Belfield said, remembering the actress as someone who left a lasting impression on audiences around the world.

Fricker made history at the 1990 Academy Awards when she became the first Irish actress to win an Oscar. She received the Best Supporting Actress award for her portrayal of Bridget Fagan Brown in My Left Foot.

In the acclaimed drama, Fricker played the devoted mother of Christy Brown, the Irish writer and artist portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis. Brown was born with cerebral palsy and had control of only his left foot, which he used to create his art and writing. Day-Lewis also won an Academy Award for his performance.

Fricker’s career stretched across six decades and included more than 90 film and television productions. Her credits included A Time to Kill, Angels in the Outfield, So I Married an Axe Murderer, and the long-running BBC medical drama Casualty.

For many international audiences, however, she became especially memorable as the mysterious and kind-hearted Pigeon Lady in the 1992 holiday favorite Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

Born in Dublin in 1945, Fricker initially worked in journalism before turning toward acting. She developed her craft through major theatrical organizations, including the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, before establishing herself as one of Ireland’s most respected performers.

Her work earned admiration not only in Ireland but also internationally. Ireland’s deputy prime minister, Simon Harris, described her as an important ambassador for Irish talent and praised the legacy she left behind.

Fricker was married to film director Barry Davis from 1979 until their divorce in 1988. Davis died in 1990.

She continued working well into her later years, making her final on-screen appearance in the 2024 Irish drama The Swallow, directed by Tadhg O’Sullivan.

Brenda Fricker leaves behind a remarkable body of work spanning theater, television, and film. From an Oscar-winning dramatic performance to a beloved role remembered by generations of moviegoers, her career touched audiences far beyond Ireland.

She was 81.