KFF deeply saddened by Michael Dwyer's Passing

John Kennedy, KFF, Michael Dwyer at the 2008 Kerry Film Festival

All at the Kerry Film Festival were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Michael Dwyer. Michael was one of Kerry's favourite sons and the leading film critic in Ireland for the past two decades. His love of film permeated his writing and, indeed, his life. Generosity is not often a word associated with critics, yet Michael was truly a generous person and his loss will be felt on a local, national and, indeed, international level.

His love of film began on the streets of his native Tralee many moons ago. As a schoolboy he would stop by each of the three cinemas that the town had at that time on his way home to see what new treats were in store. He was instrumental in the expansion of Tralee's film society. Under his guidance the society began weekly screenings, which were held in the Ashe Memorial Hall, and they often sold out.

Moving to Dublin in the 1970's, he worked for the Federation of Irish Film Societies, and became a journalist, writing first for In Dublin magazine, then for The Sunday Tribune and The Sunday Press before finally joining The Irish Times.

He was instrumental in setting up the first Dublin Film Festival and led it successfully for many years before stepping away. It later ran into financial difficulty and Michael helped set up its successor, the Dublin International Film Festival, which is running strongly to this day.

Michael was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in 2006 by the French Government for his support of French Cinema and was undoubtedly the most prominent Irish film critic of recent times.

Despite such success on a national and international level, however, Michael was also a friend to many of the smaller festivals around Ireland and he graciously opened the Kerry Film Festival in 2008, signing copies of his movie quiz book in Polymath's in Tralee that same year. Michael's mother, Mary, and his sisters, Anne and Maria, still live in Tralee and his passing is a terribly sad loss for them. It's also a sad loss for the legions of his fans and for his many friends.

May he have the best seat of all in the big cinema in the sky.