THE FUNERAL OF Oscar-winning actress Brenda Fricker is to be held in a Dublin church this morning.

Fricker (81) died in Our Lady’s Hospice in Dublin’s Harold’s Cross on 16 July after a period of ill-health.

Her funeral is to be held at St Catherine’s Church in the Liberties, the Dublin neighbourhood where she grew up, at 11am.

Fricker won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as Bridget Fagan Brown in 1989’s My Left Foot, which tells the story of an Irishman named Christy Brown, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, who was born with cerebral palsy and could control only his left foot.

Fricker was also known for her role in the 1992 follow-up to Home Alone, where she played Pigeon Lady, a homeless woman in New York’s Central Park.

She was also part of the original cast of BBC medical drama Casualty and featured alongside Cate Blanchett in Veronica Guerin (2003), as well as appearing in ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs and soap opera Coronation Street.

Her other film appearances included So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993), Angels In The Outfield (1994) and A Time To Kill (1996).

Her later roles included the TV adaptation of Graham Norton’s first novel Holding, directed by Kathy Burke, and the Channel 5 drama series The Catch.

Fricker also made numerous stage appearances in plays such as Lavender Blue and A Pagan’s Place at theatres including the National Theatre and Royal Court Theatre.

Her agent Phil Belfield described the Irish actress as a “legend” whom he was “honoured to know”.

“Dublin-born and bred, Brenda Fricker undoubtedly deserves the noun legend,” he said.

“We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her. I was honoured to know, love and work with her, and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over.”