Tributes are being paid to Irish playwright Brian Friel, who has died at the age of 86.
The Tyrone native passed away this morning.
The Abbey Theatre in Dublin, where his play Dancing at Lughnasa had its world premiere in 1990, says he was an extraordinary and major playwright of our times.
While the Arts Council has called him a giant, not only of Irish, but of World Theatre.
Brian Friel was appointed to the Seanad in 1987 – Senator David Norris was a colleague of his there