“I think I'll miss being given out to by Brenda Fricker the most!”
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Who were Brenda Fricker’s closest friends and what roles did they play in her life?
A lot has been said about the great Brenda Fricker, who was buried on Thursday, but I'm delighted to be joined now to remember Brenda by maybe the two people in the world who knew her best, Joan Bergen and Liz Duffy.
Good morning.
And Joan, people know you as an award winning costume designer. And you worked on everything from My Left Foot to The Tudors. You've won Emmys, The Works, but you were one of Brenda's dearest friends for the last 40 years. Liz, people don't know you. And in a way, I'd say you'd like to keep it that way. But you were Brenda's best friend. You've been by her side in all her ups and downs in recent times. And you were there with her in her final weeks and days. And I know you loved her so much and she you and I know you minded her so well and protected her fiercely. And can I say first my condolences to both of you on the loss of your friend. Liz, you said at the funeral on Thursday, people should smile and be happy for Brenda that her pain and misery were over.
She had been unwell and in terrible pain for a while, hadn't she? She had, yeah. Yeah, she had. Yeah. And when did she find out how sick she was?
She had had a fall on the, oh God, what date? About the 28th of May, she had a fall and we got an ambulance for it to take her to James's. And when she got up there, they were trying to find out why she was falling. And she went for lots of tests and blood tests and all that. And then they discovered how sick she was. But the pain she was in was unbelievable, Brandon. Yeah. Yeah, really unbelievable.
And was it a terrible shock to Brenda when they told her? Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was. Yeah. And a shock to you as well, I'm sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And Liz, was it clear very quickly there wouldn't be treatment? Yeah.
Well, she actually said no treatment. But the doctor said, well, no, no treatment.
Yeah. And she moved to the hospice quite quickly then. Was she at peace in those final... In the hospice? Yeah.
In James's, she was in a lot of pain still, even though they were giving her pain relief. But it wasn't enough pain relief for the pain that she was in. So when she went to the hospice, yeah, they were just... Amazing.
Were they, yeah.
They really were amazing. And not only to Brenda, but to me as well. When I'd go up, they'd take care of me as well as taking care of Brenda. I went down and said, Brenda is in a lot of pain. In immediately. They were amazing, Brendan, I have to say. Totally amazing. They're angels. They're not nurses and doctors. Even down to the cleaning staff. They were just fantastic. They are all angels that woke up there.
And what were those days like in there with her, those last days?
Well, we had some fun. Yeah. We'd laugh and joke. And then I had my my book that I was to write everything in. OK. OK. So I was getting my orders.
Yeah.
You know, now this is what I want, Liz. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So and then Michael Phelan and Gráinne Humphreys were summoned. Right. And they were told. You wrap your arms around Liz, you take care of her, and you make sure that she's okay doing all this. And I have to say, I wouldn't have done it without them.
How was Brenda’s serious illness first discovered after her fall in May?
Yeah.
Because Gráinne Humphries especially, like the crack we had. Oh, Brendan. The Tuesday before Brenda died, that was the night that Michael and Gráinne came up. It was like her last hurrah, if you know what I mean. We just laughed and laughed and laughed until the football match started. And then she said, OK. Good luck. Off you go. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. She was just, yeah, her football.
Joan, how did you find out Brenda was so ill? Joan, how did you find out how ill Brenda was?
Yeah, I got a terrible shock at the time because... in the most remarkable of ways. I was in Harald's Cross. I had torn my meniscus and then discovered that it was a blocked nerve in my spine which was causing the whole thing. And before I have the procedure, They suggested I went into Harold's Cross where there was an excellent physio and, you know, that I'd get strong for it. And I'd been in to see Brenda in James's.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Who were Brenda Fricker’s closest friends and what roles did they play in her life?
0:00–3:37
2
How was Brenda’s serious illness first discovered after her fall in May?
3:37–8:43
3
What was the experience like for Brenda’s friends in the hospice and how did they describe the care?
8:43–13:47
4
How did Brenda’s friends spend her final days together and what moments of humor did they share?
13:47–20:18
5
How did Liz first meet Brenda and how did their friendship develop over the years?
20:18–23:41