Rosaleen Philomena Linehan (; born 1 June 1937) is an Irish stage, screen, and television actress.
Early life and education Linehan was born in Dublin to a mother from Belfast and a father from East Donegal. Both her parents were older when she was born: her mother in her late 40s and her father in his 50s.
She attended University College Dublin and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Politics. She joined UCD Dramsoc on her first day of college and started acting professionally within two years of leaving the university.
Career
Linehan began her acting career appearing in comedy revues she co-wrote with her husband, Fergus Linehan. Initially known solely as a singer and comedian, Linehan began pursuing more serious roles in the early 1980s, encouraged by playwrights who offered her new roles in support of this shift.
She has appeared on stage in plays including Blithe Spirit, The House of Bernarda Alba, The Seagull, andTwelfth Night, in which she "gave a mesmeric performance as Feste, the clown, [evoking] an ashen melancholoy".
She was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Kate in Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa at the 1992 Tony Awards. She starred as Winnie in Samuel Beckett's Happy Days on stage in 1996 opposite Barry McGovern and later on screen as part of the Beckett on Film project.
In 1972, Linehan won a Jacob's Award for her RTÉ Radio comedy series Get an Earful of This.
In film, she has appeared as Nurse Callan in Ulysses, May Dedalus in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Aunt Fitzeustace in Fools of Fortune, Mrs. Canning in The Butcher Boy, Peggy Owens in About Adam, Mrs Matson in The Hi-Lo Country, and Millie O'Dowd in The Matchmaker.
On television, she played Bess Nugent in Sharpe's Gold, a voice artist on the Irish language children's TV series Inis Cúil in 2005 and appeared in Hugh Leonard's BBC sitcom Me Mammy. More recently, she played Deirdre O'Kane's mother in BitterSweet.
She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Irish Theatre Awards in 2008."Awards tribute for Rosaleen Linehan", The Irish Times Fiona McCann, February 25, 2008, see www.irishtimes.com In 2014, she was awarded the UCD Alumni Award for Arts.
Personal life Linehan's father, Daniel McMenamin, was a Teachta Dála for Donegal from 1927 to 1961.
Linehan was married to Fergus Linehan, who died in 2016, with whom she had four children and eight grandchildren. Linehan lives in County Dublin.
Filmography
Film performances YearTitleRoleNotes1967UlyssesNurse Callan1977A Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManMay Dedalus1990Fools of FortuneAunt FitzeustaceAll My Lovely BoysShort film1993The Saint of Fort WashingtonRosie1996Snakes and LaddersNora1997The Butcher BoyMrs. CanningThe MatchMakerMillie O'Dowd1998The Hi-Lo CountryMrs. Matson2000About AdamPeggy OwensMad About MamboMrs. BurnsConamaraAine2013Flat LakeMrs. O'Malley2016Ernestine & KitKitShort film2017Hedgehog HootenannyNarratorShort film2019The FerryMrs. O'TooleShort filmThe Personal History of David CopperfieldMrs. Gummidge2021TouchShort film, voice role2023A Greyhound of a GirlEmerVoice role2024A Lady of ParisLilyShort film
Television performances YearTitleRoleNotes1968The Jazz AgeKitty1 episode1970-1971Me MammyChrissie3 episodes1973Black and BlueAlice1 episode1985A Night of the CampaignMrs. WatsonTV movie1992HostagesBrenda GilhamTV movie1993RememberSheilaTV movieGreat PerformancesSister Felicity1 episode1994GrushkoLena3 episodesScarlettMrs. Fitzpatrick3 episodes1995Sharpe's GoldBess Nugent1 episode2000Happy DaysWinnieTV movie. Reprisal of stage role.2005-2006The Island of Inis CoolMrs. O'MalleyPermanent cast member.2008BitterSweetTeresa2014Moone BoyMourning Woman1 episode2024The HardacresDutchess of Harrogate1 episode
Theater
Stage performances (partial) YearTitleRoleNotes1991Dancing at LughnasaKateNominated as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for the 1992 Tony Awards. Playwright Brien Friel, director Patrick Mason. Performed at the Phoenix Theater, London.1994Mother of All the BehansKathleen BehanAuthor credit for providing additional material to the adaptaion in her solo role. Performed at the Assembly Rooms on the Edinburgh Fringe and at Theatre for the New City, New York.1996Happy DaysWinniePerformed at Gate Theater, Dublin. Later reprised role in a 2000 film production.1998Twelfth NightFeste2002Gates of GoldKassiePlaywright Frank McGuinness. Performed at Gate Theater, Dublin.2003TartuffeMadame PernellePlaywright Moliere. Performed at American Airlines Theater, New York City.2005Blood WeddingBridegroom's MotherPlaywright Frederico García Lorca. Performed at Almeida Theatre, London, with a cast that included Gael Garcia Bernal.2008The New Electric BallroomBredaPlaywright Enda Walsh.2019The Cripple of InishmaanMammyPlaywright Martin McDonagh2021Backwards up a RainbowAlso featured songs composed by Linehan as well as husband, Fergus, and son, Conor.
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