PJ Kavanagh, from The Perfect Stranger to Father Ted

The writer, poet, actor and broadcaster, who died this week, is remembered with admiration by his publisher

As a young man, PJ (Patrick Joseph Gregory) Kavanagh, who died this week, went to Ireland and sought out the celebrated poet of The Great Hunger Patrick Kavanagh. Finding his bibulous namesake in a hostelry, he introduced himself. The old poet said: “Why don’t you change your feckin’ name,” and settled back to his gloomy pint.

PJ’s father, Ted Kavanagh, wrote comedy, notably for wartime radio, It’s That Man Again (ITMA). When Ted was around, the house resounded with the clack and ping of the typewriter. “He lived by writing jokes and had a sort of quasi-rebellious attitude to society as anybody who makes fun of things does.” PJ did not live by jokes, though he could be hilarious company.

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