Actor David Heap, who played Donal Maher in RTÉ soap Fair City for over a decade, has died at the age of 76, his wife, actress Olwen Fouéré, has confirmed.
In a social media post, Fouéré revealed that her husband died in her arms, describing him as "a very special man".
Alongside a sepia-tinted image of the star, she wrote: "Farewell to my beloved David Richard Heap who died in my arms at home today December 30th 2025.
"Born in Cinderford, Gloucestershire on 21st May 1949, he moved to Ireland after playing the original Captain Lancey in the world premiere of Translations by Brian Friel in 1980, the first ever production from Field Day theatre company created by Stephen Rea and Brian Friel. He was a special man and a beautiful soul. Go well, my love xxx."
In a statement, an RTÉ spokesperson said: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague, David Heap. David portrayed Donal Maher in Fair City for more than a decade and was a wonderfully talented actor. He relished playing the show's 'baddie’ and will be fondly remembered for some of the programme’s most memorable storylines, including his long-running affair with Nicola, his IT company Blue Dolphin, and his dramatic confrontations with Paul Brennan.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Olwen and David’s family, friends and colleagues. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."
Heap had been diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disease called Corticobasal Syndrome last summer.
Fouéré previously opened up about his diagnosis during a conversation with Joe Duffy on RTÉ's The Meaning Of Life.
"I think it’s been building for a while," she explained.
"He knew there was something wrong and this particular disease, called Corticobasal Syndrome, it's a particular type of protein that attacks the brain – so it’s a brain disease and it affects everything.
"The symptoms are similar to Parkinson’s. Similar to motor neurone, similar to all, you know, the whole spectrum. And it’s progressive and terminal," she added.
Fouéré, who starred opposite Jamie Dornan in season two of the popular BBC series The Tourist, said that her husband took the news better than she did.
"I find it hard to talk about it without crying, and I remember we were in the room with the neurologist, and [when] they said that I wept," she recalled on the show.
"They were really great because they were telling him and … one of the symptoms of the disease is a kind of apathy. It's a sort of passiveness, which is maybe a blessing."
Born in England, Heap moved to Ireland after appearing as the original Captain Lancey in the world premiere of Brian Friel's Translations in 1980.
Heap also played Brian Noonan, a junior minister and confidant of Bishop Brennan, in the much-loved Irish comedy series Father Ted.
