The Snapper and Father Ted fans are sharing their favourite memories of Pat Laffan

Paul Moore

“Teresa, I forgot my fecking trousers!” A man that meant so much to Irish people.

Nobody knows what makes people, actors, shows, films, quotes become so ingrained in the Irish pop-culture psyche. Hell, if that answer was known, writers everywhere would want to capture it and place it in a milk bottle somewhere.

When it comes to Pat Laffan’s career, there’s no risk of his reputation going stale and much like U.H.T milk, there’s no chance of those memories souring, or being shite.

Simply put, The Snapper and Father Ted are pop-culture milestones in Ireland. They just are. How many other films and TV shows can you say are quoted on a daily basis?

To enhance this point, The Snapper was released in 1993, Father Ted’s first episode aired two years later and yet, these characters and quotes still dominate the daily discourse.

As mentioned previously, Laffan’s exemplary career began on the stage where he starred, directed, and even produced countless plays. However, his role as George Burgess in The Snapper and as the lothario milkman Pat Mustard in Father Ted cemented his place in Irish pop-culture history.

There’s no overlooking the severity of George Burgess’ actions in The Snapper – the character took advantage of and impregnated a clearly drunk Sharon Curley – but much like so many lines and characters in the adaptation of Roddy Doyle’s beloved book, he’ll forever be remembered.

Five years later, Laffan starred in the ‘Speed 3′ episode of Father Ted and he became a bonafide cult hero.

Lines like “Theresa, I forgot me fecking trousers!,’ ‘Now to ride Mrs. O’Reilly,’ ‘I’m so gorgeous that they want to put me under arrest,’ and ‘You’ll have to be up very early in the morning to catch me Father. Very early indeed’ are all still regularly quoted.

Hairy babies, massive tools in boxes, yanking himself off around the clock because he hasn’t had any proper sex with girls, it’s all comedic gold and like so many of the actors that appeared in Father Ted, Laffan made us laugh.

Sadly, the 79-year-old actor is no longer with us but his work clearly means an awful lot to the Irish public.

RIP.

Irish actor Pat Laffan has passed away. Over the years, Pat was an incredible force in the Irish theatre community and was no stranger to the Gate throughout his prolific career as an actor and director. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/f9LGqDWRt1

— Gate Theatre (@GateTheatreDub) March 14, 2019

https://twitter.com/aidancrowe1/status/1106253178528518144

Ah Pat Laffan – best known as Pat Mustard – has passed away

“I’m so gorgeous they want to put me under arrest” 😂https://t.co/zyXSSMGRg3

— Laurie Hanna (@LaurieHanna) March 14, 2019

I’m devesated to hear of the passing of the amazing Pat Laffan. I was very fortunate to get to work with him over the years. He was one funny man under his hard exterior. A gentle giant. He left us with some incredible performances, most notably as Georgie Burgess. RIP my friend pic.twitter.com/FVnJlrpUy6

— Laurence Kinlan (@laurencekinlan) March 14, 2019

RIP Pat Laffan, from The Snapper to Father Ted, the provider of some of the biggest laughs we've shared as a nation.

— John Maguire (@JMaguireCritic) March 14, 2019

https://twitter.com/goddammitbrian/status/1106245086705319937

https://twitter.com/mbutler27/status/1106256821873008642

He was a baby maker, a milk man an icon and there will never be another … Rip Burgess/Mustard #patlaffan pic.twitter.com/b8BrHlFswJ

— eoin ryan (@pullthepin) March 14, 2019

Not to mention the fuckin legend that was George Burgess in the insanely brilliant The Snapper. https://t.co/lrirNnfoHW

— Rob Smith (@robsmithireland) March 14, 2019

"And now to ride Mrs O'Reilly…"

One of the best single-episode characters to grace our screens.
RIP Pat Laffan. pic.twitter.com/6TbbmmZx65

— Hallion Battalion🔻 (@thatweecafe) March 14, 2019

https://twitter.com/dikko54/status/1106253665285955591