TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN paid to Irish actor Pat Laffan who has died at the age of 79.

Laffan is best known for playing Pat Mustard in sitcom Father Ted and Georgie Burgess in The Snapper.

He was also a well-known theatre actor and director, appearing in many different productions throughout the his long career. 

Laffan was a member of the Abbey Theatre Company in the 60s and 70s and was Director of the Peacock Theatre for a lot of the 1970s.

As well as his well-known roles as Georgie Burgess in 1993′s film adaptation of Roddy Doyle’s The Snapper, and as the notorious milkman Pat Mustard in an episode of Father Ted, Laffan had many more film and tv roles. 

He also appeared in movies like War Horse, Intermission and The General, as well as TV shows like Moone Boy and Eastenders. 

Tributes were paid to him today by The Gate and Abbey theatres, as well as by various actors and writers. 

“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,” the Gate tweeted. 

Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

“Very sad to hear that Pat Laffan has passed away. His career at the Abbey started in 1961 and spanned five decades. He will be sorely missed,” the Abbey Theatre said.