D'Unbelievables star Jon Kenny’s loving marriage to wife Maggie, Limerick home and cancer battle
by Shauna Bannon Ward · RSVP LiveJon Kenny was one of Ireland’s most celebrated comedians, with a career spanning around four decades.
He starred in some of Ireland’s most famous television shows and films, from Father Ted and Angela's Ashes to The Banshees of Inisherin to being one half of the D'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt.
Away from this career, he was in a loving marriage to this wife of over three decades, Maggie.
Read more: D'Unbelievables star Jon Kenny dies aged 66
Childhood
Jon was born on 12 December 1957, making him 66 years old. He was originally from County Limerick, but lived in Dublin for many years, before returning to his home county.
Career
Jon started out in comedy and had major success with Pat Shortt with their duo D'Unbelievables.
They formed the group in the late 1980s and were known for their hilarious sketches, including their Crimebusters bit where Pat played Garda Tom Walsh and Jon played Garda PJ Moloney.
The duo came to an end in 2000 when Jon was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease, so he could focus on his health.
However, they have reunited over the years. They also starred in the Oscar-nominated film The Banshees of Inisherin together. Jon played Gerry and Patt starred as publican Jonjo Devine.
Over the years, Jon has also portrayed Cunningham in Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie, Lavatory Man in Angela's Ashes, Chaplin in Angela Mooney and Stringy Woodcutter in 2020’s Wolfwalkers.
Family life
Jon was married to his wife of nearly 35 years, Maggie. The couple tied the knot in 1990.
They welcomed two children together, daughter Leah and son Aaron - both of whom are adults now.
Jon and Maggie lived in Dublin for some time before moving back to Limerick, where they settled at a countryside estate in the scenic Lough Gur.
They appeared on Brendan Courtney’s Keys to My Life in 2022 and opened up about their beautiful home that is located on a 20 acre forest.
“The whole house came in from Canada in 40 foot containers, from Nova Scotia because we wanted to use timber because of where we are. Kind of like a flat pack, but to our design,” Jon shared.
Swipe across to see inside D’Unbelievables star Jon Kenny’s idyllic home
Health
Jon was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2000. Thankfully, after chemotherapy, he recovered.
However, the disease returned in 2020 and required that the comedian get part of his left lung removed.
The cancer came back again on his left lung. Jon started chemotherapy again and ended up in heart failure.
He recovered, with his heart function going back up again. In March 2024, Jon said that he was getting “maintenance” chemotherapy to make sure the cancer doesn’t return again.
It was announced that he sadly passed away on Friday, 15 November, in Galway Clinic.