THE actress Susan Fitzgerald has passed away after an illness.

The wife of Gate director Michael Colgan, Ms Fitzgerald was one of the country’s best known stage actress.

She graduated from Trinity College in the 1970s and played leading roles in the Gate Theatre. Her theatre credits include Footfalls in the Gate's celebrated Beckett Festival in New York and London.

She also appeared in numerous plays in the Abbey Theatre in plays such as Six Characters in Search of an Author, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hedda Gabler.

Ms Fitzgerald most recently appeared in Landmark Productions Between Foxrock and A Hard Place by Paul Howard, which appeared first at the Olympia Theatre in 2010 and later in the Cork Opera House and Gaiety Theatre, Dublin in 2011.

Her TV work included roles in Fair City, Rebel Heart,  Bachelor's Walk, Proof and The Big Bow Wow.

Radio appearance include Emma Brown, Nights in the Gardens of Spain, Hotel du Lac The Book On One, The Hit List, Yesterday’s News, Medea, Room in The Tower, all for RTE Radio. She most recently performed in John Boorman’s radio play Afterlife for RTE Radio in December 2012.

She was mother to three children with Mr Colgan - Sarah, Sophie and Richard.

Jimmy Deenihan T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, paid tribute: “Susan is the pre-eminent stage actress of her generation and beloved of theatre audiences. Susan played leading roles in the Gate Theatre in plays by both Irish and overseas writers.

“Her talents were not, however, limited to the stage only and her work on TV included Fair City, Rebel Heart and Bachelors Walk.  With the poise of the truly gifted she could move from comedies of manners to contemporary plays and also, with equal facility, to television and film.

“She was especially kind and helpful to emerging young actors and her elegant presence soothed many opening night nerves. My sympathy today is with Michael Colgan and their children Sarah, Sophie and Richard, her grandchild, extended family and the acting community. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.”