Oscar-winning Irish actress Brenda Fricker, best known for her acclaimed role in My Left Foot and her memorable appearance as the Pigeon Lady in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, has died at the age of 81, her agent has confirmed.

Born in Dublin, Fricker built a distinguished career spanning more than six decades in film, television and theatre. She made history in 1990 when she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, earning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her powerful performance as Bridget Brown, the mother of Christy Brown, in My Left Foot, alongside Daniel Day-Lewis.

Brenda Fricker’s Oscar-winning performance remains one of her most celebrated achievements, Fricker was also widely recognised by audiences around the world for her role in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where she played the kind-hearted Pigeon Lady who helps Kevin McCallister.

Her extensive career included roles in films such as The Field, A Time to Kill, Angels in the Outfield and Veronica Guerin, as well as a long-running television career that included the BBC medical drama Casualty.