a successful television actor with the BBC, starring in among other shows Ballykissangel, before dying suddenly aged 58 on the brink of his biggest television role yet. John Cowley worked largely in films, playing "the auctioneer" in John B. Keane's The Field with Richard Harris and also on stage. Cowley also continued with his lifelong campaign against coursing and other blood sports. He died in 1998. Annie D'Alton, Minnie Brennan, who was Cowley's much older wife in real life, died in 1983. Chris O'Neill, Michael Riordan, worked for some years as agent for Gabriel Byrne. He died in the United States in 1991. Biddy White Lennon, Maggie Riordan, left acting and became a successful author and publisher of cookery books; she died in November, 2017. Tom Hickey was an acclaimed stage and film actor. He died in May 2021. Moira Deady went on to act in Glenroe, the spin-off show that came from Bracken, the spin-off from The Riordans. She also starred in a number of films, including Angela's Ashes. Spin offs Bracken (1978–1982) created and written by Wesley Burrowes. Glenroe (a spin-off from Bracken'') (1983–2001) created and written by Wesley Burrowes. Footnotes External links Critical analysis of The Riordans Stills image of 'Pat Barry' (Gabriel Byrne) with 'Tom Riordan' (John Cowley) 1965 Irish television series debuts 1979 Irish television series endings 1960s Irish television series 1970s Irish television series Irish television soap operas RTÉ original programming