'SO MUCH HELP' St Vincent de Paul praises Mrs Brown’s Boys star Brendan O’Carroll as an ‘outstanding and huge supporter’

Launching its 2017 Annual Appeal, the charity said it would be 'impossible to put a figure on' what the funnyman had contributed over the years

ST Vincent de Paul has praised Mrs Brown’s Boys star Brendan O’Carroll as an “outstanding and huge supporter”.

Launching its 2017 Annual Appeal, the charity said it would be “impossible to put a figure on” what the funnyman had contributed over the years.

Mrs Brown’s Boys star Brendan O’Carroll

This Christmas alone, Brendan and wife Jenny, will contribute 2,800 Christmas dinners.

SVP east regional president Liam Casey told the Irish Sun: “We have had so much help from Brendan, I wouldn’t like to put a figure on it.

“His generosity is outstanding and most importantly, he has never forgotten his roots.”

Brendan previously recalled how “kind uncles, Vincent and Paul” came to his home in Finglas, Dublin, to make sure his widowed mother had enough fuel and food.

He said: “I would not have had a Christmas as a child if it wasn’t for the organisation.”

Brendan O’Carroll in Mrs Brown’s Boys

Named National Philanthropist of the Year in 2015 for his work with SVP, the organisation said he had not only donated cash but also used the popularity of Mrs Brown to reach out to the needy.

Commenting on the 2,800 hampers Brendan is donating this Christmas, National Secretary Andy Heffernan said: “As those people sit down to watch Mrs Brown’s Boys on RTE or BBC this Christmas, they will have a Mrs Brown hamper of turkey, ham and Christmas cake to eat.”

She added: “Brendan has never forgotten his roots. Not only has Brendan and the cast of Mrs Brown been generous with their donations, putting a call for help into the St Vincent de Paul isn’t an easy thing to do and Brendan has also helped us spread the word about what we do.”