Funeral details confirmed for former Dancing with the Stars judge Julian Benson
Benson, who lived in Ballsbridge in Dublin, was predeceased by his mother Maura. He is mourned by his brother Adrian, sister-in-law Rachel, nieces Leah and Ailbhe and nephew Cian, as well as his cousins, relatives, close friends and their families, and a wide circle of friends.
Julian will lie in repose at Fanagan's Funeral Home, Aungier Street on Friday April 25 from 5pm until 7pm. A requiem mass will be celebrated the following day at 11am in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook. Burial will follow at Glasnevin Cemetery. His loved ones have requested that donations be made to the Julian Benson CF Foundation in lieu of flowers.
In a notice on Rip.ie, Julian's family expressed their heartfelt thanks to all the care teams who helped Julian live 'a full and extraordinary life'.
'In particular: the incredible Cystic Fibrosis team at St Vincent's University Hospital, whose expertise and compassion supported Julian throughout his life; the transplant team at Beaumont Hospital, whose care gave Julian renewed energy and allowed him to see his dream realised and the ICU team at St. Vincent's, who cared for Julian with tenderness and kindness during his final days,' Benson's death notice read.
Benson's family confirmed his passing in a statement on Saturday after a 'courageous battle with Cystic Fibrosis'.
Mr Benson was diagnosed with the condition when he was a toddler, began dancing when he was just four years old and turned pro at the age of 14.
He was best known for his time on the judging panel of RTÉ's Dancing with the Stars, where he was affectionately referred to as 'Captain Sparkle' for his trademark, sparkly, custom-made jackets.
Julian kept his cystic fibrosis diagnosis private for over 40 years. It was only in 2018, during an appearance on The Late Late Show, that he revealed his lifelong illness and shared his dream of creating a charity to support people with his condition.
That night, he announced the birth of the Julian Benson Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (JBCFF) and said: 'I have Cystic Fibrosis, but Cystic Fibrosis doesn't have me.'
He teamed up with Dermot Bannon, of RTÉ's Room to Improve, to create a home away from home for Cystic Fibrosis patients during their hospital treatments in Dublin. Tranquility House in Dublin assists families who otherwise would have to make a round trip from all over the country to St Vincent's Hospital, which is the National Referral hospital for cystic fibrosis.
His relatives said that Julian always wanted to provide a place where families could 'find comfort and peace during difficult times'.
'This extraordinary achievement was made possible by the generosity of over 130 companies and individuals who believed in Julian's vision. The remarkable transformation of Tranquility House, featured on Room to Improve in January of this year, is a testament to the power of community and to Julian's unyielding determination.
"Julian's sparkle remains alive in Tranquility House, in the continued work of the Julian Benson Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and in the hearts of all who knew him.
"His energy, passion, and joy for life live on through the countless lives he touched, the community he built, and the legacy he leaves behind. 'Cha Cha Boom!' – his iconic catchphrase – will forever be synonymous with his vibrant spirit, his unwavering zest for life, and the joy he brought to everyone around him.'
His family added that Julian retained his 'strength, warmth and sparkle until the very end'.
'He will be remembered not only for his quick witty one-liners but also for his unwavering kindness and encouragement towards the contestants.'
Mr Benson was a native of Adelaide in Australia who moved to Ireland with his Irish parents when he was 12 years old. He was a graduate of UCD, where he obtained a degree in Psychology, English and Irish.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Carl Mullan 'buzzing' over Rose of Tralee role as Will Leahy steps down
RTÉ 2FM presenter Carl Mullan said he's "absolutely buzzing" to take over from veteran broadcaster Will Leahy as the Rose of Tralee's MC. After 20 years in the iconic role, the RTÉ Gold host said he would "do it forever" but believes it's time to say goodbye. Daithí Ó Sé will remain at the helm of the show, while Carl will take over the job of announcing the roses and presenting social media content. A spokesperson for RTÉ said: "After two memorable decades as Master of Ceremonies, Will Leahy is hanging up his microphone. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Will for his long-standing contribution to the Rose of Tralee Festival down through the years. "We are delighted to welcome 2FM Breakfast Show presenter Carl Mullan as the new Master of Ceremonies. Carl is no stranger to the Rose of Tralee, having served as an escort in 2016." Taking to social media, Will said he's not leaving the long-standing show for other projects. Will Leahy is stepping down as the Rose of Tralee MC after 20 years (Image: RTÉ) He added: "I'd keep doing it forever, but I've been in the job 20 years, which is an eternity in the presenting world. I am going to miss the annual mad summer camp that I have been honoured to be a part of for all these years. I started with Ray D'Arcy in 2005 - yes, that long ago. "Myself and Dáithí have soldiered together for 15 years, and in the past few years Kathryn (Thomas) has added greatly to the team. So to the best crew of tv professionals, the Rose team and, of course, the 576 Roses that I have met, thanks for letting me be part of telly history." Speaking alongside his 2FM Breakfast co-hosts Roz Purcell and Aisling Bonner, Carl said he is "absolutely buzzing" with his new job. He added: "On the night, I'm the person who's responsible for introducing all 32 Roses on stage, telling you about them, where they're from." The Rose of Tralee will air on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on August 18 and 19. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
The Journal
16 hours ago
- The Journal
Will Leahy to be replaced as MC for Rose of Tralee by 2FM breakfast host
A VETERAN RTÉ presenter is being replaced as the Rose of Tralee's MC by a 2FM breakfast host. Will Leahy said that, after 20 years in the role, he will step down. He'll be replaced by Carl Mullan, who also co-hosts a show with Roz Purcell and Aisling Bonner on RTÉ 2FM every day. His new gig, which has the official title of Master of Ceremonies, involves announcing the Roses and presenting the show's social media content. Daithí Ó Sé will stay on as the main host, alongside Kathryn Thomas. But Leahy's two decades with competition even outdo Ó Sé, who has been there for 15 years. In a statement posted to his social media, Leahy said he's not leaving to post to do another project. 'I'd keep doing it forever, but I've been in the job 20 years, which is an eternity in the presenting world,' he wrote. Advertisement 'I'm going to miss the annual mad summer camp that I have been honoured to be part of for all these years.' He wished Mullan luck in thje job and joked that they can compare notes in 2045, after 'his 20 years'. Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas joined by some of the 2025 Roses at a photocall ahead of the event Andres Poveda Andres Poveda The Rose of Tralee will air on RTÉ One on Monday, 18 August and Tuesday, 19 August at 8pm – with a break for the Nine O'Clock News. We'll see 32 Roses from Ireland and abroad compete to be crowned the Rose of Tralee. In the past, winners were given cars, holidays and free hair styling for a year. All this week, the Roses have been on tour, stopping in Meath, Limerick and towns around Kerry. They visited farms, hotels and even a chocolate factory – all part of the Rose experience. Today they'll be welcomed in Tralee ahead of the official event. James Patrice returns with backstage coverage of the competition. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
18 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Tradespeople line up for ‘DIY SOS' to help Wicklow boy with cerebral palsy
The team behind the RTÉ show DIY SOS will be heading to Wicklow town this September to help the Ferguson family, whose 17-year-old son Kyle has cerebral palsy. His family need to adapt their home so he can live with greater independence, dignity, and comfort. In order to sign volunteers up to help with the build, a trades day was held from 11am to 4pm on Thursday at St Patrick's GAA Club, where local trades people could volunteer their services. Orlagh Murphy, a senior producer with Indiepics, the production company behind the show, was pleased with the turnout on the day, while other tradespeople had already made a commitment to the project beforehand by email and phone. 'Everything is donated, right up to every cup of tea drank to every nail that is hammered,' she said. 'It fortifies a real sense of community spirit and we will have around 150 people on site during the build. We have had volunteers who were involved in the first series still giving us a hand whenever they can. "Others loved the experience so much they try to volunteer at all of our build projects. As one contractor on a previous build said to me, 'you can't pay for people to work this hard'.' She added: 'This is a very special project. We already had one man come in at the start of the trades day to tell us that he and his two brothers are all electricians and they are all volunteering. "The show makes a huge impact on people and does genuinely change their lives. The Ferguson's are such a lovely family and are very well known in the area. Their neighbours have been very supportive, as has everyone living in their estate.' Kyle uses a wheelchair, but the current layout of the family home means he is unable to use it indoors and must rely on tripods to get around. He currently depends on his parents to support him up and down the stairs, which means he can only access the upstairs area at bedtime. The main bathroom still includes a standard bath, which is no longer suitable for his needs, and he requires daily support with dressing and personal care. 'There is a huge amount of preparation involved,' added Orlagh. 'For instance, there will be 150 people on site during the build, and they will all need to be fed three times a day. So the whole build will also involve local food outlets, and we will also need some people to serve the meals and to clear up afterwards.' JJ Rhatigan are the contractors behind the project, while the interior designer will be Gwen Kenny. 'Gwen gets a brief from us and then also talks to the family so she can get a sense of what they want and are looking for,' added Orlagh. Having met the family and Kyle to discuss their needs, Gwen was impressed by how modest Kyle's request were, and she said she has some big surprises in store for the Ferguson family, along with the rest of the DIY SOS team. Gwen said: 'What Kyle wanted was so minimal. He was only really looking for things like an L-shaped desk, a couple of plants for his room and a different place to play his Xbox. He was also very keen for his wheelchair user friends to visit his house, because while he has visited their homes in the past, they have never been able to visit his home. 'We have some massive surprises in store for Kyle and the family, with loads of really good things planned. "I have been blown away by everybody's generosity. People are coming in with their own ideas and the build team are amazing. 'I was at the site the other day when one of the neighbours came around with cakes for everyone, which I thought was such a lovely touch. Everyone is behind Kyle and the Ferguson family.' The build commences on September 2, with works taking place over nine days, before the Ferguson family can return to their newly adapted home. Orlagh said: 'The family get to briefly meet the volunteers on the first day of the build when they leave the house, and then get to properly meet all the volunteers once the build is complete. "They always generally want to thank all of the volunteers individually. The volunteers often consist of a mix of strangers and family members, as well as people the family we are building for may see all the time, but who they had never been introduced to before. 'It can be a very emotional occasion as the family see the new build for the first time and get to thank all the volunteers, I know I'm always in tears.'
