Jamie Dornan's father dies after Covid-19 battle

Jamie Dornan lost his father, Dr. Jim Dornan, to Covid-19 on Monday

TORONTO, ONTARIO - SEPTEMBER 07: Actor Jamie Dornan attends the "SYNCHRONIC" premiere party at Nordstrom Supper Suite at MARBL Restaurant on September 07, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

Jamie Dornan's father, Dr. Jim Dornan, has passed away at the age of 73 after contracting Covid-19. 

The renowned obestrician and former professor, who was battling lymphocytic leukemia when he caught the deadly virus, has been honored by several work colleagues and peers in the wake of his passing. 

"Hard to accept that someone with so much life, with, and full of advice and laughter has left this world. A true friend," tweeted Marie Louise, the BBC NI Health Correspondent. 

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Dr. Jim Dornan is survived by his son Jamie and two daughters, Leisa and Jessica. He was highly regarded in his hometown of Belfast, where he pursued an impressive career in medicine and academia. As well as serving as a consultant OBGYN with the Belfast Trust for fourteen years, he was a Professor of Foetal Medicine at Queen's University Belfast for seventeen years. 

He lost his first wife and mother to Jamie, Leisa, and Jessica to pancreatic cancer in 1998, and later remarried fellow gynecologist Samima. 

Former clients of Dr. Dornan's treatment also took to Twitter to share their condolences. 

"Heartbreaking to hear of Jim Dornan’s passing, he brought our two into the World without breaking a sweat whilst everyone else around him flapped, including me," one father recalled. 

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Dr. Dornan was known as a staunch proponent of women's reproductive rights, advocating a repeal of Northern Ireland's restrictive abortion laws throughout his career. 

"Jim Dornan was a champion for women’s reproductive rights in his professional career and a fresh, radical voice in political debates looking towards the future," historian Dr. Margaret Ward tweeted shortly after the news broke. 

The late doctor was also a supporter of multiple Northern Ireland charities, including  Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI and Tiny Life Charity.  Although he was most recognized for his medical work and philanthropy, he had a brief experience with acting after his son's success in film and television. In 2016, he landed a cameo as a policeman in The Fall, alongside Jamie, who plays the crime drama's serial killer lead.  

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.