Bergin played businessman Dick Moran in the show from its inception in 1983 to 2001, which followed the lives of the residents of the fictional Wicklow village, alongside Mick Lally, Joe Lynch, and Mary McEvoy.
His death was confirmed by his family, who shared this statement.
"Sadly, dad died on Friday morning (15th March) at home. It was unexpected", they said. "He had only recently been alerted to a possible heart issue and had been discharged from a short stay in hospital".
"We thought and hoped he would be okay. We were all at home when it happened – my mum Sarah, my brother Gavan, and me. He was such an important presence in our lives. He will be greatly missed".
Emmet Bergin also appeared in Excalibur in 1981, as well as RTÉ thriller The Burke Enigma. He also featured in RTÉ drama The Clinic, as well as going on to play Aengus Fanning the former Sunday Independent editor in the 2003 biopic Veronica Guerin, starring Cate Blanchett.
The actor also worked on stage at the Abbey Theatre, including The Silver Tassie, True West, and Philadelphia, Here I Come!.
Emmet Bergin is survived by his wife Sarah, and children Gavan and Tar.
