Colm J. Meaney (; ; born 30 May 1953) is an Irish actor. Known for his performances across screen and stage, he has received seven nominations from the
Irish Film & Television Academy, winning twice for 2001's ''
How Harry Became a Tree'', and 2017's ''
The Journey''. Other film credits include
Roddy Doyle's ''
Barrytown'' franchise, ''
Con Air'', ''
Layer Cake'', ''
The Damned United'', ''
Get Him to the Greek'', and ''
The Snapper'', for which he was nominated for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical, and won the
Silver Hugo Award for Best Actor at the 1993
Chicago International Film Festival.
On television, Meaney is best known for his portrayal of
Miles O'Brien in both ''
Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987-1994) and ''
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1993-1999), appearing in a total of 225 episodes. Other television credits include five seasons as
Thomas C. Durant on the
AMC western ''
Hell on Wheels'' (2011-2016),
James Burbage on the
TNT historical fiction
Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the Setting (narrative), setting of particular real past events, historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literatur ...
series ''
Will
Will may refer to:
Common meanings
* Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death
* Will (philosophy), or willpower
* Will (sociology)
* Will, volition (psychology)
* Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will
...
'' (2017), and Finn Wallace on the
Sky Atlantic crime series ''
Gangs of London'' (2020). Meaney's numerous guest appearances include roles on ''
Moonlighting'', ''
MacGyver
Angus "Mac" MacGyver is the title character and the protagonist in the TV series ''MacGyver''. He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the MacGyver (1985 TV series), 1985 original series. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in Mac ...
'', ''
Murdoch Mysteries'', ''
Law & Order'', ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'', and ''
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'', also known colloquially simply as ''Always Sunny'', is an American sitcom created by Rob McElhenney and co-developed by Glenn Howerton for FX (TV channel), FX. It premiered on August 4, 2005, and stars Charl ...
''.
Also a veteran of the theatre, Meaney has starred on
Broadway and the
West End in
Eugene O'Neill
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...
's ''
The Iceman Cometh'' and ''
A Moon for the Misbegotten'',
Tennessee Williams' ''
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'', and
Hugh Whitemore's ''
Breaking the Code''. Additionally, he has appeared in numerous productions with the
National Theatre of Ireland, including
Sean O'Casey's ''
Juno and the Paycock'', ''
The Silver Tassie'', and ''
The Shadow of a Gunman''.
["Colm Meaney." Abbey Theatre Archives. Accessed March 14, 2025. https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/archives/person_detail/12111/.]
In 2020, Meaney was ranked 24th on ''
The Irish Times
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...
'' list of "The 50 Greatest Irish Film Actors of All Time". In 2025, he received the
Irish Film & Television Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Early life and education
Meaney was born in
Glasnevin,
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, the son of Kathleen and Patrick Meaney, who was a van driver for Johnston, Mooney, & O'Brien. His brothers are Liam, Padraig, and Sean Meaney. He developed a love of acting at the age of 14, and after completing his leaving cert matriculated to the
Abbey Theatre School. Upon completing his studies, Meaney joined the company of the
National Theatre of Ireland.
Career
Stage

In 1971, Meaney joined the company of the
National Theatre of Ireland, appearing in 24 productions over the next nine years. Credits from this period include
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
The Winter's Tale'',
W. B. Yeats' ''
King Oedipus'',
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...
's ''
Saint Joan'',
Dion Boucicault's ''
Arrah-na-Pogue'', and
Sean O'Casey's ''
Juno and the Paycock''.
For much of this period, Meaney split his time between
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
and
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, touring the UK with several theatre companies, including the
7:84 theatre group founded by
John McGrath.
Meaney made his
Off-West End debut in 1975, appearing in McGrath's plays ''Fish in the Sea'' at the
Half Moon Theatre and ''Yobbo Nowt'' at the
Shaw Theatre. The following year he appeared in a stage adaptation of
Lin Piao's ''History of the Tenth Struggle'' at the
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is an modernism, artistic and cultural centre on The Mall (London), The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. Located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps a ...
. Meaney made his American stage debut in 1982 at the
Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, where he would remain a summer company member until 1985. Credits from this period include
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Henry V'',
J. M. Synge's ''
The Playboy of the Western World'',
Dylan Thomas' ''
A Child's Christmas in Wales'',
C. P. Taylor's ''
And a Nightingale Sang'', and the American premiere of ''
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby''. The play is an 8½ hour-long stage adaptation of the
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
’
novel of the same name, performed in two parts. The production was a critical and commercial success, later transferring to
Merle Reskin Theatre in
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
.
Meaney made his Off-Broadway debut in 1984, appearing as Kevin in
Hugh Leonard's ''The Poker Sessions'' at
Theater Off Park. In 1986 he relocated from
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. That same year he starred in
Sławomir Mrożek's ''Alpha'',
Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A List of Nobel laureates in Literature, Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramat ...
's ''
The Birthday Party'', and
Peter Sheridan's ''Diary of a Hunger Strike'', all at the
Los Angeles Theatre Center. Meaney's performance in the later earned him a
Drama-Logue Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play. In 1987, Meaney appeared as Mick Ross in the American premiere of
Hugh Whitemore's ''
Breaking the Code'' at the
Kennedy Center
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...
in
Washington, D.C. Later that same year the production transferred to the
Neil Simon Theatre on
Broadway. From 1992 to 1993 Meaney appeared in a multi-city tour of
Tom Stoppard's ''
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour'', directed by his ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' co-star
Patrick Stewart. Tour venues included Orange County Symphony in
Garden Grove, CA;
The Chicago Theatre in
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, and The Fox Theatre in
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
. In 1999 Meaney starred in
Peter Parnell's stage adaptation of
John Irving's ''
The Cider House Rules'' at the
Atlantic Theater Company. Meaney won an
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...
for his performance.
Meaney made his
West End debut as Phil Hogan in the 2006 revival of
Eugene O'Neill
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...
's ''
A Moon for the Misbegotten'' at
The Old Vic. Directed by
Howard Davies, the cast also featured
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. Known for Kevin Spacey on screen and stage, his work on stage and screen, he List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Spacey, has received numerous accolades, including two ...
and
Eve Best. For his performance, Meaney was nominated for the
Olivier Award for
Best Performance in a Supporting Role. The following year the production transferred to the
Brooks Atkinson Theatre on
Broadway. Meaney would later return to Broadway in the 2018 revival of
Eugene O'Neill
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...
's ''
The Iceman Cometh'' at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Directed by
George C. Wolfe, the cast featured
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...
,
Bill Irwin,
David Morse,
Tammy Blanchard, and
Austin Butler. In 2023, after more than a 40-year absence, Meaney returned to the Irish stage in
Landmark Productions
Landmark Productions is a theatre company, theatre production company in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 2003 by Anne Clarke (theatre producer), Anne Clarke. The company has forged partnerships with writers and other companies, and has toured its show ...
revival of the
Enda Walsh
Enda Walsh (born 1967) is an Irish playwright.
Biography
Enda Walsh was born in Kilbarrack, North Dublin on 7 February 1967. His father ran a furniture shop and his mother had been an actress. He is the second youngest of six children. Walsh ...
play ''Bedbound'' at the
Galway International Arts Festival. Starring opposite his daughter
Brenda Meaney, the production later transferred to an additional engagement at the
Olympia Theatre, Dublin.
Television and film
Meaney's first television appearance was in ''
Z-Cars'' on
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
, in 1978. He guest-starred on shows such as ''
Remington Steele'' and ''
Moonlighting'' before embarking on a successful film career; he received a
Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for his role in ''
The Snapper''.
Meaney first appeared on ''
Star Trek: The Next Generation'' in its 1987 pilot episode, "
Encounter at Farpoint", as an unnamed helm officer. His character became a frequently recurring one, and was given the name of
Miles O'Brien as he became more prominent in the crew as Transporter Chief. In 1993, Meaney left ''The Next Generation'' for a main role in its spin-off ''
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and remained on that show until its final episode, in 1999. With 225 total appearances on ''Star Trek'', he is second to
Michael Dorn with the most appearances on the franchise.
Meaney played Colum O'Hara in the 1994 miniseries ''
Scarlett'', the sequel to ''
Gone With the Wind''. He has played a minor recurring role as Cowen, leader of the
Genii on the series ''
Stargate Atlantis
''Stargate Atlantis'' (usually stylized in all caps and often abbreviated ''SGA'') is an Adventure film, adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate, ''Stargate'' franchise. The show was created by Brad W ...
'', guest-starred on ''Law & Order'', ''
Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' and appeared as Bob O'Donnell on the ABC show ''
Men in Trees''. Meaney appeared in the film ''
Die Hard 2'', playing the pilot of the plane Windsor 114 that was later crashed by Colonel Stuart.
He was the only actor to appear in all three film adaptations of
Roddy Doyle's ''
The Barrytown Trilogy'', as the father of the Rabbitte family. His stage appearances include the Old Vic production of
Eugene O'Neill
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...
's ''
A Moon for the Misbegotten''. Meaney starred in the British comedy film ''
Three and Out'' (released in the UK on 25 April 2008). In July of the same year
An Post
(; literally 'The Post') is the state-owned provider of Mail, postal services in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. An Post provides a "universal postal service" to all parts of the country as a member of the Universal Postal Union. Services provide ...
(the Irish Post Office) issued a postage stamp showing Meaney as Joe Mullen in the film ''
Kings''.
In 2009, Meaney co-starred with
Gerard Butler and
Jamie Foxx in ''
Law Abiding Citizen'', playing Detective Dunnigan. In March 2009, Meaney voiced an Irish bartender on the St. Patrick's Day episode of ''The Simpsons'', "
In the Name of the Grandfather". In the same month the film ''
The Damned United'' was released, a mostly fictional retelling of the 44-day period in which
Brian Clough was manager of
Leeds United F.C. Meaney played former Leeds manager
Don Revie. He co-starred in ''
Soldiers of Fortune''. In 2013, Meaney co-starred in ''
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa''. In 2014, he appeared as The Horse in the BBC's three-part crime story ''
The Driver
''The Driver'' is a 1978 American crime film, crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill, and starring Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern and Isabelle Adjani. The film featured only unnamed characters, and follows a getaway driver for robberi ...
''. For five seasons he portrayed railroad magnate
Thomas C. Durant on
AMC's drama series ''
Hell on Wheels''.
Personal life
From 1977 to 1994, Meaney was married to fellow actress
Bairbre Dowling, with whom he frequently appeared opposite on stage and screen. Together they had one daughter, actress
Brenda Meaney, born in 1984.
Meaney married French costume designer Ines Glorian in March 2007. Their daughter Ada was born in 2005. The family lives in the
Majorcan town of Sóller, with homes in Los Angeles, California, and Dublin, Ireland.
Meaney is a supporter of Sinn Féin.
Acting credits
Film
Television
Stage
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meaney, Colm
1953 births
People from Glasnevin
People from Ballygall
20th-century Irish male actors
21st-century Irish male actors
Irish expatriates in Spain
Irish expatriate male actors in the United States
Irish male film actors
Irish male stage actors
Irish male television actors
Abbey Theatre
Living people
People educated at O'Connell School
Male actors from County Dublin
People from Finglas