Colm Meaney
Acting
Born: May 30, 1953 (age 73) · Dublin, Ireland
Highest Rated
Biography
Colm J. Meaney (born May 30, 1953) is an acclaimed Irish actor. Born in Dublin, Meaney discovered his passion for acting in his youth and later honed his craft at the Abbey Theatre School before joining the National Theatre of Ireland. He achieved global recognition for his iconic portrayal of Chief Miles O'Brien within the Star Trek franchise, seamlessly transitioning the character from Star Trek: The Next Generation to a leading role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine across a staggering 225 total episodes. Beyond science fiction, Meaney is deeply revered for starring as the quintessential working-class father in all three film adaptations of Roddy Doyle’s beloved Barrytown Trilogy: The Commitments, The Snapper (which earned him a Golden Globe nomination), and The Van. A highly versatile character actor, his prolific Hollywood filmography includes memorable roles in major blockbusters such as Die Hard 2, The Last of the Mohicans, Con Air, and Layer Cake. On the small screen, he delivered powerhouse performances as the ruthless railroad tycoon Thomas C. Durant in AMC's Western series Hell on Wheels and the crime boss Finn Wallace in Gangs of London. An accomplished stage veteran of Broadway and the West End, Meaney was honored with the prestigious Irish Film & Television Academy’s (IFTA) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025. He continues to remain a vibrant force in the industry, starring in high-profile projects such as the Netflix feature adaptation Remarkably Bright Creatures and the crime drama series The Yank, which reunited him on screen with fellow Star Trek alumnus Kate Mulgrew.
Known for
The Simpsons
1989
Die Hard 2
1990
Law Abiding Citizen
2009
Con Air
1997
The Last of the Mohicans
1992
Layer Cake
2004
Get Him to the Greek
2010
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987
Under Siege
1992
Tolkien
2019
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
2005
Far and Away
1992
Photos (2)
Movies (102)
Law Abiding Citizen
Detective Dunnigan
Die Hard 2
Windsor Plane - Pilot
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Ethan Mack
Free Birds
Myles Standish (voice)
Con Air
Agent Duncan Malloy
The Banker
Patrick Barker
In the Land of Saints and Sinners
Robert McQue
Marlowe
Bernie Ohls
Under Siege
Daumer
Far and Away
Kelly
The Last of the Mohicans
Major Ambrose
The Conspirator
David Hunter
No Way Up
Brandon
Mystery, Alaska
Mayor Scott Pitcher
One Chance
Roland Potts
Layer Cake
Gene
Pelé: Birth of a Legend
George Raynor
Pelé: Birth of a Legend
Coach George Raynor
Bel Ami
Monsieur Rousset
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
Morgan the Goat
Tolkien
Father Francis Morgan
The Damned United
Don Revie
Norm of the North
Grandfather (voice)
Get Him to the Greek
Jonathan Snow
The Cold Light of Day
Bandler
Bring Them Down
Ray
The Road to Wellville
Dr. Lionel Badger
Seberg
Frank Ellroy
The Commitments
Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.
Dick Tracy
Cop at Tess'
Five Fingers
Gavin
Re-Creation
Ian Bailey
The Dead
Mr. Bergin
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Patt Farrell
Three Day Millionaire
Mr. Barr
Soldiers of Fortune
Mason
Blueberry
Jimmy McClure
Come See the Paradise
Gerry McGurn
Unwelcome
Colm “Daddy” Whelan
The Devil's Hand
Elder Beacon
Money Kings
Al Sheehan
Claire Dolan
Roland Cain
Duchess
Frank Monaghan
War of the Buttons
Geronimo's Dad
Pixie
Dermot O'Brien
Into the West
Barreller
Intermission
Jerry Lynch
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the Warrior
Miles O'Brien
Halal Daddy
Martin Logan
The Last of the High Kings
Jim Davern
The Monkey
MacDonell
The Snapper
Dessie Curley
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
Chief Miles O'Brien (archive footage)
Save the Cinema
Martyn
Battle of the Brave
Benjamin Franklin
The Secrets of Emily Blair
Father Avital
Bad Apple
Gibbons
King of Texas
Mr. Tumlinson
October 22
Steve
How Harry Became a Tree
Harry
Caved In: Prehistoric Terror
Vincent
Owd Bob
Keith Moore
The Last Right
Detective Donall Crowley
Monument Ave.
Jackie O'Hara
Four Days
Fury
The Ballad of Davy Crockett
Caleb
Whole Lotta Sole
Detective Weller
Three and Out
Tommy Cassidy
A Lobster Tale
Cody
A Dangerous Arrangement
Leslie
The Problem with People
Ciáran
The Boys & Girl from County Clare
Jimmy
Backflash
Gin O'Malley
The Journey
Martin McGuinness
Omega Syndrome
Sean
National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Big Daddy
The Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying
Inspector Brackenreid
This Is My Father
Seamus
The Van
Larry
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
Miles O'Brien
Turning Green
Tom
The Gambler: The Legend Continues
Tinkerer
There's Always Hope
Jonathan
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Emissary
Miles O'Brien
Random Passage
Thomas Hutchings
Perfect Witness
Meagher
Alleged
H.L. Mencken
The Murdoch Mysteries: Poor Tom Is Cold
Inspector Brackenreid
The Hot Potato
Harry
The Race
Frank Kensay
The Legend of the Happy Worker
2025
Nailed
Younger Protestant
Parked
Fred Daly
The Flight of the Swan
Giannopoulos
Chapter Zero
Frank Lazaras
The Perfect Stranger
Mark O'Reilly
Unnatural Causes
Trevor Jones
Confession
Father Peter
A Belfast Story
Detective
The Yank
Fintan McGuire
Easter 2016
Kevin Murphy
Kings
Joe Mullan
TV Shows (35)
The Simpsons
Tom O'Flanagan (voice) · 1 eps
Law & Order
Wyatt Landon · 1 eps
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Harold Garrett · 2 eps
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Miles O'Brien · 53 eps
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Shelley Kelly · 2 eps
MacGyver
Irwin Malcolm · 1 eps
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Miles O'Brien · 173 eps
Stargate Atlantis
Cowen · 3 eps
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Jake Slicker · 1 eps
The Unit
Charge D'Affaires · 1 eps
Moonlighting
Keterina Suitor (as Colm Meany) · 1 eps
Hell on Wheels
Thomas 'Doc' Durant · 57 eps
Gargoyles
Mr. Dugan (voice) · 1 eps
Screen Two
Dessie Curley · 1 eps
Tales from the Darkside
Constable · 1 eps
Gangs of London
Finn Wallace · 10 eps
Men in Trees
Bob O'Donnell · 2 eps
The Serpent Queen
Francis I of France · 1 eps
Brooklyn Bridge
1 eps
Strangers
Peter Smolett · 1 eps
Mercy
1 eps
Will
James Burbage · 10 eps
The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns
Seamus Muldoon · 2 eps
Childhood's End
Wainwright · 3 eps
Scarlett
Father Colum O'Hara · 2 eps
Alice
King of Hearts · 2 eps
The Driver
The Horse · 3 eps
The Singapore Grip
Major Brendan Archer · 6 eps
Safe Harbor
Kieran Walsh · 8 eps
Covert One: The Hades Factor
Peter Howell · 2 eps
The Santa Stories
The No Man/ Bill · 1 eps
ZOS: Zone of Separation
George Titac · 8 eps
The Murdoch Mysteries
Inspector Brackenreid · 3 eps
Random Passage
8 eps
Fúria
2 eps
Self / Appearances (12)
The Late Late Show
Self · 1 eps
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Self
The Cowboy
Self · 2 eps
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
Back to Barrytown
Self / Narrator · 3 eps
I Am Your Father
Self - Narrator (voice)
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
Himself
The New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek
Self
Deep Space Nine: Ending an Era
Self
Jack Charlton: The Irish Years
Self
Muide Éire
Self
