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 (103)
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Ethan Mack
Law Abiding Citizen
Detective Dunnigan
Con Air
Agent Duncan Malloy
Die Hard 2
Windsor Plane - Pilot
The Last of the Mohicans
Major Ambrose
Under Siege
Daumer
The Banker
Patrick Barker
No Way Up
Brandon
Free Birds
Myles Standish (voice)
In the Land of Saints and Sinners
Robert McQue
Layer Cake
Gene
Far and Away
Kelly
Get Him to the Greek
Jonathan Snow
Dick Tracy
Cop at Tess'
Marlowe
Bernie Ohls
Pelé: Birth of a Legend
George Raynor
Pelé: Birth of a Legend
Coach George Raynor
Tolkien
Father Francis Morgan
The Cold Light of Day
Bandler
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
Morgan the Goat
Bel Ami
Monsieur Rousset
Soldiers of Fortune
Mason
One Chance
Roland Potts
Norm of the North
Grandfather (voice)
The Road to Wellville
Dr. Lionel Badger
The Conspirator
David Hunter
The Dead
Mr. Bergin
The Commitments
Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.
Pixie
Dermot O'Brien
Unwelcome
Colm “Daddy” Whelan
The Damned United
Don Revie
Mystery, Alaska
Mayor Scott Pitcher
Five Fingers
Gavin
Seberg
Frank Ellroy
Bring Them Down
Ray
Blueberry
Jimmy McClure
Come See the Paradise
Gerry McGurn
Duchess
Frank Monaghan
The Devil's Hand
Elder Beacon
Owd Bob
Keith Moore
The Monkey
MacDonell
Intermission
Jerry Lynch
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Patt Farrell
Into the West
Barreller
Three Day Millionaire
Mr. Barr
The Journey
Martin McGuinness
The Snapper
Dessie Curley
Three and Out
Tommy Cassidy
Perfect Witness
Meagher
Caved In: Prehistoric Terror
Vincent
The Last Right
Detective Donall Crowley
Claire Dolan
Roland Cain
War of the Buttons
Geronimo's Dad
Battle of the Brave
Benjamin Franklin
Halal Daddy
Martin Logan
The Problem with People
Ciáran
This Is My Father
Seamus
Four Days
Fury
The Ballad of Davy Crockett
Caleb
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
Chief Miles O'Brien (archive footage)
The Last of the High Kings
Jim Davern
Re-Creation
Ian Bailey
National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Big Daddy
Omega Syndrome
Sean
Whole Lotta Sole
Detective Weller
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the Warrior
Miles O'Brien
Confession
Father Peter
Save the Cinema
Martyn
The Van
Larry
A Lobster Tale
Cody
Money Kings
Al Sheehan
The Gambler: The Legend Continues
Tinkerer
Monument Ave.
Jackie O'Hara
Nailed
Younger Protestant
The Hot Potato
Harry
I Am Your Father
Narrator (voice)
King of Texas
Mr. Tumlinson
A Dangerous Arrangement
Leslie
The Secrets of Emily Blair
Father Avital
The Boys & Girl from County Clare
Jimmy
Random Passage
Thomas Hutchings
October 22
Steve
The Race
Frank Kensay
The Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying
Inspector Brackenreid
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Emissary
Miles O'Brien
Unnatural Causes
Trevor Jones
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
Miles O'Brien
Bad Apple
Gibbons
Easter 2016
Kevin Murphy
The Flight of the Swan
Giannopoulos
Backflash
Gin O'Malley
The Perfect Stranger
Mark O'Reilly
The Murdoch Mysteries: Poor Tom Is Cold
Inspector Brackenreid
Parked
Fred Daly
Turning Green
Tom
How Harry Became a Tree
Harry
A Belfast Story
Detective
Alleged
H.L. Mencken
The Yank
Fintan McGuire
Chapter Zero
Frank Lazaras
There's Always Hope
Jonathan
The Legend of the Happy Worker
2025
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
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Miles O'Brien · 173 eps
Stargate Atlantis
Cowen · 3 eps
MacGyver
Irwin Malcolm · 1 eps
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Jake Slicker · 1 eps
Tales from the Darkside
Constable · 1 eps
Moonlighting
Keterina Suitor (as Colm Meany) · 1 eps
The Unit
Charge D'Affaires · 1 eps
Screen Two
Dessie Curley · 1 eps
Gargoyles
Mr. Dugan (voice) · 1 eps
Hell on Wheels
Thomas 'Doc' Durant · 57 eps
Gangs of London
Finn Wallace · 10 eps
The Serpent Queen
Francis I of France · 1 eps
Men in Trees
Bob O'Donnell · 2 eps
Scarlett
Father Colum O'Hara · 2 eps
Will
James Burbage · 10 eps
Brooklyn Bridge
1 eps
Childhood's End
Wainwright · 3 eps
Mercy
1 eps
Strangers
Peter Smolett · 1 eps
Safe Harbor
Kieran Walsh · 8 eps
Alice
King of Hearts · 2 eps
The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns
Seamus Muldoon · 2 eps
The Singapore Grip
Major Brendan Archer · 6 eps
The Driver
The Horse · 3 eps
ZOS: Zone of Separation
George Titac · 8 eps
Covert One: The Hades Factor
Peter Howell · 2 eps
The Murdoch Mysteries
Inspector Brackenreid · 3 eps
Fúria
1 eps
The Santa Stories
The No Man/ Bill · 1 eps
Random Passage
8 eps
Self / Appearances (11)
The Late Late Show
Self · 1 eps
The Cowboy
Self · 2 eps
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Self
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
Back to Barrytown
Self / Narrator · 3 eps
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
Himself
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
Muide Éire
Self
The New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek
Self
Deep Space Nine: Ending an Era
Self
Jack Charlton: The Irish Years
Self
