Colm Meaney
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.
Born: 30 May 1953
Played In
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Ethan Mack
Re-Creation
Ian Bailey
The Legend of the Happy Worker
Bring Them Down
Ray
Safe Harbor
Kieran Walsh
The Problem with People
Ciáran
Duchess
Frank Monaghan
The Ballad of Davy Crockett
Caleb
No Way Up
Brandon
The Santa Stories
The No Man/ Bill
Scary Tales of New York
Storyteller
In the Land of Saints and Sinners
Robert McQue
There's Always Hope
Jonathan
Marlowe
Bernie Ohls
Unwelcome
Colm “Daddy” Whelan
Three Day Millionaire
Mr. Barr
The Serpent Queen
Francis I of France
Save the Cinema
Martyn
Confession
Father Peter
Fúria
The Monkey
MacDonell
Back to Barrytown
Self / Narrator
Pixie
Dermot O'Brien
The Singapore Grip
Major Brendan Archer
Gangs of London
Finn Wallace
The Banker
Patrick Barker
Seberg
Frank Ellroy
The Last Right
Detective Donall Crowley
Tolkien
Father Francis Morgan
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Self
National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Big Daddy
Will
James Burbage
Halal Daddy
Martin Logan
The Journey
Martin McGuinness
The Secrets of Emily Blair
Father Avital
Pelé: Birth of a Legend
George Raynor
Pelé: Birth of a Legend
Coach George Raynor
The Cowboy
Self
Norm of the North
Grandfather (voice)
Childhood's End
Wainwright
I Am Your Father
Narrator (voice)
A Dangerous Arrangement
Leslie
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
Miles O'Brien
The Devil's Hand
Elder Beacon
The Driver
The Horse
The Yank
Fintan McGuire
Free Birds
Myles Standish (voice)
A Belfast Story
Detective
One Chance
Roland Potts
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Patt Farrell
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
Chief Miles O'Brien (archive footage)
Soldiers of Fortune
Mason
The Cold Light of Day
Bandler
Bel Ami
Monsieur Rousset
Muide Éire
Self
Hell on Wheels
Thomas 'Doc' Durant
The Perfect Stranger
Mark O'Reilly
Whole Lotta Sole
Detective Weller
The Conspirator
David Hunter
The Flight of the Swan
Giannopoulos
The Hot Potato
Harry
Alleged
H.L. Mencken
Parked
Fred Daly
Get Him to the Greek
Jonathan Snow
Alice
King of Hearts
The Race
Frank Kensay
Law Abiding Citizen
Detective Dunnigan
Mercy
The Damned United
Don Revie
ZOS: Zone of Separation
George Titac
Three and Out
Tommy Cassidy
Unnatural Causes
Trevor Jones
Kings
Joe Mullan
Men in Trees
Bob O'Donnell
Five Fingers
Gavin
Covert One: The Hades Factor
Peter Howell
The Unit
Charge D'Affaires
Caved In: Prehistoric Terror
Vincent
A Lobster Tale
Cody
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Shelley Kelly
Turning Green
Tom
Battle of the Brave
Benjamin Franklin
Layer Cake
Gene
The Murdoch Mysteries: Poor Tom Is Cold
Inspector Brackenreid
Stargate Atlantis
Cowen
The Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying
Inspector Brackenreid
The Murdoch Mysteries
Inspector Brackenreid
Bad Apple
Gibbons
Renegade
Jimmy McClure
Deep Space Nine: Ending an Era
Self
The Boys & Girl from County Clare
Jimmy
Intermission
Jerry Lynch
King of Texas
Mr. Tumlinson
How Harry Became a Tree
Harry
Random Passage
Thomas Hutchings
Random Passage
Backflash
Gin O'Malley
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Harold Garrett
Chapter Zero
Frank Lazaras
The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns
Seamus Muldoon
Mystery, Alaska
Mayor Scott Pitcher
Four Days
Fury
This Is My Father
Seamus
Money Kings
Al Sheehan
Claire Dolan
Roland Cain
October 22
Steve
Monument Ave.
Jackie O'Hara
Owd Bob
Keith Moore
Con Air
Agent Duncan Malloy
The Last of the High Kings
Jim Davern
The Van
Larry
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
Self
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the Warrior
Miles O'Brien
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
Morgan the Goat
The New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek
Self
Scarlett
Father Colum O'Hara
The Road to Wellville
Dr. Lionel Badger
Gargoyles
Mr. Dugan (voice)
War of the Buttons
Geronimo's Dad
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
The Snapper
Dessie Curley
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
Himself
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Emissary
Miles O'Brien
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Miles O'Brien
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Jake Slicker
Into the West
Barreller
Under Siege
Daumer
The Last of the Mohicans
Major Ambrose
Far and Away
Kelly
Brooklyn Bridge
The Commitments
Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.
Law & Order
Wyatt Landon
Come See the Paradise
Gerry McGurn
Die Hard 2
Windsor Plane - Pilot
Dick Tracy
Cop at Tess'
The Simpsons
Tom O'Flanagan (voice)
Perfect Witness
Meagher
The Gambler: The Legend Continues
Tinkerer
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Miles O'Brien
The Dead
Mr. Bergin
Omega Syndrome
Sean
MacGyver
Irwin Malcolm
Moonlighting
Keterina Suitor (as Colm Meany)
Screen Two
Dessie Curley
Tales from the Darkside
Constable
Easter 2016
Kevin Murphy
Nailed
Younger Protestant
Strangers
Peter Smolett
The Late Late Show
Self
Shelter Me
The Panic
J. Pierpont Morgan
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes
Jack
Hal