Colm Meaney

Media Library:
- Additional pictures as Chief O'Brien

From Yahoo Movies:

Colm Meaney is no stranger to the run down Barrytown district of Dublin depicted in The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van, having grown up near the much mythologized neighborhood. The Dublin native began his acting career at the age of 14, eventually receiving formal training at Dublin's prestigious Abbey Theatre School of Acting and going on to join the Irish National Theatre Company. Meaney eventually graduated to the English stage, working in various London theaters, and then began to audition for television work, mainly landing bit parts in such TV shows as the cop drama Z Cars.

Meaney moved to the U.S. in 1982, continuing to work mainly on the stage, but gradually made the transition into television and film playing small parts and guest roles on a variety of series. He was part of the cast of One Life to Live from 1986 to 1987, playing Patrick London, and then was hired for a bit part on Encounter at Farpoint, the pilot for the Star Trek: The Next Generation series. He was hired again for another part and then given the role of Chief Miles Edward O'Brien, and quickly went from being a bit player to an important member of the ensemble cast. The character was transferred to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the pilot for that series, and Meaney became a staple member of the show's cast.

During his tenure on both Star Trek series, Meaney's motion picture career began to take off, as the bit parts he was given gradually became more substantial. Meaney made his greatest impact in smaller films like the so-called Barrytown Trilogy -- The Commitments (1991), in which he played the father of one of the band members; The Snapper (1993), in which he portrayed Dessie, who finds himself out of a job and suddenly a grandfather; and The Van (1996), which cast him as Larry, a layabout who manages to have a grand idea one day that results in his and a friend Bimbo starting a business out of a derelict vending van. Meaney was also notable in 1996's The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain: his Morgan the Goat, a randy Welsh pub owner with a flair for smart remarks, was an appropriate foil for the naive Englishman played by Hugh Grant.

Meaney has continued to divide his time between the U.K. and the U.S., making particularly notable appearances in Paul Quinn's This Is My Father (1998), which cast him as the swishy son of an old gypsy woman; Lodge Kerrigan's Claire Dolan, in which he played a high-class pimp; Ted Demme's Monument Avenue (1998), which featured him as the bullying leader of a Boston gang; and Chapter Zero (2000), an independent comedy that cast Meaney as the cross-dressing father of a struggling writer. ~ Steven E. McDonald, All Movie Guide

From StarTrek.com:

Colm Meaney reprised his role from Star Trek: The Next Generation as Miles O'Brien, Chief Operations Officer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. "This position serves as a promotion for Miles, and despite the precarious condition of the space station, he is excited and challenged. Although his work may be overwhelming at times, Miles is happy to be there," said Meaney.

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Meaney began studying acting at the age of 14. After high school, Meaney entered the Abby Theatre School of Acting, part of the Irish National Theatre, and later joined the company as a professional actor. He spent eight years in England, touring with several theatre companies. It was then that Meaney made his first television appearances in the BBC production of Z Cars and the independent British production of Strangers before moving to New York.

Meaney also appeared in the action blockbuster "Con Air" with Nicholas Cage and John Cusack. Additionally, he starred in "The Van," "Owd Bob" (with James Cromwell), "Noose" (with Denis Leary), "This is My Father" (with Aidan Quinn and James Caan) and an untitled Lodge Kerrigan film which co-stars Katrin Cartridge and Vincent D'Onofrio.

Meaney's feature film career continues to flourish with "Four Days" and "Mystery, Alaska." He has also starred in such feature films as "The Dead," "The Commitments," "Dick Tracy," "Die Hard II," "Under Siege," "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Far and Away." Meaney's critically acclaimed performance in the 1994 Miramax Film "The Snapper" earned him a Golden Globe nomination for "Best Actor." Meaney has also appeared in "The Road To Wellville" with Anthony Hopkins and in "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain" with Hugh Grant.

Prior to his role as Miles O'Brien on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Meaney guest-starred in such shows as Remington Steele, Moonlighting and Tales From The Dark Side.