Deirdre Donnelly is an Irish actress, based in Dublin who works in television, films and theatre.
Donnelly was a member of the Abbey Theatre Company for several years [1] before leaving to work on the television series The Riordans . [2] She appeared in 58 episodes of the television series Ballykissangel , from 1996 to 2001. [3]
Donnelly is the third of four daughters. Her father was from Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin and her mother from Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan. Her sister Terry Donnelly is also an actress. [4]
Donnelly grew up in Cullenswood House, Ranelagh, [5] and was educated at Mount St. Anne's School in Milltown, South Dublin. She studied for two years at the Brendan Smith Theatre Academy [6] and a further two years at the Abbey Theatre School of Acting. [7]
In 2004, Donnelly completed postgraduate studies at UCD, receiving a first-class master's degree in Modern Drama Studies. [7]
Cyril James Cusack was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his interpretations of both classical and contemporary theatre, including Shakespearean roles as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and over 60 productions for the Abbey Theatre, of which he was a lifelong member. In 2020, Cusack was ranked at number 14 on The Irish Times' list of Ireland's greatest film actors.
Anna Maria Manahan was an Irish stage, film and television actress.
Michael Anthony Doyle was an Irish television and film actor. He became widely known in Ireland as a then-radical priest in the popular Irish rural drama The Riordans, which began in 1965. He worked consistently in series, television films, and feature films throughout his life. He died unexpectedly in 2000, at the time playing in another well-known Irish rural drama, Ballykissangel.
John Bosco Hogan is an Irish stage, film, and television actor.
Wesley Burrowes was an Irish playwright and screenwriter. Originally from Northern Ireland, he became a resident of the Republic of Ireland. He was best known as the chief scriptwriter on The Riordans and Glenroe, two of the most successful drama series produced by RTÉ Television.
Chris Newman is an Irish actor with roles in films Song for a Raggy Boy and Perrier's Bounty and TV series The Clinic, Love is the Drug, Stardust, Love/Hate and Red Rock.
Harry Brogan was an Irish actor often in comic roles. He was part of the Abbey Theatre from 1939 - 1976.
Liam Gaffney was an Irish stage, film and television actor. His stage work included appearances with Dublin's Abbey Theatre, and in London's West End.
The Abbey Experimental Theatre Company was a small company run by a group of young actors associated with the Peacock Theatre in the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Ireland.
Eugene O'Brien is an Irish playwright, screenwriter, and actor.
Olwen Fouéré is an Irish actress and writer/director in theatre, film and visual arts. She was born in Galway, Ireland to Breton parents Yann Fouéré and Marie-Magdeleine Mauger. In 2020, she was listed at number 22 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.
Áine Ní Mhuirí is an Irish actress. She began her career at the Damer Theatre, later working in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Áine is a fluent Irish language speaker.
Philip O'Sullivan is an Irish actor with contributions to Irish arts and culture through his roles and performances in theatre, on film and on television. O'Sullivan has been involved with the Abbey Theatre Ireland since the 1970s. In 1975 he appeared in an Abbey Theatre production of a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy called Katie Roche where he played the part of Michael Maguire, this production ran for 21 performances.
Paul Mercier is an Irish playwright screenwriter, film and theatre director. Born in Dublin and living in An Cheathrú Rua he was the founder member and Artistic Director of the Passion Machine Theatre Company, and is a Director with Anne Gately of the film production company An Pointe Productions. His work is known for its gritty poetic realism and examination of ordinary, contemporary Irish life.
May Craig was an Irish actress. She was born in Dublin.
Eileen Aice Izabella Crowe was an Irish actress. She was born Dublin, Ireland. She was married to Peter Judge, an actor whose stage name was F. J. McCormick.
Shelah Geraldine Richards, was an Irish actress, manager, director and producer.
Dermot Kelly (1918–1980) was an Irish actor often in comic roles, in films and on TV. He achieved popularity as a recurring tramp character, sidekick to Arthur Haynes's vagrant, in TV's The Arthur Haynes Show in the early 1960s. Previously on stage with Dublin's Abbey Theatre, he was in the original stage and film versions of Brendan Behan's The Quare Fellow, in 1954 and 1962, respectively.
William A. Murphy, better known as Bill Murphy, is an Irish theatre and screen actor, writer and producer. He is known in 2022 for his role as Øgda in Vikings: Valhalla. He has appeared in films such as Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000), My Brother's War (1997), Criminal Affairs (1997) and Moving Target (2000). He has also had roles in TV series such as Jack Taylor (2010) and Titanic: Blood and Steel (2012), and he also portrayed Nick Barret on the RTÉ One soap opera Fair City in 2003. He has had roles in theatre productions of Once (2015–2017), The Country Girls (2019), and Joyce's Women (2022). In 2022 he wrote, produced and starred in the short film Lily's Theme.
Amelia Crowley is an Irish actress and stand-up comedian. She is known for playing Fiona Piggott on RTÉ's Fair City, Deirdre Mallon in Derry Girls, and for her theatre work in the UK and Ireland.
