Ian McElhinney

Ian McElhinney
McElhinney in 2014
Born (1948-06-30) 30 June 1948 (age 76)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma materBrandeis University
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active1981–present
SpouseMarie Jones
Children3

Ian McElhinney (born 30 June 1948) is a Northern Irish actor and director. He has appeared in many television series in a career spanning more than forty years; notable appearances include Taggart, Hornblower, Cold Feet, and The Tudors. In recent times his best known roles are as Barristan Selmy in Game of Thrones,[1] Morgan Monroe in The Fall, and Granda Joe in Derry Girls.

Early life

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McElhinney was born in Belfast, the son of a Church of Ireland (Anglican) clergyman and teacher.[2] He studied international affairs at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He worked as a teacher at Goole Grammar School, now known as Goole Academy, in Yorkshire, England, for several years before becoming an actor. He started acting professionally at the age of 30, playing Bill Sikes in a theatre production of Oliver!.[3]

Personal life

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He is married to playwright and actress Marie Jones; in 2009 the couple started their own company, Rathmore Productions Ltd.[4] They live in Belfast and have three sons.[5]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
1982 Angel Groom
1983 Acceptable Levels Andy
1984 Anne Devlin Major Sirr
1985 Lamb Maguire
1986 The End of the World Man Architect
1987 A Prayer for the Dying Lodger
1988 Reefer and the Model Reefer
1990 Hidden Agenda Jack Cunningham
Fools of Fortune The Stranger
1992 The Playboys Joe Cassidy
1996 The Boy from Mercury Brother Dowdall
Small Faces Uncle Andrew
Michael Collins Belfast Detective
Hamlet Barnardo
1997 This Is the Sea Da Stokes
The Boxer Reggie Bell
1998 Divorcing Jack Alfie Stewart
1999 A Love Divided Reverend Hamilton
2000 Borstal Boy Verreker
2001 Mapmaker Sergeant Devlin
2006 The Front Line Mikey
2007 Closing the Ring Cathal Thomas
2008 City of Ember Builder
2009 A Shine of Rainbows Father Doyle
Swansong: Story of Occi Byrne Skip
Triage Ivan
2010 Leap Year Priest
Cup Cake Rusty Rafferty
2015 A Patch of Fog Freddie Clarke
2016 The Truth Commissioner James Fenton
The Journey Rory McBride
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story General Jan Dodonna
Sacrifice D.I. McKie
2017 Bad Day for the Cut Eamon
Zoo Mr. Shawcross
2022 The Ulysses Project Mr. Deasy / Barrister JJ Molloy
2023 The Last Rifleman Tom Malcolmson
The Boys in the Boat Elderly Joe Rantz

Television

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Year Film Role Notes
1981 Cowboys Driver Television film
1982 BBC2 Playhouse Mousey Episode: "Potatohead Blues"
1984 After You've Gone Mike Television film
Fire at Magilligan Loyalist Leader Television film
A Woman Calling Mr. Burke Television film
1985 The Price Priest Episode #1.6
Ties of Blood Maj. Watson Episode: "McCabe's Wall"
1986 Screen Two Damien / Inspector McBride Episode: "Shergar"
Episode: "Naming the Names"
1987 Dead Entry Martin Galbraith 3 episodes
The Rockingham Shoot John Reilly Television film
Lapsed Catholics Derek O'Gorman Television film
First Sight Joe Episode: "The Last of a Dyin' Race"
Brond Kennedy 3 episodes
1988 Wipe Out Max Raines TV miniseries, 5 episodes
The Grasscutter Brian Devlin Television film
1989 Streetwise Denny Moss Episode: "Home Truths"
1990 Who Bombed Birmingham? Sinn Fein Leader Television film
Shoot to Kill Assistant Chief Constable Trevor Forbes Television film
The Lilac Bus Billy Television film
1990–1991 4 Play Eddie / McQuire Episode: "Valentine Falls"
Episode: "In the Border Country"
1991 Children of the North O'Hare 3 episodes
1992 The Bill Mickey Felcher Episode: "Trial and Error"
Screenplay Reggie Devine Episode: "You, Me & Marley"
1993 Spender Flynn Episode: "Bad Company"
Lovejoy Cieran Stow Episode: "Ducking and Diving"
Circle of Deceit Father Fergel Television film
Between the Lines Chief Superintendent Trevor Dunne Episode: "The Great Detective"
A Woman's Guide to Adultery Martin 3 episodes
Taggart Archie Rae / Sean O'Donnell Episode: "Death Without Dishonour"
Episode: "Cause and Effect"
1994 Blind Justice Father Malone Television film
1995 Beyond Reason Smythe QC Television film
Hearts and Minds Alex 4 episodes
Life After Life Working Out Governor Television film
Roughnecks 2 episodes
1996 Safe and Sound Higgins Episode: "Hope"
1997 Wokenwell Sergeant Duncan Bonney 6 episodes
1998 Touch and Go Clive Bevan Television film
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant Captain Hammond Television film
1998–1999 Maisie Raine C.S. Jack Freeman 12 episodes
1999 Durango Vestor McCarthy Television film
1999–2000 Queer as Folk Clive Jones 2 episodes
2000 Queer as Folk 2 Television film
In Defence DCS David Dillne Episode #1.3
2001 Hornblower: Retribution Captain Hammond Television film
2002 No Tears Padraig McFadden TV miniseries
2003 Murphy's Law Fulton Episode: "Manic Munday"
Holby City Brian Chapman Episode: "For Better, for Worse"
Cold Feet Bill Williams Season 5
Doctors Howard Brackley Episode: "Faking the Dead"
The Clinic' Joseph McGarry 5 episodes
Hornblower: Loyalty Captain Hammond Television film
2004 Omagh Stanley McCombe Television film
2005 Coronation Street Father Thomas 5 episodes
Pure Mule Harry Kilroy Episode: "Kevin's Weekend"
2007 Rough Diamond Tim Regan 2 episodes
The Tudors Pope Clement VII Episode: "Message to the Emperor"
Casualty Robert Finch Episode: "Communion"
Single-Handed Ex-Garda Sergeant Gerry Driscoll Episodes: "Home Parts 1 & 2"
and "Stolen Child Parts 1 & 2"
2007, 2010 Brilliant! Principal / Carson 2 episodes
2008 Fairy Tales Vice-Chancellor Ralph Graham Episode: "Cinderella"
Clay Father O'Mahoney Television film
Last Man Hanging The Narrator Television film
Little Dorrit Mr. Clennam 2 episodes
Raw Phillip Episode #1.6
2009 Scapegoat H.A. McVeigh QC Television film
2010 New Tricks Fintan MacEntee Episode: "Coming Out Ball"
An Old Fashioned Christmas Sean Bassett Television film
Three Wise Women David Television film
2011 Brendan Smyth: Betrayal of Trust Abbot Smith Television film
The Sea Alfred Blunden Based on The Sea
2011–2015 Game of Thrones Ser Barristan Selmy 25 episodes
2012 Titanic: Blood and Steel Sir Henry Carlton 12 episodes
2012–2014 Ripper Street Theodore P. Swift 3 episodes
2013 Moonfleet Reverend Glennie 2 episodes
Wodehouse in Exile Major Cussen Television film
2013–2014 The Fall Morgan Monroe 4 episodes (main cast)
Episode: "These Troublesome Disguises" (guest star)
2013–2016 Ripper Street Theodore Swift 4 episodes
2014 Quirke Bill Latimer Episode: "Elegy For April"
Babylon Maher Episode: "Hackney Wick"
2016 Rebellion Edward Butler 5 episodes
Barbarians Rising Tagus Episode: "Resistance"
2017 The Frankenstein Chronicles Dr. Lennox 2 episodes
Redwater Lance Byrne 3 episodes
2018 Dave Allen At Peace Priest Television film
Mrs Wilson Father Timothy 3 episodes
2018–2019 Krypton Val-El 20 episodes
2018–2022 Derry Girls Granda Joe Main cast
2019 Silent Witness Pat Walsh 2 episodes
2020 Doctor Who Ko Sharmus Episode: "Ascension of the Cybermen"
Episode: "The Timeless Children"
The Deceived Hugh Callaghan 3 episodes
2020–2022 The Split Professor Ronnie Recurring role
2021 Bloodlands Adam Corry 3 episodes
2021–2024 The Outlaws John Sr. 12 episodes
2022 Suspicion Grandad Episode: "Rooms For Doubt"
2023 Unforgotten Lord Tony Hume 6 episodes
A Small Light Johannes Kleiman 8 episodes
2024 High Country Sam Dryson 8 episodes

Radio

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Date Title Role Author Director Station
24 April 2012 The Biggest Issues[6] Clive Watson Annie McCartney Eoin O'Callaghan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama

Web series

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Year Show Role Notes
2016 Game Grumps Himself 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ Walker, Tim (7 August 2014). "Game of Thrones star's ghosted tweets". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  2. ^ Barter, Pavel (18 March 2018). "Ian McElhinney: Belfast's super man". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  3. ^ Allen, Kelly (25 February 2021). "Bloodlands sees return of the blood brothers Ian McElhinney and James Nesbitt". belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. ^ Rathmore Productions Ltd. Archived 20 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ McCarry, Gráinne (7 August 2008). "Me and my health: Marie Jones". Belfast Telegraph.[dead link‍]
  6. ^ "BBC – Afternoon Drama – The Biggest Issues". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
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