Sinéad Keenan (born 27 December 1977) is an Irish actress with a wide range of television, film, and stage credits. Keenan is best known for playing Farrah Phelan in Fair City and for playing the role of a werewolf called Nina Pickering on BBC Three's supernatural drama Being Human. She has played DCI Jessica James in ITV1 drama Unforgotten since 2023.
Early life and education Sinéad Keenan was born on 27 December 1977 and raised in Dublin, the eldest of three children. Her younger brother and sister, Rory and Gráinne, are also actors.
She attended University College Dublin, graduating with a degree in sociology and history. As a child, Keenan wanted to be a lawyer because she loved the US legal drama Matlock, but as she got older she realised that she actually just wanted to play the part of the lawyer, not be one.
Career Film Keenan's first role was in 1999, when she was cast as the teenage girlfriend of Cillian Murphy in the film, Sunburn.
Theatre Throughout her career, Keenan has had strong roots in theatre becoming a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). She played Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Novello Theatre in 2006. The play was directed by Gregory Doran. She played Evie in the original play, The American Pilot in 2005, and starred in The Comedy of Errors also in 2005.
Radio In 2011, Keenan starred alongside Jason Done as DCI Lise Lazard in Crimes Of Mancunia set in Manchester. It was written by Michael Symmons Roberts, directed by Susan Roberts and produced by Charlotte Riches.
In 2014 she appeared as Aoife in the radio play Doctor Who: Iterations of I, made by Big Finish Productions. It was written by John Dorney and directed by Ken Bentley.
In 2025, Keenan starred as Maria Kossecka in Hat Trick Productions series Discretion, broadcast as part of BBC Radio 4's broadcast and podcast series Limelight. It was written by Chris Brandon, produced by Claire Broughton, with executive production by Jed Mercurio.
Television After appearing in Sunburn, she played the character Farrah Phelan in Irish soap opera Fair City for a year. Keenan has stated she would return to Fair City, as another character.
Keenan left Fair City amid fears of becoming typecast, and moved on to film the movie On the Nose with Cracker actor Robbie Coltrane. Her next television role was as Lisa Cassidy in short-lived Irish sitcom The Cassidys.
Keenan then went on to have guest roles in Murder City, Taggart and Doctors, along with starring in movies Conspiracy of Silence and Trouble with Sex, before landing the role of Kelly Hawkins in ITV's Moving Wallpaper, which ran for two series.
Following this, Keenan played Nina Pickering in Toby Whithouse's Being Human.
Following her success in Being Human, Keenan has had guest roles in Victoria Wood's Mid Life Christmas, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Silent Witness, and David Tennant's final episodes of Doctor Who.
In March 2018, Keenan won the Royal Television Society Programme Award for Actor (Female) for her role as Melanie Jones in Little Boy Blue. In April 2018, it was announced that she had been nominated for a Leading Actress BAFTA TV Award for the same role.
Keenan had a starring role in the Jimmy McGovern and Gillian Juckes drama Care, broadcast on BBC One in December 2018.
In April 2021, it was announced that Keenan would be starring in the two-part BBC One drama Three Families, which will focus on abortion in Northern Ireland. It was filmed in Northern Ireland in 2020.
Keenan appears in series 5 and 6 of ITV's crime drama Unforgotten as DCI Jessica James.
Personal life In 2012, she married film and television director Chris McGill, founder at Dusthouse Productions, with whom she has two sons.
Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 1999 Fair CityFarrah Phelan 2001 The CassidysLisa Cassidy 2004 Murder City Young mother Series 1, Episode 5 2007 Taggart Alic Martin Series 23, Episode 3 - Tenement 2008 DoctorsElena Series 10, Episode 22 - Larp Moving WallpaperKelly Hawkins 2009 Comedy Showcase Wendy Series 2, Episode 4 - The Amazing Dermot Agatha Christie's Poirot Nora Brent Series 12, Episode 1 - "The Clocks" Victoria Wood's Mid Life Christmas Delia Smith's secretary 2009–2010 Doctor WhoAddams "The End of Time" 2009–2011 Being Human Nina Pickering Series One, Episodes 2–6, Series Two, Episodes 1–4, 7, 8. Series Three, Episodes 1–8 2010 Victoria Wood's Little Cracker Mrs Whitefield Short for Sky1 2011 Silent Witness Naomi Silverlake Series 14, Episode 1–2 - A Guilty Mind 2012 Lip Service Nora Series 2 2013 London Irish Bronagh Channel 4 The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot Doctor Who fan BBC Red Button 2015 Uncle Maggie Series 2, Episode 5 - A Guilty Mind 2017 Little Boy Blue Melanie Jones 2018 Care Claire 90-minute drama by Jimmy McGovern and Gillian Juckes2019PortersDr. BartholomewSeries 2, 5 episodesDeep WaterRozITV2020My Left NutPatricia CampbellBBC2021Three FamiliesTheresa RyanTwo-part drama for BBC OneShowtrialDetective Inspector Paula CassidyFive-part drama for BBC One2022Derry Girls AideenSeries 3, episode 32023–presentUnforgottenDetective Chief Inspector Jessica JamesSeries 5. Six-part crime drama for ITV2026How to Get to Heaven from BelfastRobyn8 episodes
Personal appearances Year Title Role Notes 2009 Doctor Who Confidential Herself Lords and Masters, Allons-y! 2011 Alan Carr: Chatty Man Herself Series 5, Episode 7
Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 Sunburn Margaret Keenan's first role 2001 On the Nose Sinead Delaney 2003 Conspiracy of Silence Majella 2004 Mind of the Crime Carrie TV movie 2006 Trouble with Sex Kathy
Radio and CD audio drama Year Title Role Radio station / production company 2011 Crimes Of Mancunia DCI Lise Lazard BBC Radio 4 2014 Doctor Who: Iterations of I Aoife Big Finish Productions 2025 Discretion Maria Kossecka Hat Trick Productions for BBC Radio 4
Theatre Year Title Role Theatre / notes 2003 Loyal Women Adele Royal Court Theatre 2005 The American Pilot Evie The Other Place 2005 Comedy of Errors Luciana Royal Shakespeare Theatre 2006 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Novello Theatre
Awards and nominations Year Organisation Award Work Result 2018 Royal Television Society Programme Awards Actor (Female) Little Boy Blue BAFTA TV Awards Best Actress
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