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, Morgan Monroe in The Fall, and Granda Joe in Derry Girls.
Early life Ian McElhinney was born on 30 June 1948 in Belfast, the son of a Church of Ireland (Anglican) clergyman and teacher. He studied international affairs at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He worked as a teacher at Goole Grammar School, now 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!.
Personal life He is married to playwright and actress Marie Jones; in 2009, the couple started their own company, Rathmore Productions Ltd.Rathmore Productions Ltd. They live in Belfast and have three sons.
Filmography Film 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 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 film1985 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 episodes1988 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 episodes1992 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 film1995 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 episodes1998 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 episodes2000 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 miniseries2003 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 film2005 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 episodes2008 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 film2010 New Tricks Fintan MacEntee Episode: "Coming Out Ball" An Old Fashioned Christmas Sean Bassett Television film Three Wise Women David Television film2011 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 episodes2013 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 episodes2014 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 episodes2018 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 episodes2020 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 Date Title Role Author Director Station Eoin O'Callaghan#The Biggest Issues|The Biggest Issues'' Clive Watson Annie McCartney Eoin O'Callaghan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
Web series Year Show Role Notes 2016 Game Grumps Himself 1 episode
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