---
name: "Seán McGinley"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sean-mcginley"
fi1m_id: "sean-mcginley"
imdb_id: "nm0569336"
tmdb_id: 2468
wikidata_id: "Q3752106"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 March 1956"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-07T12:11:48.895690+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Seán McGinley

## Identity

Seán McGinley

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sean-mcginley
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** sean-mcginley
- **IMDb ID:** nm0569336
- **TMDB ID:** 2468
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3752106
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_McGinley, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3752106, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569336/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2468

Actor. Born 1 March 1956 in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal, Ireland.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 March 1956, Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal, Ireland
- **Active:** 1994–1998
- **Also known as:** Sean McGinley, Шон МакГинли, Шон МакГінлі, شان مک‌گینلی
- **Frequently works with:** [Neil Jordan](https://film.one/person/neil-jordan.md), [Stephen Rea](https://film.one/person/stephen-rea.md), [Stephen Woolley](https://film.one/person/stephen-woolley.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 67 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, History 2, War 2, Action 1, Comedy 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $280m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_McGinley, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3752106, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569336/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2468

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Braveheart*](https://film.one/film/braveheart.md) (68)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Seán McGinley is an Irish actor. He graduated from NUI Galway and was a member of the Druid Theatre Company from 1977 to 1989.

He is known for roles in *Braveheart* (1995) as MacClannough, *Michael Collins* (1996) as Smith, *Gangs of New York* (2002) as the Forty Thieves Leader, *The Wind That Shakes the Barley* (2006) as Father Denis, and *The Butcher Boy* (1998) as Sergeant. He has also appeared in television series including *Midsomer Murders* (1997), *Shetland* (2013) and *The Alienist* (2018).

McGinley won an Irish Film and Television Award for best supporting actor for *On a Clear Day* (2005). He has been married to actress Marie Mullen since 1990.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, encyclopedia.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *The Butcher Boy* (1998), Fi1m 74, as Sergeant — [page](https://film.one/film/the-butcher-boy.md)
- *Michael Collins* (1996), Fi1m 75, as Smith — [page](https://film.one/film/michael-collins.md)
- *Braveheart* (1995), Fi1m 68, as MacClannough — [page](https://film.one/film/braveheart.md)
- *Circle of Friends* (1995), Fi1m 68, as Mr Duggan — [page](https://film.one/film/circle-of-friends.md)

## Complete filmography (76)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *National Theatre Live: The Brightening Air* (2025), as Pierre
- *That They May Face the Rising Sun* (2024), as Johnny Murphy
- *The Last Rifleman* (2023), as Brendan O'Brien
- *Wait for Me* (2023), as Ged
- *Christmas at Castle Hart* (2021), as Liam
- *The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw* (2020), as Seamus Dwyer
- *Stalker* (2019), as Henry
- *Death and Nightingales* (2018), series, as Bishop Donnelly
- *Butterfly* (2018), series, as Peter Duffy
- *The Alienist* (2018), series, as Bishop Potter
- *Paula* (2017), series, as Terry
- *The Truth Commissioner* (2016), as Francis Gilroy
- *Clean Break* (2015), series, as Ben
- *Shetland* (2013), series, as Drew McColl — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/tv/shetland.md)
- *Republic of Doyle* (2010), series, as Malachy Doyle
- *Wild Decembers* (2009), as O'Dea
- *Closing the Ring* (2007), as Campbell
- *Shrooms* (2007), as Bernie
- *Lewis* (2007), series, as Keiran Donnelly
- *Single-Handed* (2007), series, as Dennis Costello
- *Black Dog* (2006), as Grandfather
- *Sixty Six* (2006), as Mr. O'Connor
- *The Tiger's Tail* (2006), as Declan Murray
- *The Wind That Shakes the Barley* (2006), as Father Denis
- *48 Angels* (2006), as Dilly
- *On a Clear Day* (2005), as Eddie
- *The Mighty Celt* (2005), as I'm A Cripple
- *Man About Dog* (2004), as J.P. McCallion
- *Freeze Frame* (2004), as Detective Louis Emeric
- *Conspiracy of Silence* (2003), as Rector Cathal
- *Dead Bodies* (2003), as Detective Inspector Wheeler
- *Watermelon* (2003), as Joe Ryan
- *Gangs of New York* (2002), as Forty Thieves Leader — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/gangs-of-new-york.md)
- *Do Armed Robbers Have Love Affairs?* (2002), as Mimms
- *On Home Ground* (2001), series, as Fergal Collins
- *Clare sa Spéir* (2001), as Eóin
- *Waking the Dead* (2001), series, as Dr. Donald Roper
- *The Claim* (2000), as Sweetley
- *The Closer You Get* (2000), as Ian O'Donnell
- *What Where* (2000), as Bam
- *DDU: District Detective Unit* (1999), series, as Det. Sgt. Carl McCadden
- *Lipservice* (1999), as Mairtin O Cathain
- *Simon Magus* (1999), as Maximillian Hase
- *The Vice* (1999), series, as Tommy Bowers
- *Cold Feet* (1998), series, as Roy
- *The General* (1998), as Gary
- *The Butcher Boy* (1998), as Sergeant — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/the-butcher-boy.md)
- *Resurrection Man* (1998), as Sammy McClure
- *The Ambassador* (1998), series, Actor
- *The Disappearance of Finbar* (1997), as Detective Roche
- *Bogwoman* (1997), as Mr D
- *Midsomer Murders* (1997), series, as Sean O'Connell — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/midsomer-murders.md)
- *The Informant* (1997), as Frankie Conroy
- *Scorned 2* (1997), Screenplay
- *A Further Gesture* (1997), as Tommy Breen
- *Michael Collins* (1996), as Smith — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/michael-collins.md)
- *Trojan Eddie* (1996), as Raymie
- *Initiation* (1996), Actor
- *Safe And Sound* (1996), series, as Dougy Flynn
- *Circles of Deceit: Dark Secret* (1995), as Jim Caine
- *Braveheart* (1995), as MacClannough — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/braveheart.md)
- *Dangerous Lady* (1995), series, Actor
- *The Hanging Gale* (1995), series, as Ferry
- *Circle of Friends* (1995), as Mr Duggan — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/circle-of-friends.md)
- *Rik Mayall Presents: Dirty Old Town* (1995), as Michael
- *The Hanging Gale* (1995), as Ferry
- *Family* (1994), as Charlo Spencer
- *Family* (1994), series, as Charlo Spencer
- *Rik Mayall Presents* (1993), series, as Michael
- *The Field* (1990), as Father Chris Doran
- *Fools of Fortune* (1990), as Doyle
- *Who Bombed Birmingham?* (1990), as A
- *The Playboy of the Western World* (1985), as Shawn Keogh
- *Minder* (1979), series, as Alexie Nolan — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/minder.md)
- *The Weir*, as Jim
- *Gilgamesh*, as Utnapishtim

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sean-mcginley