Colm Meaney
The quintessential Irish everyman whose grounded, powerful presence stole scenes in 'Star Trek' and a host of beloved films.
Born 1953 (age 73)·Irish actor·Birthday: May 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
With a face that tells a thousand stories and a voice steeped in Dublin character, Colm Meaney became one of the most recognizable and reliable character actors of his generation. He broke through globally as the pragmatic, often exasperated Chief Miles O'Brien on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' and 'Deep Space Nine,' giving the futuristic series a vital, blue-collar heart. But his range extended far beyond the transporter room. He delivered a Golden Globe-nominated turn in 'The Snapper,' capturing the complexities of a working-class father with humor and depth, and brought authority to roles in films like 'Con Air' and 'The Damned United.' Meaney’s career is a masterclass in building a formidable body of work through sheer craft, becoming the go-to actor for authenticity and grit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Colm was born in 1953, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colm Was Born
The biggest hits of 1953
#1 Movie
Peter Pan
Best Picture
From Here to Eternity
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Colm's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1953Born
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1958Started school
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1966Became a teenager
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Could drive
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1971Could vote
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Turned 21
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1983Turned 30
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 40
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 50
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 60
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 70
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 73 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for his role in the film 'The Snapper'.
- Played the recurring role of Chief Miles O'Brien across two 'Star Trek' television series, a fan-favorite character.
- Won multiple Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) awards for his work in film.
- Starred in several adaptations of Roddy Doyle's Barrytown Trilogy, including 'The Commitments' and 'The Van'.
Did You Know?
He is a lifelong supporter of the English football club Leeds United.
He turned down a role in 'Braveheart' to appear in the film 'The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain'.
He began his acting career on the stage with Dublin's famed Abbey Theatre.
He provided the voice for the character of Mayor P. P. Padington in the animated series 'King of the Hill'.
“I'm not a starship captain; I'm the man who keeps the lights on.”
