Longford actor joins stellar cast of new RTÉ crime drama series

A LONGFORD actor is making his mark on the small screen, with Moydow native James Ó'Quinn taking on a role in RTÉ's new crime drama The Galway Bay Murders, which premiered on RTÉ One on Sunday night.

The former Ballymahon Vocational School student plays Ronan Feeney in the six-part series, bringing him to the west of Ireland for a production that combines a gripping murder investigation with a strong sense of community and human drama.

The series follows New York Police Department detective Nora Savage (Kate Mulgrew) whose west of Ireland career break is cut short when she is called on to investigate a local murder with gardai.

Speaking to Longford Live, James said he’s very excited for people to see the show. “It's gonna have the right balance of heart and suspense and think that's what's really what viewers will enjoy. There's going to be characters that they love as well as make them laugh and make them cry and make them feel all these things, as opposed to just a straight-line thriller where everything is dark and suspenseful.”

He explained that it was quite a quick turnaround for a TV series as they filmed it in the spring and early summer. “To have it out so quick is amazing,” added James. “But it did feel like a long time since I'd seen everybody and it was lovely to finally be able to take a look at it and celebrate all the hard work that we did earlier on in the year.”

For James, securing the role came following an unexpected audition process earlier this year. Having initially auditioned for another character, he heard nothing further before being asked to tape for Ronan Feeney, a character distinguished by his red hair.

Describing his character, James explained that Ronan is a young man who has experienced difficulties in his past but has been given an opportunity to turn his life around through a community-based farm organisation.

"He's found a new family there and a chance to do good. And all of a sudden, he kind of finds himself thrust back into the middle of trouble again," he said.

Stepping onto the set for the first time was understandably nerve-wracking, particularly given the calibre of the cast and the established names involved in the production such as Colm Meaney and Kate Mulgrew. "You come on and you immediately see names that you've watched for a long time, and then new emerging talent that has already started making waves but everybody was so nice and welcoming... It felt like a very safe environment to do what actors should do

James believes the series will appeal to audiences because it offers more than a conventional crime thriller, balancing its darker moments with humour, emotion and characters viewers can connect with.

"I think they've hit the nail on the head," he said, adding that the production has found "the right balance of heart and suspense".

While his latest role marks another significant step in his acting career, James's journey began much closer to home, with Backstage Theatre playing a pivotal role in developing his passion for performance.

Having taken part in Backstage Youth Theatre productions and pantomimes, he said he really “caught the acting bug” through the experience of performing locally.

A defining moment came in 2016, when he secured the lead role of Francie Brady in a production of Frank Pig Says Hello, directed by Niall Therrien. At the time, James was in transition year and said the opportunity allowed him to fully immerse himself in acting.

The following year, he was selected for the National Youth Theatre, an experience that gave him the confidence to consider pursuing acting professionally.

Despite this, he initially chose a different path, enrolling in University College Dublin to study history and politics. However, after approximately three months, he decided to leave.

A subsequent opportunity to perform in The Beauty Queen of Leenane with Backstage Theatre Group, under the direction of Ollie Kenny, proved instrumental in reaffirming his ambitions.

"I think doing that immediately after such a disappointment made me realise that, you know, this is exactly what you want to do," he said.

He went on to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where he completed three years of intensive training.

Since graduating, he landed small roles in the Netflix series Wednesday and The Witcher, experiences that gave him an insight into the scale of major international television productions.

Speaking about working on Wednesday, James commented: “It was nerve-wracking, probably more nerve-wracking than anything I had done up to that point because I knew that I was stepping onto a massive set, it's just every second that you waste on there is just money... It really opened my eyes to the scale at which you can work but it was a great experience.”

Looking back, he believes the opportunities provided by Backstage Theatre were fundamental to where he is today. “It is probably one of the best things about Longford is having that theatre just outside the town," he said.

He recently completed filming on an upcoming series with the BBC and production company A24, while another period drama will see him return to Ireland for work throughout November and December.

Despite spending much of his time abroad, he said he enjoys returning to the familiar surroundings of home whenever possible.

"I really found my people over here," he said of London, where many of his friends are fellow drama school graduates.

"But every once in a while it's great to get back to all green fields and just quiet, waking up in the morning hearing nothing outside."

The Galway Bay Murders airs on Sundays on RTÉ One at 9.30pm.