Ian McElhinney

Biography

Ian McElhinney (born 19 August 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.

Known For

Game of Thrones

Doctor Who

Casualty

The Tudors

Screen Two

Screen Two

Playhouse

Ripper Street

All Movies (81)

• The Lost Children of Tuam2026
• Finnegan's Foursome2026
• Secrets of The Christmas Market2024 · as Narrator
• The Boys in the Boat2023 · as Elderly Joe Rantz
• The Last Rifleman2023 · as Tom Malcolmson
• Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look2022 · as General Jan Dodonna (archive footage) (uncredited)
• The Ulysses Project2022 · as Mr. Deasy / Barrister JJ Molloy
• Lost Lives2019 · as Self (voice)
• Father Father2019
• Zoo2018 · as Mr. Shawcross
• Dave Allen at Peace2018 · as Priest
• To Be Frank Carson2017 · as Self
• Bad Day for the Cut2017 · as Eamon
• The Journey2017 · as Rory O'Suaird
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story2016 · as General Dodonna
• Sacrifice2016 · as D.I. McKie
• The Truth Commissioner2016 · as James Fenton
• A Patch of Fog2015 · as Freddie Clarke
• Van Morrison – Up on Cyprus Avenue2015 · as Narrator
• The Death of a Projectionist2015 · as Gerry
• Game of Thrones: A Day in the Life2015 · as Self
• Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience2015 · as Barristan Selmy
• Wodehouse In Exile2013 · as Major Cussen
• Bomb Squad Men: The Long Walk2012 · as Narrator
• Titanic: Born in Belfast2012 · as Narrator
• Brendan Smyth: Betrayal of Trust2011 · as Abbot Smith
• Three Wise Women2010 · as David
• An Old Fashioned Christmas2010 · as Sean
• Leap Year2010 · as Priest
• Make it New John2010 · as John
• Triage2009 · as Ivan
• Scapegoat2009 · as H. A. McVeigh QC
• City of Ember2008 · as Builder
• Of Best Intentions2008
• Clay2008 · as Father O'Mahoney
• Closing the Ring2007 · as Cathal Thomas
• The Front Line2006 · as Mikey
• Omagh2005 · as Stanley McCombe
• Hornblower: Loyalty2003 · as Captain Hammond
• Mapmaker2001 · as Sergeant Devlin
• Hornblower: Retribution2001 · as Captain Hammond
• Borstal Boy2001 · as Verreker
• The King's Wake2000 · as Athairne
• Durango1999 · as Vestor McCarthy
• Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant1998 · as Captain Hammond
• Touch and Go1998 · as Clive Bevan
• Silicone Valerie1998
• The Boxer1997 · as Reggie Bell
• This Is the Sea1997 · as Da Stokes
• Hamlet1996 · as Barnardo
• The Boy from Mercury1996 · as Brother Dowdall
• Michael Collins1996 · as Belfast Detective
• Small Faces1996
• Life After Life1995 · as Working out governor
• Beyond Reason1995 · as Smythe QC
• A Breed of Heroes1994 · as Father O'Browne
• Blind Justice1994 · as Father Malone
• Circles of Deceit1993 · as Father Fergal
• You, Me & Marley1992 · as Reggie Devine
• The Playboys1992 · as Joe Cassidy
• Children of the North1991 · as O'Hare
• The Grasscutter1990 · as Brian Deeds
• Hidden Agenda1990 · as Jack Cunnigham
• Fools of Fortune1990 · as Stranger
• Shoot to Kill1990 · as ACC Trevor Forbes
• Who Bombed Birmingham?1990 · as Sinn Fein leader
• The Lilac Bus1990 · as Billy
• Reefer and the Model1988 · as Reefer
• A Prayer for the Dying1987 · as Lodger
• The Rockingham Shoot1987 · as John Reilly
• Naming the Names1987 · as Mr McBride
• Lamb1986 · as Maguire
• The End of the World Man1986 · as Architect
• Shergar1986 · as Damien
• Anne Devlin1984 · as Maj. Sirr
• A Woman Calling1984 · as Mr Burke
• Acceptable Levels1983 · as Andy
• Potatohead Blues1982 · as Mousey
• Angel1982 · as Groom
• Mutant: Year Zero— · as (voice)
• So You're Going to Die— · as Mickey

All TV Shows (41)

• Small Town, Big Story2025 · as Reverend Patterson
• High Country2024 · as Sam Dryson
• A Small Light2023 · as Johannes Kleiman
• Suspicion2022 · as Grandad
• The Outlaws2021 · as John Snr
• Bloodlands2021 · as Adam Corry
• Mrs Wilson2018 · as Father Timothy
• Krypton2018 · as Val-El
• Derry Girls2018 · as Granda Joe
• Kat & Alfie: Redwater2017 · as Lance
• Rebellion2016 · as Edward Butler
• The Frankenstein Chronicles2015 · as Dr. Lenox
• Unforgotten2015 · as Lord Tony Hume
• Babylon2014 · as Maher
• Quirke2014 · as Bill Latimer
• The Fall2013 · as Morgan Monroe
• Ripper Street2012 · as Theodore Swift
• Titanic: Blood and Steel2012 · as Sir Henry Carlton
• Celebrity Antiques Road Trip2011 · as Self - Participant
• Game of Thrones2011 · as Barristan Selmy
• Storyland2009 · as Gerard
• Fairy Tales2008 · as Vice Chancellor Ralph Graham
• The Tudors2007 · as Pope Clement VII
• Single-Handed2007 · as Ex-Garda Sergeant Gerry Driscoll
• Doctor Who2005 · as Ko Sharmus
• No Tears2002 · as Padraig McFadden
• Murphy's Law2001 · as Fulton
• In Defence2000 · as DCS David Dillne
• Queer as Folk1999 · as Clive Jones
• Cold Feet1998 · as Bill Williams
• Hornblower1998 · as Captain Hammond
• Maisie Raine1998 · as C.S. Jack Freeman
• Wokenwell1997
• Safe And Sound1996 · as Higgins
• Hearts and Minds1995 · as Alex
• A Woman's Guide to Adultery1993 · as Martin
• Casualty1986 · as Robert Finch
• Lovejoy1986 · as Ceiran Stow
• Screen Two1985 · as Working Out Governor
• Screen Two1985 · as Inspector McBride
• Playhouse1974 · as Mousey