Bronagh Gallagher

• Name — Bronagh Gallagher • Born — 1972 • Birthplace — Derry, Northern Ireland • Occupation — Singer and actress • Years Active — 1989–present • Website — http: www.bronaghgallagher.com

Bronagh Gallagher was born in 1972 in Derry, Northern Ireland, to working class Catholic parents. Her sister, Louise, is a film producer. During her teenage years, she got involved in drama and music activities through school and joined a local amateur dramatics group called the Oakgrove Theatre Company. In 1989–90 she was a backing singer in a local band called The Listener.

Gallagher was first a hairdresser.

Her first album, Precious Soul, was released in 2004 on the Salty Dog Records label and was produced by John Reynolds. The album features collaborations with Brian Eno on the songs "He Don't Love You" and "Hooks". Gallagher wrote most of the music on the album, played the drums and sang lead vocals. She released a second album, Bronagh Gallagher, in 2012, and a third album, Gather Your Greatness, in 2016.

Gallagher's big break came when she starred as Bernie in The Commitments (1991), followed by a supporting role in the BBC drama You, Me & Marley (1992), which is part of the BBC anthology series, ScreenPlay. She had small parts in Pulp Fiction (1994) and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). Other film appearances include Mary Reilly (1996), Divorcing Jack (1998), Thunderpants (2002), Skagerrak (2003), Tristan & Isolde (2006), Last Chance Harvey (2008), Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Grabbers (2012). Gallagher has appeared on stage in Théâtre de Complicité touring production of The Street of Crocodiles and The National Theatre's production War Horse as Rose Narracott. In 2009, Gallagher starred alongside a well-known cast on the MySpace/Vertigo Films production Faintheart and starred in the BBC Three comedy TV series Pramface in 2012. On television, she played the mother of young Nick in the BBC drama Nick Nickleby. She played Trisha Meehan in The Field of Blood and Ada Mason in Agatha Christie's Poirot Series 10 episode, "The Mystery of the Blue Train". In 2019, she began her role as Carol, the sister of amateur boxer Ashley in the Sky Original series Brassic.

An image of Gallagher, in character as Bernie McGloughlin in the film The Commitments, was featured on an Irish postage stamp as part of the Ireland 1996: Irish Cinema Centenary series issued by An Post. The image includes her The Commitments co-stars Angeline Ball as Imelda Quirke, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Natalie Murphy and Andrew Strong as Deco Cuffe. In 2020, she was listed at number 33 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

In September 2025, she signed an open pledge with Film Workers for Palestine pledging not to work with Israeli film institutions "that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people."

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1992 — Screenplay — Frances — Episode: "You, Me & Marley" • The Bill — Nicola Purdy — 2 episodes • 1993 — Over the Rainbow — Michelle — Series regular, 8 episodes • 1995 — Performance — Minnie Powell — Episode: "Shadow of a Gunman" • 1996 — Screen Two — Sandra Williamson — Episode: "The Precious Brood" • 1999 — Shockers — Alice Walker — Episode: "Deja Vu" • 2000 — Cry Wolf — Bambi — Episode: Series 1, Episode 5 • The Fitz — Teddy — Series regular, 6 episodes • 2001 — On a Life's Edge — Zoe — TV short • 2004 — The Clinic — Lisa — Episode: Series 2, Episode 8 • 2005 — Agatha Christie's Poirot — Ada Mason — Episode: "The Mystery of the Blue Train" • 2007 — Holby City — Gilly Conran — Episode: "Paranoid Android" • The Bill — Tina Wilson — Episode: "Dicing with Danger" • The Street — Mary Jennerson — Episode: "Twin" • The Peter Serafinowicz Show — Various characters — Recurring role, 6 episodes • 2010 — Accused — Siobhan — Episode: "Helen's Story" • 2011–2013 — The Field of Blood — Trisha Meehan — 4 episodes • 2012 — New Tricks — Mara Donaldson — Episode: "Dead Poets" • 2012–2014 — Pramface — Sandra Prince — Series regular, 17 episodes • 2013 — Shameless — Ronnie — Episode: "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang" • 2015 — Moone Boy — Pat O'Dwyer — Episode: "The Plunder Years" • You, Me and the Apocalypse — Larrson — Miniseries, 7 episodes • 2017 — Count Arthur Strong — Birdie — Recurring role, 6 episodes • 2018 — Genius — Berthe Weill — Episode: "Picasso: Chapter Two" • 2019–2025 — Brassic — Carol Dennings — Main cast • 2020 — Belgravia — Speer — Miniseries • 2022 — Derry Girls — As Herself — Guest appearance • 2026 — How to Get to Heaven from Belfast — Booker — 4 episodes

• Year — Title — Role — Theatre • 1991 — The Patriot Game — Second Soldier — Abbey Theatre, Dublin • 1992 — A Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer's Assistant — Agnes Smith — Abbey Theatre, Dublin • The Iceman Cometh — Pearl — Abbey Theatre, Dublin • 1994 — Peer Gynt — Ingrid/Green-Clad Woman — Barbican Centre, London • 1996 — Portia Coughlan — Stacia Diyle — Abbey Theatre, Dublin & Royal Court Theatre, London • 1997 — The Caucasian Chalk Circle — Mother Georgia — Royal National Theatre, London • 1999 — The Street of Crocodiles — Adela — Queen's Theatre, London • 2000 — Dublin Carol — Mary — Royal Court Theatre, London • Light — Adla — Almeida Theatre, London • 2009 — War Horse — Rose Narracott — New London Theatre, London • Every Good Boy Deserve Favour — Teacher — Royal National Theatre, London • 2011 — The Faith Machine — Tatiana — Royal Court Theatre, London • 2014 — Seven — Mukhtaran Mai — Great Hall of Parliament, Belfast & The Guildhall, Derry • 2017 — Girl from the North Country — Mrs. Burke — The Old Vic, London & Noël Coward Theatre, London