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Tara Lynne O'Neill

Born: 1975-11-16 • Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

Tara-Lynne O'Neill (born 16 November 1975) is a film, theatre and television actress from Northern Ireland.

During her childhood, she aspired to become a dentist, but abandoned this after failing her General Certificate of Secondary Education in chemistry.

At sixth-form college, she opted for a career in acting.

O'Neill started work as a television presenter on Saturday Disney from 1993 to 1996. She was also a main presenter on The Over the Wall Gang, a young people's television show from BBC Northern Ireland

O'Neill also appeared in film roles such as the town's seductress in The Most Fertile Man in Ireland (1999), and as Claire McKee in Wild About Harry (2000). She later played Joanne Ryan in EastEnders, appearing in 58 episodes between 20 September 2002, and 21 August 2003.

Between 2013 and 2016, she appeared in The Fall. In 2018, she joined the main cast of Derry Girls as Mary Quinn, remaining on the show until the airing of the final episode on 18 May 2022. In April 2024, O'Neill was cast as Inspector Eve Dunlop in BBC's Hope Street for the show's fourth series.

Her other roles include The Informant (1997), Disco Pigs (2001), Full Circle and Omagh (2004).

Filmography
The Spin poster
The Spin
2026 • Sadie
Best Before poster
Best Before
2024
The Last Rifleman poster
The Last Rifleman
2023 • Tracy Milligan
Malcolm poster
Malcolm
2023 • Dr Gallagher
Just Johnny poster
Just Johnny
2021 • Mrs. Wilson
A Patch of Fog poster
A Patch of Fog
2015 • Vera
Insulin poster
Insulin
2015 • The Pharmacist's Wife
Made in Belfast poster
Made in Belfast
2013 • Jane
Omagh poster
Omagh
2005 • Carol Radford
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone poster
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
2003 • Angel Hunter
Chaos poster
Chaos
2002 • Marie
Disco Pigs poster
Disco Pigs
2001 • Mags
The Most Fertile Man in Ireland poster
The Most Fertile Man in Ireland
2000 • Mary Mallory
The Informant poster
The Informant
1997 • RUC Policewoman