RIAIN O'CONCHOBHAIR (Ryan Michael O'Connor) was born on May 24th, 1994, in a city located 20 miles away from his hometown of Dungiven in Derry City. From an early age, he faced a congenial univentricular heart defect, a condition that challenged him for 18 years. At the age of 18, RIAIN underwent a successful heart transplant, but unfortunately, complications arose, leading to the loss of both his legs just two weeks later. Despite these setbacks, he remained resilient.

RIAIN's educational journey began at St. Canices Primary School in Dungiven, followed by St. Patrick's College Dungiven High School. It was during his time at North West Regional College that he discovered his passion for creative media studies, specializing in film and television production. RIAIN's dedication and hard work allowed him to complete his Level 2, Level 3, and HNC in this field.

With his talent and determination, RIAIN soon made his mark in the entertainment industry. He made his first television appearance in the renowned show "William of Orangedale" on Channel 4 in the U.K. This opportunity opened doors for him, leading to roles in other well-known productions such as "Game of Thrones" and "A Lost Family." RIAIN's versatility and commitment to his craft were recognized when he made his directorial debut with the short film "Chieftain's Curse." The film received critical acclaim and earned RIAIN the distinction of being a finalist at the FilmNest International Film Festival and the Indiefare International Film Festival in May 2023. To date, "Chieftain's Curse" has won 12 Film Festival Award including a best director award for a short, further solidifying RIAIN's talent and skill as a director.

Awards:
Erasmus Inspirational Award
Inspiring To Achieve Award (NWRC)
Northern Ireland Inspiration Of The Year Nominee
All Ireland Wheelchair Hurling Winner
SSE Airtricity Scholarship 2019/20

Work Experience

A Lost Family- Wrote, Directed & Edited

BBC Radio Ulster:History of Disability in NI By William Thompson- Frank/Various Other Characters.

Chieftains Curse-Written & Directed. (Film Festival Nominated X2)

Scar-Written & Directed.

Kyle-able (Co Written For 360 VR Film By Myself & Eoin Cleland):June 2022
Astral: Ríain O’Conchobhair (Screen-write): January 22

David Harkin Productions- Cameo (Guest Appearance)

Eoin Cleand: Kyle-Able (Actor) June 2022 (Co Wrote)

Hattrick Procductions: Bonzar--William Of Orangedale (Actor) March 2022

HBO CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY 2015-18


. Acting Experience (Game Of Thrones Season 8 Ep.5) May 2018

David Harkin Productions
Producer-Serenade
Producer-Sleeper
Producer-Black Monday,
Producer-Yesterday’s War
Producer-Jacob & Hanna

Acting Training
2019 - London Actors Workshop Acting for Film & TV
Improvisation, TV & Film Audition Technique (Glynne Steele)
Screen Combat (Bret Yont)
Shakespeare/Voice (Endy McKay)
Method Acting (Ariella Eshed)
Screen Acting (Daniel Dresner)




2019-ExtrasNI


June 2019-Actor for a Irish Tourist Advertisement.

February 2016 – 2017 The Prince’s Trust, Derry/Londonderry

Position & Duties:Young Ambassador, Voluntary Position

Attending events
Public speaking
Sharing experiences with young people, stakeholders, supporters and donors
Advocate for young people issues