Mark O'Connor (director)

Mark O’Connor
Born
Dublin, Ireland
EducationBallyfermot College of Further Education, The New York Film Academy, IADT.
OccupationFilm Director
Years active2000-Present
Known forCardboard Gangsters, Between the Canals, Amongst the Wolves, King of the Travellers, Stalker
TelevisionDarklands

Mark O’Connor is an Irish film director. He has been credited with giving several Irish actors their first "break", including Barry Keoghan, John Connors, Stephen Clinch and Peter Coonan.[1][2][3]

Early Life And Education

O’Connor was born in Dublin, Ireland. He graduated from Ballyfermot College of Further Education, New York Film Academy, and has a masters in screenwriting from IADT.[4][5]

Career

O’Connor released his first feature film in 2011 with Between the Canals.[6] O’Connor revealed he had originally been denied funding for the film, but later got it when he shot a short scene and showed it to the Irish Screen Board.[7]

O’Connor released his second feature film King of the Travellers in 2012. The film was also the on-screen debut of John Connors.[8] That same year, he released his third feature film Stalker, which was Barry Keoghan's first leading role.[9][10]

In 2017, O’Connor released Cardboard Gangsters.[11] The film won international praise, with The Guardian calling it a “punchy thriller” and became the most watched Irish film of that year.[12]

In 2019, O’Connor directed the crime series Darklands.[13][14] The series was originally planned to have a season 2, with O’Connor returning, but he confirmed in 2025 that the second season had been cancelled.[15]

In 2022, it was announced that O’Connor was using crypto to fund his next feature Oui Cannes, making him the first Irish filmmaker to do so.[16]

In 2024, O’Connor released his fifth feature film Amongst the Wolves.[17]

Awards

In 2011, O’Connor's Between the Canals won 9th place for Best Irish Feature film at the Dublin International Film Festival.

In 2012, O’Connor's Stalker won 2nd place for Best Irish Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh.[18]

In 2017, O’Connor won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking at the Newport International Film Festival for Cardboard Gangsters.[19]

In 2017, O’Connor won four awards at the Manchester International Film Festival (Outstanding Screenplay, Best Director, Film of the Festival and Outstanding Director) for Cardboard Gangsters.

In 2018, O’Connor was nominated for Best Director at the Irish Film and Television Awards for Cardboard Gangsters.[20]

In 2020, O’Connor was nominated for Best Script Drama at the Irish Film and Television Awards for Darklands.[21]

Filmography

Director

Writer

Producer

References

  1. ↑ "Director Of Barry Keoghan's First Film Shares Why He Cast Him". 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  2. ↑ "Director Told Barry Keoghan To Turn Down Fair City Role". 2023-02-21. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  3. ↑ Barter, Pavel. "Director Mark O'Connor on discovering Irish talents like Barry Keoghan". Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  4. ↑ "Writer/director Mark O'Connor on his new feature Amongst The Wolves | The Irish Film & Television Network". www.iftn.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  5. ↑ Murphy, Niall (2014-05-29). "Learn screenwriting with Irish writer-director Mark O'Connor". Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  6. ↑ "Between the Canals". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  7. ↑ "'Between the Canals', Interview Mark O'Connor | The Irish Film & Television Network". www.iftn.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  8. ↑ "On Set with Mark O'Connor's 'King of the Travellers' | The Irish Film & Television Network". www.iftn.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  9. ↑ Rory (2014-01-31). "Q&A with Mark O'Connor director of new Irish movie Stalker". Entertainment.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  10. ↑ 266785760017516 (2023-02-20). "I've watched his career grow - it's incredible, says director Mark O'Connor after Barry Keoghan's BAFTA win". Retrieved 2026-08-07. {{cite web}}: |last= has numeric name (help)
  11. ↑ Movies.ie (2017-06-12). "Interview with CARDBOARD GANGSTERS director Mark O'Connor - Highlight, interviews • Movies.ie - Irish Cinema Site". Movies.ie - Irish Cinema Site - Movie Times, Reviews & Competitions. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  12. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (2017-08-03). "Cardboard Gangsters review – flawed but watchable gangland thriller". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  13. ↑ McCarthy, Esther N. (2019-10-06). "Gangland stories: Mark O'Connor on his new series Darklands". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  14. ↑ "Full Dark: Mark O'Connor goes into the Darklands". 2019-10-15. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. ↑ Porzio, Stephen (2025-05-24). "Virgin Media's Irish crime thriller show confirmed to be not returning for season 2". Joe.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  16. ↑ O'Connor, Kelly. "Irish filmmaker Mark O'Connor teams up with Movie Coin to finance next film through crypto currency – Dublin City Film Office". Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  17. ↑ Anderson, Peter (2025-06-02). ""Amongst the Wolves" Acclaimed Irish director Mark O'Connor's latest thriller is released on digital". Spotlight on Kulture. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  18. ↑ "Stalker". Gorilla Post. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  19. ↑ "Premiere Screening for Cardboard Gangsters". ifta.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  20. ↑ "Irish Crime Drama 'Cardboard Gangsters' Gets US & Australian Netflix Release | The Irish Film & Television Network". www.iftn.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  21. ↑ "IFTA nominations announced for the IFTA Film & Drama Awards 2020 | The Irish Film & Television Network". www.iftn.ie. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
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