Star Trek's Kate Mulgrew Stars in New RTÉ Crime Drama The Galway Bay Murders

Star Trek’s Kate Mulgrew Stars in New RTÉ Crime Drama The Galway Bay Murders

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Kate Mulgrew leads RTÉ One crime drama

Kate Mulgrew stars as a New York police officer on secondment in Galway in the new RTÉ One thriller The Galway Bay Murders, which premiered Sunday, November 8, at 9:30pm.

The series follows Lieutenant Nora Savage, an NYPD detective taking a career break following a traumatic event, as she moves to her family home in Ireland and becomes entangled in a homicide investigation.

The production marks the television debut of writer-creator Eithne Verling. According to the Longford Leader, the script was written specifically for Mulgrew after the two met during a dinner in Oughterard while the actress was in Galway working on her memoir.

The investigation begins when the body of a young woman is discovered in a Conamara bog. As Nora Savage works alongside Detective Eddie McDonagh, played by Love/Hate actor John Connors, the plot shifts toward Free Farm, a global farming and scientific research organization located near the investigation site, RTE.ie reported.

Star Trek alumni join Irish cast

The series features a significant gathering of talent with deep ties to the Star Trek franchise. Alongside Mulgrew, Colm Meaney appears as Superintendent Pearce Folan, while Cillian O’Sullivan plays a role in the ensemble, RTE.ie reported.

The cast includes several prominent Irish actors:

  • James Ó’Quinn as Ronan Feeney
  • John Connors as Detective Eddie McDonagh
  • India Mullen as Detective Inspector Martina Daly
  • Jack Rowan
  • Dervla Kirwan
  • Clinton Liberty

John Connors spoke about the production dynamics at a recent advance screening at the Pálás Cinema in Galway. He noted that while he respects Mulgrew as an acting legend, their professional relationship was defined by a shared sense of humor. “I think in a way we were kind of meant to be as actors working together,” Connors told the Connacht Tribune.

The Connacht Tribune also noted that the series is expected to achieve significant international reach. ITV has already acquired the UK broadcast rights, and expectations are high for a sale to the United States market.

Themes of corporate greed and culture

While the central mystery involves a murder, the narrative explores broader societal tensions. The Irish Times observed that the series suggests the killing may be linked to a corporate conspiracy against an environmental activist, potentially highlighting “unchecked tech-bro neo-feudalism.”

The galway bay murders james o quinn kate mulgrew and declan rodgers
Photo: Longford Leader

The script also addresses the impact of corporate interests on the environment and incorporates elements of Traveller culture. Verling, who worked with the Galway City Museum for over 12 years, intended to highlight these lives as a central part of the “human story,” according to the Connacht Tribune.

The production is a major collaborative effort. The Longford Leader reported that the series was produced by Two Cities Television, AS I AM Productions, and Keeper Pictures, in co-production with Umedia and in association with ITV Studios, uFund, Coimisiún na Meán, and Screen Ireland.

For American viewers, the series represents the growing trend of high-quality international co-productions that leverage established Hollywood stars to anchor local stories for a global SVOD and broadcast audience. The shift in title from the original colloquial name, The Yank, to The Galway Bay Murders was likely a strategic move to ensure the intellectual property remains universally comprehensible for international distributors, The Irish Times reported.

The Galway Bay Murders continues its run on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player.

Disclaimer: The cultural analyses and financial data presented in this article are based on available public records and industry metrics at the time of publication.

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