Connolly was born in
Dublin, Ireland, on 30 November 1965 and was raised in the
Finglas and
Ringsend areas. At sixteen years old he left school for a seven-month stint in the Merchant Navy, and later served eighteen months of "torture" in the
Irish Navy before returning to Dublin, where he became involved in the Dublin Youth Theater. Connolly began his screen career with a recurring role in the
RTÉ television series
Inside in 1985, with his first film role coming three years later opposite
Gabriel Byrne in
The Courier. He had roles in several acclaimed television series, including
Lost,
Heroes, and
The Closer. He wrote and directed the short film
Flush in 2003, and made his feature film directoral debut with 2008's
Quest for the Meaning of Life . Connolly's most recognizable role was in the video game genre as captain James Donnelly, in
L.A. Noire. His latest role was as an ex-con Paddy Bishop in the opera
Fair City. ==Filmography==