Fionnula Flanagan Biography: Age, Husband, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Movies & TV Shows

Fionnghuala Manon Flanagan also known as Fionnula Flanagan is a legendary Irish actress, director, producer, and writer celebrated for her powerful performances across stage, film, and television.

With a career spanning over six decades, she has brought depth and authenticity to roles in classics like The Others, Waking Ned, and Lost, while championing Irish culture, language, and women’s stories through her one-woman shows and advocacy work.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Fionnghuala Manon Flanagan
• Stage Name: Fionnula Flanagan
• Born: December 10, 1941
• Age: 84 years old
• Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
• Nationality: Irish
• Ethnicity: Irish
• Occupation: Actress, Director, Producer, Writer
• Height: 157 cm (5 feet 2 inches)
• Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholic background)
• Parents: Terence Niall Flanagan and Rosanna Flanagan
• Siblings: Four
• Spouse: Garrett O’Connor
• Children: Matthew O’Connor, Turlough O’Connor
• Relationship: Widowed
• Net Worth: $4 million USD

Early Life and Education

Fionnghuala Manon Flanagan was born on December 10, 1941, in Dublin, Ireland, to parents Terence Niall Flanagan, an Irish Army officer and Communist who fought in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, and Rosanna Flanagan (née McGuirk).

She was raised as the eldest of five children in a bilingual household where, despite her parents not being fluent in Irish, they ensured she and her four younger siblings grew up speaking both English and Irish fluently.

She studied at Fribourg University in Switzerland in 1962 and trained at the Abbey Theatre School in Dublin from 1964 to 1966.

Her religion is Christianity with a Roman Catholic family background. Her early exposure to language and performance shaped her lifelong dedication to Irish arts and culture.

Career

Fionnula Flanagan began her professional acting career on the Irish stage in the mid-1960s, quickly gaining acclaim for her work at the Abbey Theatre and in one-woman productions like James Joyce’s Women, in which she portrayed multiple female characters from Joyce’s writings. She moved to the United States in 1968 and built an impressive body of work across film, television, and theatre.

She earned an Emmy Award in 1976 for her guest role in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man and delivered memorable performances in films such as Waking Ned (1998), The Others (2001) opposite Nicole Kidman, Four Brothers (2005), and Song of the Sea (2014).

On television, she appeared in Lost (as Eloise Hawking), Star Trek episodes, Law & Order: SVU, American Gods, and more recently in Bodkin (2024), Four Mothers (2025) as Alma, Brown Bread (2025), and Small Town, Big Story (2025).

She has also directed, produced, and written projects while receiving the IFTA Lifetime Achievement Award. Into 2026, she continues selective work, including upcoming films like The Body Is Water and episodes of The Young Offenders, maintaining her status as one of Ireland’s most respected acting talents.

Social Media

Fionnula Flanagan does not have a social media account.

Personal Life

Fionnula Flanagan, 84 years old, is widowed and not engaged. She was married to psychiatrist Dr. Garrett O’Connor from 1972 until his death in 2015; the couple met in 1969 while she was touring in the United States and shared over four decades together, primarily living in Beverly Hills and later spending time in Ireland.

There are no publicly known past relationships before her marriage, and she has two children, Matthew O’Connor, Turlough O’Connor.

She has spoken warmly of her close family ties, including her siblings and extended relatives in Ireland, and values her bilingual upbringing and cultural roots. She is not in any current relationship. Her height is 157 cm (5 feet 2 inches).

Net Worth

Fionnula Flanagan‘s net worth is estimated at $4 million USD. She earns income primarily through her extensive acting career in film, television, and theatre productions, residuals from iconic roles, producing and directing projects, writing credits including one-woman shows, and occasional brand or cultural endorsements tied to her Irish heritage and lifetime achievements.

Filmography

• The Others (2001)
• Waking Ned (1998)
• Four Brothers (2005)
• Song of the Sea (2014)
• James Joyce’s Women (1985, also writer/performer)
• Lost (as Eloise Hawking)
• Four Mothers (2025, as Alma)
• Bodkin (2024)
• Brown Bread (2025)
• The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
• Mr. K (2024)
• The Young Offenders (2026 episode)
• The Body Is Water (upcoming, post-production)