Peter Claffey (born 28 July 1996) is an Irish actor and former rugby union player.

Peter Claffey
Date of birth (1996-07-28) 28 July 1996 (age 28)[1]
Place of birthPortumna, County Galway, Ireland
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight119 kg (18.7 st; 262 lb)
SchoolGarbally College
UniversityBow Street Academy
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock forward
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Galwegians RFC ()
Ballinasloe RFC ()
Terenure College RFC ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2019 Connacht Rugby ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2017 Ireland U20

Early life

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Claffey is from Portumna, in County Galway, he attended Garbally College and played rugby union for Galwegians RFC.[2][3]

Rugby union

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Claffey played rugby union for Ballinasloe RFC in the Connacht Senior League. A lock forward, he joined the Connacht Rugby academy in 2015. He played for Ireland national under-20 rugby union team in the 2016 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. He signed a professional contract with Connacht Rugby in 2018.[4][5] In 2019, he signed for Terenure College.[6]

Acting

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Claffey trained in acting at the Bow Street Academy in Dublin. He made his professional stage debut in 2022 playing Iggy in Tom Murphy’s A Whistle in the Dark at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.[7]

His onscreen career began in 2022 with television appearances on the shows Harry Wild and Apple TV dark comedy Bad Sisters.[8] That year, he played Cormac in BBC Three comedy series Wreck, for which he filmed a second series in 2023.[9]

Claffey appears in the third series of Vikings: Valhalla and the Cillian Murphy led film-adaptation of Small Things Like These.[10][11]

In April 2024, Claffey was cast in the Game of Thrones prequel series in the lead role of the legendary Ser Duncan the Tall—aka Dunk, in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, written by George R. R. Martin and Ira Parker. It is set a century before the events of Game of Thrones, but 72 years after the start of House of the Dragon.[12][13]

In 2024, he could be seen in season two of Bad Sisters, recast as the character Joe Walsh, love interest to Becca (Eve Hewson).[14]

Filmography

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Key
Denotes works that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes
2022 Harry Wild Billy Episode: "An Unhappy Happy is a Dangerous Thing"
Bad Sisters Callum Episode: "Explode a Man"
2022–2024 Wreck Comac Kelly 12 episodes
2024 Vikings: Valhalla Dunstan 4 episodes
2025 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Ser Duncan the Tall Lead role

References

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  1. ^ "Peter Claffey". Its Rugby. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Former Connacht rugby player lands lead role in new Game of Thrones spinoff". Western People. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  3. ^ Cameron, Ian (6 April 2024). "6'5 ex-rugby prospect set for leading role in new Game of Thrones spin-off". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Peter Claffey". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  5. ^ Browne, Jonathan (6 April 2024). "Former Ireland U20 Star Lands Lead Role In New 'Game Of Thrones' Show". Balls.ie. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Reigning champions Cork Con edge Munster derby and new boys run Terenure close as AIL kicks off in style". The42. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  7. ^ Dwyer, Ciara (23 November 2022). "Introducing rugby player turned actor Peter Claffey: 'I learned a hell of a lot about discipline and hard work'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  8. ^ Klein, Brennan (6 April 2024). "Next Game Of Thrones Spinoff Finds Its 2 Lead Stars". Screen Rant. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  9. ^ James, Alastair (19 March 2024). "Wreck's Peter Claffey says series two is 'next level'". Attitide.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  10. ^ Hibberd, James (5 April 2024). "HBO's 'Game of Thrones' Spinoff 'Hedge Knight' Casts Dunk and Egg Roles". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  11. ^ Seitz, Loree (5 April 2024). "'Game of Thrones' Prequel Casts Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell". The Wrap. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  12. ^ Kain, Erik (5 April 2024). "Here Are The Stars Of The Next 'Game Of Thrones' Spinoff 'A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight'". Forbes. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  13. ^ White, Peter (5 April 2024). "'Game Of Thrones' Spinoff 'A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' Casts Peter Claffey & Dexter Sol Ansell In Lead Roles". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Meet the 'Bad Sisters' Cast: Who Plays Who in the Apple TV+ Series". Marie Claire. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
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