Pauline McLynn

Pauline McLynn (born 11 July 1962) is an Irish actress and author. She is best known for her roles as Mrs. Doyle in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted, Libby Croker in the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless, Tip Haddem in the BBC One comedy Jam & Jerusalem, Yvonne Cotton in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, and Maggie Driscoll in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.

Early life McLynn was born in Sligo, and grew up with two younger brothers in Galway. She studied History of Art and Modern English at Trinity College Dublin, but was more heavily involved in the college's drama society. She graduated with an MA. sketches on Bremner, Bird and Fortune, and panel shows Just a Minute, Have I Got News for You, and If I Ruled the World. In 1999, McLynn appeared in the film adaptation of Angela's Ashes. She also appeared in Jennifer Saunders' Jam & Jerusalem. Between 2001 and 2003 she reprised Mrs Doyle in an advert for online tax return filing by the Inland Revenue.

McLynn was critically acclaimed for her performance in the 2005 film Gypo, receiving an Irish Film and Television Award nomination for Best Actress.

McLynn appeared in Shameless, which was produced by the British broadcaster Channel 4, as Libby Croker. In January 2011 it was announced that she had left the show, reportedly after a "difficult year". McLynn also played the role of Alice's mother in the Comedy Central show Threesome. She starred in Samuel Beckett's Happy Days at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in 2011.

McLynn played Mary Whyte in the BBC's 2013 sitcom Father Figure.

In 2014, McLynn played the part of Evelyn in "Kiss for the Camera", a series three episode of the BBC comedy Pramface. On 12 May 2014, McLynn joined the cast of EastEnders as Yvonne Cotton, the mother of Charlie Cotton (Declan Bennett) and ex-daughter-in-law of Dot Branning (June Brown). After starting as a recurring character, McLynn quickly became a regular when her character's storylines escalated. She made her final appearance on 13 January 2015, at the end of her contract. However, McLynn returned to the soap opera on 14 May 2015 for one single episode to give evidence against Dot during Nick Cotton's (John Altman) murder trial.

In 2017, McLynn appeared as the mother of lead character Marcella in Roisin Conaty's E4 comedy GameFace, and in April 2018 she portrayed Sister Mary in the BBC Two biopic Dave Allen at Peace. She appears as a minor character named Mrs. Trattner in the 2018 film Johnny English Strikes Again.

In 2020, McLynn was one of the celebrity pilgrims on the Sultans Trail in the BBC series Pilgrimage: Road to Istanbul. She also appeared in Riverdance: The Animated Adventure.

In 2021 McLynn appeared as Oona in the E4 S6 of Inside No. 9. She also appeared as Carol, a bar landlady, in the film Last Night in Soho, which was released in October 2021. McLynn also appeared in Doctor Who, as Mary in the New Year's special "Eve of the Daleks".

Since 2018, McLynn has featured as one of three panellists on the RTÉ Radio programme "Sure 'Twas Better", starring alongside screenwriter Jules Coll, and author and journalist Emer McLysaght, the programme being presented by Will Hanafin.

Personal life McLynn is married to theatrical agent Richard Cook. She is a patron of the children's charity World Vision Ireland and is president of Friends of Innisfree Housing Association. She is also a patron of Birmingham Greyhound Protection and Littlehill Animal Rescue & Sanctuary in Ireland.

McLynn is a fan of the Premier League football team Aston Villa. She says her best moment supporting Villa came in 1996 when she watched them beat Leeds United in the Football League Cup final with her Father Ted co-star Ardal O'Hanlon, who is a Leeds supporter. McLynn was raised as a Roman Catholic, but is now an atheist.

McLynn is involved with many charities against the racing and export of greyhounds. She is a patron of Greyhound Protection UK.

Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes 1992 Far and Away Prostitute 1994 Joey's Christmas Joey's Mum Short film 1995 Guiltrip Joan 1996 My Friend Joe Ms. Doyle 1997 Electricity Lydia Lipp Short film 1999 Angela's Ashes Aunt Aggie 2000 Nora Miss Kennedy Quills Mademoiselle Clairwill When Brendan Met Trudy Nuala The Most Fertile Man in Ireland Maeve An Everlasting Piece Gerty 2001 Iris Maureen 2002 Gina and Stella Stella Short film 2005 Gypo Helen Heidi Aune Detie O Anne Short film 2009 Hell's Pavement Joan O'Connor The Calling Sister Hilda 2011 First Confession Miss Ryan Short film 2014 Noble Mother Superior 2016 The Secret Scripture Anne McCartney 2017 Transformers: The Last Knight Female Researcher 2018 Captain Morten and the Spider Queen Aunt Annabelle / The Spider Queen (voice) Johnny English Strikes Again Mrs. Trattner 2019 A Girl from Mogadishu Social Worker Making Noise Quietly Mildred 2020 Out! Joan Short film 2021 Deadly Cuts Shelley Sherlock Riverdance Grandma Last Night in Soho Carol 2024 Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps Goatherd's Mother

Television Year Title Role Notes 1986 The Playboy of the Western World Honor Blake Television film 1988 Troubles Hospital Nurse Episode: "Episode #1.1" Commonplaces Unknown TV mini-series 1994 Family Denise 3 episodes 1995–1998 Father Ted Mrs. Doyle 25 episodes 1996 It Happened Next Year Various Television film 1998 Ballykissangel Bella Mooney 2 episodes Her Own Rules Constable Williams Television film 1999 Aristocrats Susan Fox-Strangways 2 episodes Dark Ages Agnes 5 episodes 2000 Life Force Polly Phemus Episode: "Yesterday Island" 2000–2002 TV to Go Various 2 episodes 2001 Black Day at Black Rock Grace Television film 2002 Dalziel and Pascoe Dr. Kirsty Urquhart 2 episodes 2003 The Return Laura Dunmore Television film 2004 French and Saunders Enthusiastic Fan Episode: "Episode #6.6" Animated Tales of the World Various (voice) Episode: "The Boy Who Had No Story" 2005 The Island of Inis Cool Various (voice) Animated series 2006–2009 Jam & Jerusalem Tippi Haddem 17 episodes 2007 High Hopes Esmeralda Episode: "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" Bremner, Bird and Fortune Various Episode: "Episode #11.1" 2009 Demons Karen Speedwell Episode: "Nothing Like Nebraska" 2010–2011 Shameless Libby Croker 24 episodes 2011 The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff Maggoty Episode: "Christmas Special" 2011–2012 Threesome Lorraine 5 episodes 2013 Common Ground Peggy the Homeless Lady Episode: "Eleanor" Father Figure Mary Whyte 6 episodes 2013–2014 Pramface Evelyn 2 episodes 2014 GameFace Marcella's Mum Television film 2014–2015 EastEnders Yvonne Cotton Recurring role; 27 episodes 2014–2019 Bing Gilly 7 episodes 2016 Tracks Mrs. Moore Episode: "Origin: Episode Three" 2017–2019 GameFace Mum 6 episodes Drop Dead Weird Bunni 52 episodes 2018 Dave Allen at Peace Sister Mary Television film Alien: Sea of Sorrows Colleen O'Rourke Podcast series Trollied Pat O'Banton Episode: "The Wedding" 2020 The Young Offenders Psychologist Episode: "Episode #3.3" 2021 Inside No. 9 Oona Episode: "Hurry Up and Wait" Silent Witness Mary Thorpe 2 episodes 2022 Doctor Who Mary Series 13Episode: "Eve of the Daleks" Holding Eileen O'Driscoll 4 episodes Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything Win Molloy 6 episodes 2023 The Inheritance Coroner 3 episodes 2024 Bodkin Brónagh McArdle 2 episodes 2025–present Coronation Street Maggie Driscoll Regular role

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Title Result 1996 British Comedy Award Top TV Comedy Actress Father Ted Won 2006 Torino International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival Special Mention: Best Video Gypo Won 2007 Irish Film and Television Award Best Actress in a Lead Role in a Feature Film Gypo Nominated

Novels and Children's books

Leo Street private eye series

Something for the Weekend (2000) Better Than a Rest (2001) Right on Time (2003)

Stand-alone novels

The Woman on the Bus (2004) Summer in the City (2005) Bright Lights and Promises (2007) Missing You Already (2009) The Time is Now (2010)

Children's books

Jenny Q, Stitched Up! (also known as Jenny Unstitched) (2012) Jenny Q, Unravelled (2013)