STAR TREK actor Colm Meaney could about to “boldly go where no man has been before” with his very own statue in Dublin city centre.
Meaney is best remembered in Ireland for films like The Snapper, The Van and, most notably, The Commitments – all three of which were adapted from Roddy Doyle’s famous Barrytown Trilogy of books.
However, to sci-fi fans, he’ll always be Starfleet officer Chief Miles O’Brien, who served with valour as transporter chief on board the USS Enterprise-D and later as Chief of Operations on star base Deep Space 9.
All joking aside, Meaney’s character is among only a special handful of characters to feature in more than one incarnation of Star Trek.
Chief O’Brien started life as a relatively minor character on Star Trek: The Next Generation before graduating to a starring role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Much of that had to do with Meaney’s ever-watchable performance, with the actor adding a distinctly Irish flavour to proceedings and earning a status as a firm fan favourite in the process.
So much so, in fact, that one group of fans have launched an online petition calling for a statue of Chief O’Brien to be built in Dublin city centre.
“In the hopes that this petition reaches it’s signature goal,” the petition reads.
“It will be included in a proposal to Dublin City Council to commission an artist to make a statue of Star Trek's Chief Miles O'Brien to be displayed on the streets of Dublin.
The petition has garnered plenty of signatures, smashing its 1,000 target, with over 2,400 and signatures and counting at the time of writing. It’s got the thumbs up from the fans too.
“Definitely deserves it! Love The Chief!!” one wrote.
“For chief o'brien, well deserved,” another added.
“This has to happen, if any country can make this happen it's Ireland, a third wrote.
Born in Glasnevin in Dublin, a statue in the capital would be the perfect tribute to Meaney who continues to find work stateside. on the big and small screen. Make it so.
