ITV has officially acquired The Galway Bay Murders, a brand-new six-part crime thriller starring acclaimed actors Kate Mulgrew and Colm Meaney. The UK broadcast and streaming deal, announced in mid-October 2026 by distributor ITV Studios and Irish broadcaster RTÉ, will bring the atmospheric series to ITV1 and ITVX. While an official UK premiere date has not yet been confirmed, the drama is scheduled to debut in Ireland on November 8, 2026, across RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player.
Produced by Two Cities Television-the production company behind the hit BBC police drama Blue Lights-in association with Keeper Pictures and AS I AM Productions, the series transports viewers to the rugged landscape of Connemara on Ireland’s west coast. Originally developed and announced under the working title The Yank, the drama follows a tense, multi-layered murder investigation deeply rooted in the local community.
Plot and Premise of The Galway Bay Murders
The story centers on Lieutenant Nora Savage, played by Kate Mulgrew. Nora is a seasoned NYPD detective who relocates to the west of Ireland on an exchange program with An Garda Síochána. Hoping to escape a heavy, traumatic past and find a quiet life of peace, her plans are immediately upended when the body of a young woman is discovered hidden in a bog.
Forced back into action, Nora teams up with the local Garda team to investigate the mysterious death. The trail quickly leads them to Free Farm, an ambitious communal organization where young adults live and work together focusing on sustainable agriculture and scientific research. Beneath the idyllic surface of the commune, the detectives uncover a complex web of dark secrets, divided loyalties, and hidden motives that threaten to complicate the search for the killer.
Star-Studded Cast and Creative Team
The series brings together notable on-screen talent, most notably pairing two veterans of the Star Trek franchise: Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager, Orange Is the New Black) and Colm Meaney (Chief Miles O’Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, alongside roles in The Commitments and Gangs of London).
Joining Mulgrew and Meaney in the ensemble cast are:
- John Connors (The Gentlemen, Irish Blood)
- India Mullen (Normal People, Under Salt Marsh)
- Cillian O’Sullivan (Daredevil: Born Again, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)
- Jack Rowan (A Town Called Malice, Wreck)
The Galway Bay Murders was created and written by Eithne Verling, a former archaeologist and museum curator who spent twelve years managing the Galway City Museum. Verling, who has a deep personal connection to the region, wrote all six one-hour episodes specifically for Kate Mulgrew after the two met by chance while the actress was holidaying in Galway. The television drama is directed by the filmmaking duo Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy, known for their work on Baltimore and Kin.
Broadcaster and Executive Reactions
Executives from both ITV and Two Cities Television have expressed strong enthusiasm for the acquisition and the distinctive creative vision behind the project.
The Galway Bay Murders is precisely the kind of bold, high-calibre drama our audiences love. Eithne Verling has crafted a completely magnetic crime thriller, with an outstanding cast led by Kate Mulgrew and Colm Meaney, a compelling central mystery and the stunning backdrop of Ireland’s west coast. – Darren Nartey, Head of Content Acquisitions at ITV
Louisa Forsyth, VP for U.K. and Ireland sales at ITV Studios, echoed these sentiments, noting that the atmospheric thriller successfully unites an acclaimed production team with incredible international talent to deliver a gripping viewing experience for UK audiences.
