Padraig Connolly

Padraig Connolly, played by Brian F. O'Byrne, is a fictional character on the HBO drama "Oz".

Character overview

"Prisoner #01C972. Convicted February 28, 2001 - Illegal entry into the United States. Was held, pending deportation."

A Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) member awaiting deportation, his case is unsuccessfully appealed by activist attorney Arnold Zelman. After Connolly is sent back to Oz, he is assisted by Irish inmate Ryan O'Reily in a plan to detonate a bomb. O'Reily has a change of heart and tries to stop Connolly from detonating the bomb, which turns out to be a dud anyway, and so the mission fails. After that point it can be assumed that Connolly is deported to England to stand trial for the murder of a British officer in Northern Ireland.

eason 4 Part II

Connolly arrives in Emerald City, and is immediately admired by O'Reily and Unit manager Tim McManus. In Em City, O'Reily offers friendship, which Connolly initially refuses as he is not concerned about a long term stay in Oz. As a member of the PIRA Connolly is immediately viewed as a threat by both the British government and several inmates. After he is involved in a fight with two such inmates, both O'Reily and Reverend Jeremiah Cloutier come to his defense.

Afterwards, Zelman tells him that his appeal to remain in the US has been denied and that he will be deported to England shortly. Needing protection, Connolly accepts O'Reily's offer in friendship and begins to help build a bomb that will destroy Oz and hopefully allow them to be freed. As the bomb is about to go off, O'Reily has a change in heart and warns everyone to leave Em City. McManus quickly evacuates it and has the S.O.R.T. team ready for action but the bomb is a dud and fails.

The S.O.R.T. team and COs then beat Connolly and drag him off to the hole. Shortly afterwards, a CO goes to the kitchen for a cigarette break. Unknown to him, the cooking gas taps were left on during the panic of the evacuation. When he lights a match, the kitchen explodes and all of Em City is engulfed by flames. That is the last scene of the season. As nothing is said of Connolly in any subsequent episode the viewer is left to assume he was deported.

References