Conor Flaherty

Conor Flaherty
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Seán Gleeson
Duration	1997–99
First appearance	22 September 1997
Last appearance	22 February 1999
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Occupation	Car mechanic
Family Family Beale Father Sean Flaherty Mother Maggie Flaherty Brothers Eamonn Flaherty John Flaherty Tommy Flaherty Wife Geraldine Flaherty (divorced) Daughters Mary Flaherty Grandfathers Albert Beale Grandmothers Lou Beale Aunts Pauline Fowler Nephews Eamonn Flaherty Jr. Declan Flaherty Carl Flaherty Nieces Colette Flaherty Kylie Flaherty First cousins Ian Beale Mark Fowler Michelle Fowler Martin Fowler

Conor Flaherty is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Seán Gleeson from 22 September 1997 to 22 February 1999. The character first appeared in a special week of episodes set in Ireland, first broadcast in 1997.

Storylines

Conor is first seen in 1997 when his aunt Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) tracks him and his mother Maggie Flaherty (Olivia Shanley) down in Ireland after she discovers Maggie is the sister she had never known about. Conor also has a daughter, Mary Flaherty (Melanie Clark Pullen), from his first marriage but he doesn't get on with her.

When Mary decides she wants to move to Walford with Pauline, Conor also follows her. In Walford he works as a mechanic for Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and as a loan shark 'heavy' for Annie Palmer (Nadia Sawalha). He tries to compete for Annie's affections along with Phil, but Annie isn't interested.

He then falls for Ruth (Caroline Paterson), the wife of Pauline's son, Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), after her marriage to Mark has fallen apart. Eventually Conor has a secret affair with Ruth, but after they have unprotected sex, he becomes fearful that Ruth will become pregnant and insists that she takes the morning-after pill. Ruth protests and eventually lies that she has taken it. The affair ends, but she does indeed become pregnant. When she discovers this in January 1999, she decides to keep the child. When Conor's daughter Mary accidentally reveals this to Mark, he is furious and hurt and goes after Conor, beating him up and informing him of the pregnancy. Conor offers to resume their relationship and bring up the child with Ruth. They decide to move to Scotland for a new life, so they leave Walford in February 1999 with Mary.

Reception

Merle Brown from Scottish newspaper the Daily Record commented that Conor and Mary were "two of the most irritating characters" in the soap and she was not happy that they were moving to Scotland.