Peter Claffey is presented with the Audi Athlone Man of the Match award by then Buccaneers President Gordon Ballantyne after a match against Old Wesley during the 2018-19 season.

Former Buccaneers player to star in Game of Thrones spinoff

Kieran Galvin

Published: Fri 12 Apr 2024, 11:08 AM

Former Buccaneers rugby player Peter Claffey has been cast in the lead role in the latest Game of Thrones spinoff series 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'.

Claffey played as a second row forward for three seasons with Buccaneers when he was also in the Connacht Academy. He was a student at Garbally College in Ballinasloe and joined the Athlone-based Buccaneers club in 2017.

Peter played on the Ireland U-20 team in 2016 when future Ireland captain James Ryan was his second row partner. Claffey was on the books with Connacht from 2015 to 2018.

A native of Portumna, Co. Galway, Claffey will play Ser Duncan the Tall in 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', having swapped rugby for acting in recent years.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a HBO series based around George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. The prequel series is set around 100 years before the the events of Game of Thrones, which was a major worldwide hit.

Congratulating Peter on being chosen for the high profile role, Buccaneers RFC posted online: "Congratulations Peter; we are all delighted to hear of your well deserved achievement."

"Don’t forget your rugby roots when you’re famous," the club added.