The Irish Academy awards were on last night and all your faves cleaned up in their categories!
For the second year now, the event was virtual and broadcast on Virgin Media, with the in-person ceremony scheduled to happen in March 2022. But restrictions didn’t stop it from being a super glam night, star studded with the best of Irish film and television and presented by the ever-charismatic Grainne Seoige!
The nominations released show how busy the Irish Academy Members have been over lockdown viewing, deliberating, and shortlisting the very best work from across great Irish films, performances, and achievements.
IFTA Chief Executive, Áine Moriarty stated that:
“This year’s nominations are an incredible reflection of the high-calibre talent of Irish filmmakers, who are producing world-class standards of production and storytelling on screen. The Irish Academy is proud to showcase and acknowledge their great achievements. This past year and a half has been difficult for everyone across the globe, and it’s heartening now to see things opening back up, including our Cinemas nationwide, and we urge everyone to go see this incredible array of movies on the big screen near you.
Cinema is above all a communal experience and we are looking forward to bringing Ireland’s world class screen community together with audiences to engage and to celebrate the very best in Irish Film & Television excellence."
Normal People absolutely swept the boards, winning in categories that ranged from acting to production. Paul Mescal won ‘Best Actor in a Lead Role for Drama’ and Lenny Abrahamson won ‘Best Director’, while Sally Rooney herself won the Scriptwriting Award, all huge achievements! But we’re not surprised. The Normal People production was incredible and real landmark of modern Irish TV, winning nine of its fifteen nominations.
In his acceptance speech, Mescal thanked the producers at Element Pictures and Lenny Abrahamson, citing Daisy Edgar-Jones as “one of the most incredible actresses working in our industry.” So sweet!
But Nicola Coughlan was our favourite reaction of the night. Nominated for both the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ and Screen Ireland’s ‘Rising Star’ categories, Nicola brought home the prestigious ‘Rising Star’ Award, which was presented by Mark Hamill – leaving Nicola more than a little star struck! She was nominated alongside Cathy Brady, Clare Dunne, Eve Hewson and Paddy Slattery.
Nicola shared her delight with being nominated on Instagram before the ceremony, telling fans that ‘It’s such a huge honour to be nominated for the IFTA Rising Star Award, especially during a time when Irish talent is rightfully having a moment on the world stage. This means the absolute world to me and I couldn’t be more grateful and excited.’
‘I’m so happy to join the Irish academy tonight to celebrate Ireland’s greatest achievements,’ Mark Hamill shared, while presenting the award. ‘This award shines a light on superb Irish talents who are proving themselves to be world class professionals in their fields.’
Nicola seemed genuinely in shock at her win, giving a breathless, slightly teary and hilarious acceptance speech;
‘Oh I’m really shocked! And Luke Skywalker saying my name is quite a shock, oh my God. Thank you so much, this is a crazy, crazy big honour. It means so much to me and to be nominated among such incredibly talented people who I respect so much means the absolute world. I’m so proud to be an Irish actor, I’m so proud to spread it around the world…I’m not making any sense!’
She thanked her agent and publicist, friends and family and ‘all the people who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.’
‘It’s so special to me because all you really want is people at home to be happy with what you’re doing and I was with Paul [Mescal] when he won at the BAFTAs and it felt like a win for everybody. So to be recognised at home is so special and amazing, and I’m so grateful, thank you so much….Go raibh mile maith agat.’
The Galway native later shared footage of her winning the award behind the scenes, captioning the video: ‘I flippin won the Rising Star #IFTA and gave a speech where I for some reason thanked Paul Mescal who I have never worked with in my life! It is such an unbelievable honour I’m so grateful thank you thank you IFTA Academy!’
We are so delighted for Ms Featherington, who totally deserves the recognition, and all the other night’s winners! We’re a talented bunch!
