Double IFTA success for Offaly
There was success on the double for Offaly at the IFTA awards on Saturday night.
Sam Keeley took the coveted Best Actor Drama award for his portrayal of Eric ‘Viking’ Kinsella in Kin while the Offaly-produced Nothing to Declare won the Best Short Film award.
It was a night of celebration for Kin which won Best Drama, presented by high-profile Hollywood Producer and actor Roma Downey. This was one of an impressive six wins in total for the Dublin crime drama, which alongside Sam Keeley included Maria Doyle-Kennedy who was presented with the Best Supporting Actress Drama award by Liam Cunningham. Joining from a Kin nominee party where the team had assembled for the Awards, Keeley received his award while sat next to co-star and fellow nominee Aidan Gillen and said “Thank you very much. To my fellow nominees, it's an honour to be even considered among you in this category. I have huge respect for all of you, especially this man (Gillen), no offense. Thank you so much to the Irish Academy for the recognition. Peter McKenna for writing such a wonderfully complex character and giving me full autonomy to play that.”
Nothing to Declare added to a great night for Offaly with its win in the Best Short Film category.
The documentary was written, directed and produced by Garret Daly, Managing Director of Mixed Bag Media, a Daingean-based production company, run by Garret and Martina McGlynn.
It tells the true story of two Irish boys who ran away from home and ended up in New York and qualified for consideration for an Oscar nomination after it won a major award at the International Galway Film Fleadh.
Garret decided to make the film about two young boys, Keith Byne (10) and Noel Murray (13) from Darndale who ran away from home in August 1985 and travelled to New York without plane tickets.
The IFTA awards, hosted by the Irish Film & Television Academy on Virgin Media One on Saturday night.
It was a-studded affair, with Chris Pine, Colin Farrell, Michael Moore, Roma Downey, Fionnula Flanagan among the stellar line-up of guests at the ceremony, presenting awards to the likes of Ciarán Hinds, Jessie Buckley, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Moe Dunford, Kin and An Cailín Ciúin.
The incredible array of guest presenters also included Nicola Coughlan, Chris O’Dowd, Charlie Cox and many more who virtually presented awards to Irish Talent for their extraordinary achievements.
Nominees joined the show virtually and were clearly enjoying the camaraderie of talking with their fellow nominees in the various categories and many of the nominees hosting their own IFTA-viewing parties with their fellow cast and crew, as well as friends and family.
The event was hosted by Deirdre O’Kane who took the helm with her trademark wit and elegance including a tribute to Ukrainian president, and fellow comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.