Northern Ireland

An Irish Goodbye star James Martin 'raising the roof' ahead of the Oscars at Irish pub in LA

Belfast actor James Martin took to the stage to play The Pogue's famous hit 'Dirty Old Town' at O'Brien's Irish Pub. Picture from Twitter
Belfast actor James Martin took to the stage to play The Pogue's famous hit 'Dirty Old Town' at O'Brien's Irish Pub. Picture from Twitter Belfast actor James Martin took to the stage to play The Pogue's famous hit 'Dirty Old Town' at O'Brien's Irish Pub. Picture from Twitter

BELFAST actor James Martin has been "raising the roof" ahead of the Oscars as he performed the harmonica in a packed Irish pub in Los Angeles.

The star of an Oscar-nominated film took to the stage to play The Pogue's famous hit 'Dirty Old Town' at O'Brien's Irish Pub earlier this week.

Martin, who stars as Lorcan in An Irish Goodbye, performed alongside a guitarist before playing a solo part amid rapturous applause from the crowd.

In a post on social media, O'Brien's Irish Pub shared a short video of Martin's performance and said they were "so honoured to have the cast and producers of An Irish Goodbye in last night raising the roof".

In another post from those behind the movie, they wrote on Twitter that there were "incredible scenes" in the pub and urged people to watch "our main man James Martin bring the house down".

It comes just days before the cast of 'An Irish Goodbye' bid for Oscar glory.

The short film, which has already won a Bafta, is up for the prize of Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars on Sunday.

The film recently picked up a Bafta. Picture by Ian West/PA
The film recently picked up a Bafta. Picture by Ian West/PA The film recently picked up a Bafta. Picture by Ian West/PA

Set against the backdrop of a working farm in rural Northern Ireland, An Irish Goodbye is a black comedy following the reunion of estranged brothers Turlough (Seamus O'Hara) and Lorcan (James Martin) after the untimely death of their mother.

The brothers' pained reunion is worsened by the fact Turlough must now make new care arrangements for Lorcan, who has Down's Syndrome.

Lorcan wants to continue farming the land he grew up on, but Turlough decides he's sending him to live with their aunt on the other side of Ireland.

The 95th Academy Awards take place on Martin's 31st birthday on March 12.