Northern Ireland

An Irish Goodbye named Best Short at Irish Film and Television Awards

Seamus O'Hara and James Martin in An Irish Goodbye. The film won the Best Short category at Sunday's Irish Film and Television Awards.
Seamus O'Hara and James Martin in An Irish Goodbye. The film won the Best Short category at Sunday's Irish Film and Television Awards.

OSCAR-winning short film An Irish Goodbye has won yet another gong, this time at the Irish Film and Television Awards.

The film - written and directed by Ross White and Tom Berkeley and produced by their Floodlight Pictures company - won the Live Action Short Film category at Sunday's gala event in Dublin.

The award follows wins in the short film categories at both the Oscars and the BAFTAs earlier this year.

Starring Belfast actor James Martin and Ballymena's Seamus O’Hara as feuding brothers carrying out their late mother's last wishes with her ashes, the film also features Paddy Jenkins and the voice of Game of Thrones star Michelle Fairley.

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It was filmed on location in Co Down by east Belfast's Ross White along with his English co-director, and is thought to be the first production to win an IFTA after also winning a BAFTA and an Academy Award.

During an acceptance speech at the Oscars in LA back in March, Hollywood A-listers joined in a chorus of 'Happy Birthday' for star James Martin, who was celebrating his 31st birthday.

The actor was also referenced during a speech by US president Joe Biden during his recent visit to Belfast.

In a tweet on Sunday evening following the latest award for An Irish Goodbye, a spokesperson for NI Screen said: "We're pretty sure this is the first short film to ever win an IFTA, BAFTA and Oscar."

They offered a "huge congratulations" to the cast and crew of the film.

Meanwhile, Belfast's Ciaran Hinds was named winner of the Supporting Actor - Drama category for his role in BritBox comedy drama The Dry, while Oscar-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin, by director Martin McDonagh, was named Best Film at Sunday's IFTA ceremony at Dublin's Royal Convention Centre.

Kildare's Paul Mescal won the Lead Actor category for his appearance in Charlotte Wells-directed drama Aftersun, for which he had previously been nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars.

Dublin's Frank Berry was named Best Director for his film Aisha, featuring Black Panther star Letitia Wright.