IFTAs: Full list of winners as Gabriel Byrne is honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award

Gabriel Byrne and Hannah Beth King arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awards 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo: Michael Chester

Deirdre O'Kane arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

Barry Keoaghan arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

Fionnuala Flanagan arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

Sean O'Grady

February 15 2018 9:30 PM

Ireland's leading film and television stars hit Dublin's Manion House to celebrate the fifteenth annual IFTA Film and Drama Awards.

Celebrating the best in Irish film and television, the event was hosted by actress Deirdre O'Kane, while President Michael D. Higgins presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to actor and director Gabriel Byrne.

Barry Keoaghan arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin.
Photo by Michael Chester. — Barry Keoaghan arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

Byrne said it was an honour to receive the recognition, after more than three decades in the film industry.

"I can't believe that starting off in Dublin with no expectation of anything and just taking one mad courageous journey despite everybody else saying 'don't do that, it's, crazy, don't go to London.' And doing that led to that and that and that," he said.

Sarah Bolger arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin.
Photo by Michael Chester. — Sarah Bolger arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

"And that moment - even though I didn't know it when I left Dublin that night - I had no idea that that journey would end in a place like this, in a ceremony like this."

Many of the female attendees including Charlie Murphy, Caitriona Balfe, Amy Huberman and host Deirdre all wore black in support of the Times Up movement against sexual harassment in Hollywood.

Deirdre O'Kane arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin.
Photo by Michael Chester. — Deirdre O'Kane arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

Balfe, who was nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama for Outlander, told how she hopes the movement carries on for the rest of award season

"I thought it would be nice to continue the message throughout the award season and keep the conversation going. I think it's important that we don’t just make this a one-night thing," she said.

Catriona Balfe arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin.
Photo by Michael Chester. — Catriona Balfe arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

The Monaghan woman (38) got engaged to her boyfriend of two years Tony McGill recently, debuted her ring on the Golden Globes red carpet last month.

The couple both have busy work schedules and have yet to make any plans for the ceremony.

Victora Smurfit arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin.
Photo by Michael Chester. — Victora Smurfit arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester.

"We have went straight back into work. I have not had a chance to even think about it yet," she said.

With a wealth of talent in Ireland, Caitriona is hoping to work at home more in the future.

"I've never really worked here as an actor so it's nice to meet everyone in the business. The show that I'm on, we shoot in Scotland so I'm there most of the time and then when I'm not I'm back in LA," she said.

Attending the IFTAs has become a tradition for RTE broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan who presented the George Morrison Feature Documentary award.

Speaking about some of her memorable sartorial choices on Prime Time, like a choker and a leather biker jacket, Miriam believes viewers focus too much on how female presenters look.

"The first time you see a female on telly, you critique how they look. It's just a bad habit. I try not to do it," she said.

Along with Byrne, some of the other big winners on the night included Barry Keoghan who won for Lead Actor in a Film for his work in The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Liam Cunningham who was honoured with Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for Game of Thrones and Charlie Murphy who won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama for Peaky Blinders.

Perhaps hinting at his future success at the Academy Awards this year, Martin McDonagh won Best Film Script for the acclaimed Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

His fellow Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan won for Lead Actress in a Film for Lady Bird, although she was absent from the ceremony.

John Connors was honoured with the award for Lead Actor in a Film for his work on Cardboard Gangsters.

Winners of the IFTA Film & Drama Awards 2018

FEATURE FILM

Michael Inside

DIRECTOR FILM

Aisling Walsh, Maudie

SCRIPTWRITER FILM

Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE - FILM

John Connors, Cardboard Gangsters

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE - FILM