Irish screen talent will descend on Dublin tonight for the annual Irish Film & Television Academy Awards (IFTAs), one of the biggest nights in the country’s entertainment calendar.
Hosted this year by comedian Kevin McGahern, the ceremony will bring together leading actors, filmmakers and craftspeople to celebrate excellence in Irish film and television over the past year. Often described as Ireland’s answer to the Oscars and the BAFTAs, the IFTAs honour achievements both in front of and behind the camera — spanning film, drama, factual programming, craft categories and rising talent.
Among the high-profile attendees confirmed for tonight’s ceremony are Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley, who is nominated for her acclaimed performance in Hamnet, and Cillian Murphy, recognised for his role in Steve. Both are among the major acting nominees this year, underlining the strength of Irish-led productions on the international stage.
Also set to walk the red carpet are Steve Coogan, nominated for Saipan; Jonathan Rhys Meyers, best known internationally for The Tudors; Aidan Quinn, attending in recognition of The Walsh Sisters; and Alison Oliver, who has drawn praise for her performances in Wuthering Heights and Task.
Rising and established talent alike will be in attendance. Anthony Boyle, Danielle Galligan, Jack Gleeson, and Fionn O’Shea — all connected to House of Guinness — are confirmed for the ceremony, reflecting the show’s impact in this year’s television categories.
They will be joined by Peter Claffey, star of the forthcoming Game of Thrones: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms; Niamh Algar, recognised for The Iris Affair; Lola Petticrew, nominated for Trespasses; Louisa Harland, associated with The Walsh Sisters; Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, who appears in Leonard & Hungry Paul; Siobhán Cullen for Obituary; Genevieve O’Reilly, whose work on Andor has earned global attention; and writer-producer Lisa McGee alongside Roisin Gallagher for How To Get To Heaven From Belfast.
The IFTAs are more than just a red-carpet event. Founded in 2003, the Irish Film & Television Academy was established to champion Irish storytelling and provide a platform to celebrate domestic productions as well as Irish creatives working abroad. Winners are voted on by academy members, which include industry professionals across directing, acting, writing, producing and technical crafts.
This year’s nominations highlight the diversity of Irish storytelling — from literary adaptations like Hamnet and Wuthering Heights to historical dramas such as Saipan, contemporary thrillers, and globally successful series like Andor. Productions including House of Guinness, The Walsh Sisters, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, Obituary and The Iris Affair underline the continued strength of Irish television drama.
As nominees and guests gather in Dublin this evening, the ceremony promises to spotlight not only star power but also the writers, directors and craftspeople working behind the scenes. In a year marked by strong domestic productions and international recognition for Irish talent, the 2026 IFTAs are set to be a significant celebration of an industry continuing to punch well above its weight.
Full list of nominees:
FILM CATEGORIES
BEST FILM
Aontas
Blue Moon
Christy
Four Mothers
Saipan
Steve
DIRECTOR - FILM
Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn - Saipan
Brendan Canty - Christy
Myrid Carten - A Want in Her
Lorcan Finnegan - The Surfer
Ruán Magan - Báite
Edwin Mullane, Adam O'Keeffe - Horseshoe
SCRIPT FILM
Sarah Gordon, Damian McCann - Aontas
Maggie O'Farrell, Chloé Zhao - Hamnet
Alan O'Gorman - Christy
Sheena Lambert - Báite
Darren Thornton, Colin Thornton - Four Mothers
Enda Walsh - Die My Love
LEAD ACTOR - FILM
Steve Coogan - Saipan
Daniel Day-Lewis - Anemone
Colin Farrell - Ballad of a Small Player
Éanna Hardwicke - Saipan
Cillian Murphy - Steve
Daniel Power - Christy
LEAD ACTRESS - FILM
Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
Carolyn Bracken - Horseshoe
Carrie Crowley - Aontas
Fionnula Flanagan - Four Mothers
Eleanor O'Brien - Báite
Fiona Shaw - Hot Milk
SUPPORTING ACTOR - FILM
Liam Cunningham - Palestine 36
Jamie Forde - Christy
Paul Mescal - Hamnet
Diarmuid Noyes - Christy
Seán T. Ó Meallaigh - Aontas
Andrew Scott - Blue Moon
SUPPORTING ACTRESS - FILM
Brid Brennan - Aontas
Kerry Condon - F1
Sarah Greene - Trad
Dearbhla Molloy - Four Mothers
Kerry Condon - Train Dreams
Emma Willis - Christy
DRAMA CATEGORIES
BEST DRAMA
Blue Lights
Leonard and Hungry Paul
Trespasses
The Walsh Sisters
Wednesday S2
The Young Offenders
DIRECTOR DRAMA
Rachel Carey - Obituary
Megan K Fox - Video Nasty
Oonagh Kearney - The Au Pair
Mia Mullarkey - Hidden Assets
Hugh O'Conor - Showkids
Aisling Walsh - Miss Austen
SCRIPT DRAMA
Peter Foott - The Young Offenders
Ailbhe Keogan - Trespasses
Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson - Blue Lights
Cara Loftus - Hidden Assets
Stefanie Preissner - The Walsh Sisters
Hugh Travers - Video Nasty
LEAD ACTOR - DRAMA
Anthony Boyle - House of Guinness
Pierce Brosnan - MobLand
Domhnall Gleeson - The Paper
Martin McCann - Blue Lights
Aaron Monaghan - Hidden Assets
Alex Murphy - The Young Offenders
LEAD ACTRESS - DRAMA
Niamh Algar - The Iris Affair
Caitriona Balfe - Outlander
Siobhán Cullen - Obituary
Louisa Harland - The Walsh Sisters
Nora-Jane Noone - Hidden Assets
Lola Petticrew - Trespasses
SUPPORTING ACTOR - DRAMA
Jack Gleeson - House of Guinness
Cal O'Driscoll - Video Nasty
Dónall Ó Héalai - Hidden Assets
Fionn O'Shea - House of Guinness
Aidan Quinn - The Walsh Sisters
Chris Walley - The Young Offenders
SUPPORTING ACTRESS - DRAMA
Cathy Belton - Hidden Assets
Ruth Bradley - Slow Horses
Katherine Devlin - Blue Lights
Danielle Galligan - House of Guinness
Alison Oliver - Task
Genevieve O'Reilly - Andor
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES
INTERNATIONAL FILM
Bugonia
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Palestine '36
Sentimental Value
Sinners
INTERNATIONAL ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon
Michael B Jordan - Sinners
James McArdle - Four Mothers
Sean Penn - One Battle After Another
Jesse Plemons - Bugonia
INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS
Chase Infiniti - One Battle After Another
Jennifer Lawrence - Die My Love
Margaret Qualley - Blue Moon
Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
Emma Stone - Bugonia
Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another
DOCUMENTARY & SHORT FILM CATEGORIES
GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
A Want in Her
The Essence of Eva
Listen To The Land Speak
Sanatorium
Testimony
Útoipe Cheilteach
Redbreast SHORT FILM AWARD
The Ban
No Mean City
No Time Wasters
Nostalgie
Punt
Three Keenings
ANIMATED SHORT
Éiru
Inside, The Valley Sings
Rerooted
Retirement Plan
CRAFT CATEGORIES
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Bugonia - Robbie Ryan
Christy - Colm Hogan
Die My Love - Seamus McGarvey
Saipan - Piers McGrail
Severance - Suzie Lavelle
CASTING
Christy - Amy Rowan
Four Mothers - Louise Kiely
The Rainmaker - Emma Gunnery
Ready Or Not - Maureen Hughes
Saipan - Aine O'Sullivan
COSTUME DESIGN
Blue Moon - Consolata Boyle
Christy - Hannah Bury
Four Mothers - Joan O'Cleary
Saipan - Lara Campbell
Video Nasty - Joanne O'Brien
EDITING
Blue Lights - Helen Sheridan
Christy - Allyn Quigley
House of Guinness - Ben Yeates
Saipan - John Murphy, Gavin Buckley
The Surfer - Tony Cranstoun
Sculpted by Aimee MAKE-UP & HAIR
Blue Moon - Linda Gannon, Liz Byrne
Christy - Jennie Readman, Edwina Kelly
Saipan - Polly McKay
Trespasses - Natalie Reid
Wednesday - Lynn Johnston
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Aontas - Daithí Ó Drónaí
Báite - Eimear Noone, Craig Stuart Garfinkle
Christy - Daithí Ó Drónaí
Saipan - David Holmes, Brian Irvine
Video Nasty - Die Hexen
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Blue Moon - Susie Cullen, Kevin Downey
Christy - Martin Goulding
Saipan - John Leslie
Wednesday - Philip Murphy, Neville Gaynor
Video Nasty - Tara O'Reilly
SOUND
Anemone - Steve Fanagan
Blue Moon - Hugh Fox
Saipan - Tim Harrison, Andrew Graham, Paul Maynes
The Surfer - Aza Hand
Video Nasty - Patrick Downey
VFX
Anemone - Tom Fagan
Foundation - Ed Bruce, Andrew Barry
House of Guinness - Eoin O’Sullivan, David Sewell
One Battle After Another - Ed Bruce, Amrei Bronnenmayer
