Many homegrown talents in Ireland have been notably under-recognised at the Oscars. Among them is Tomm Moore, co-founder of Cartoon Saloon, who has earned three nominations under the category of best feature animation. Other noteworthy Irish individuals who received acting nominations comprise Geraldine Fitzgerald and Dan O’Herlihy. The renowned documentarian Louis Marcus was honoured with a nomination as far back as 1973. Let’s express regret to those who haven’t earned their place on this rather selective list.
Michèle Burke, a native of Kildare, attained the best makeup Oscar for her contribution to ‘Quest for Fire’ by Jean-Jacques Annaud in 1983. However, circumstances prevented her from personally accepting the award. She later collected it at her local post office, as opposed to traditional grandeur. The public accolade at the post office left her extremely satisfied.
The Dublin-born art director, Josie McAvin, also holds a prestigious place amongst Ireland’s Oscar winners. Part of the industry since 1919, she accepted her Oscar in person from Rebecca De Mornay and Michael J Fox in 1986 for ‘Out of Africa.’ Previously, she had been nominated for ‘The Spy Who Came in from the Cold’ in 1965 and ‘Tom Jones’ in 1963. A visibly moved McAvin’s Oscar currently decorates the hallway of the Irish Film Institute based in Dublin.
Peter O’Toole, who claims to be Irish despite the uncertainty surrounding his birthplace, received a honorary Oscar in 2003. Despite having the joint record for most acting nominations without a win – a title he shares with Glenn Close – O’Toole accepted the honorary Oscar modestly and humorously commented about his numerous near-misses.
Benjamin Cleary, known for his short film work, was another successful Irishman taking home an Oscar in 2016. His accomplishment emphasizes the solid tradition of Irish short films receiving recognition at the Oscars.
On the famous evening of the renowned Irish Oscars, the podium was dominated by a single domestic champion – although Lenny Abrahamson’s ‘Room’ saw Brie Larson triumph as best actress. The author was present to witness nominations for Cleary’s delightful ‘Stutterer’ short, who entered the media room appearing as if he’d just braved a storm. Noteworthy mentions to Martin McDonagh who claimed victory with ‘Six Shooter’ in 2004, Oorlagh and Terry George for ‘The Shore’ in 2011, and ‘An Irish Goodbye’ by Tom Berkeley and Ross White in 2023.
Richard Baneham, a significant but often overlooked figure in Irish creativity, scooped his second visual effects Oscar in 2023 for his work on James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. Well-regarded within his field, Baneham owes his success to his early upbringing in Tallaght. He thanked Cameron on stage, emphasizing his heavy involvement in the film. The movie’s producer, Jon Landau, also acknowledged Baneham’s talent in 2022.
In the tumultuous ceremony of 2022, Kenneth Branagh walked away with Best Screenplay. This was the same year that saw a shocking altercation between Will Smith and a stunned Chris Rock. Several of Branagh’s ‘Belfast’ contingent, including Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds, were present. Branagh’s screenplay was the sole victory for his team. He dedicated his story to the struggle for optimism and happiness amidst tragedy and destruction. Already holding an unmatched record of nominations in seven categories, Branagh further cemented his place in cinematic history.
Neil Jordan earned himself an Oscar for best original screenplay in 1992 for ‘The Crying Game’.
The enigmatic and convoluted IRA themed film by Jordan silently launched and thanks to aggressive marketing by Harvey Weinstein, gradually gained popularity through word-of-mouth. Jordan expressed his surprise when speaking at the podium, revealing he was unaware of awards nominations coming in. He attributed the acceptance of his film to audience openness for different characters and perspectives. However, he refrained from acknowledging the now infamous Weinstein.
A momentous occasion for Irish cinema at the Oscars was witnessed on the 12th of January, 2016. This was when ‘Room’ and ‘Brooklyn’, two Irish movies, secured seven nominations together. Additionally, Ben Cleary received a nomination for the best live-action short film. Surprisingly, the Irish Film Board bagged more nominations that year compared to giants like Paramount and Universal Studios. James Hickey, then CEO of the Film Board, labelled it as a breakthrough moment in Irish cinema.
In 2023, the world celebrated James Martin’s birthday. The spotlight was on Martin, who starred in the Oscar-winning live-action short films ‘An Irish Goodbye’, by Tom Berkeley and Ross White. It went unreported that Martin, a Down syndrome individual, was celebrating his 31st birthday that day. He was serenaded by the most significant assembly of celebrities. In an interview with the BBC, the Belfast man quipped that as long as he was doing what he enjoyed, Down syndrome did not matter. He prided himself on being humorous and is now a recipient of an MBE.
George Bernard Shaw was the first Irish to receive an Oscar for best screenplay, in 1939, for his film adaptation of ‘Pygmalion’. This win qualified him to be the first person to both garner an Oscar and a Nobel Prize. This record stood until 2016 when Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel. Although Shaw seemed to take a Hollywood award as an affront, he still placed his Oscar on his mantelpiece.
The journey of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova to the 2008 Academy Awards is an unforgettable Irish Oscar narrative. With a minimal budget, they created “Once”, a heartfelt romance set within Dublin’s city streets. Before it developed a devoted fanbase, the film had a modest premiere. The exceptional musical performance by Hansard and Irglova captivated everyone, winning them the Oscar for the best original song for ‘Falling Slowly’. A noteworthy moment ensued when Jon Stewart invited Marketa back on stage after her acceptance speech was abruptly cut off.
Turning back in time, in 1945, Barry Fitzgerald grabbed the spotlight by becoming the only person to be nominated in both ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ categories for his role in ‘Going My Way’. He bagged the award for the best supporting actor, playing a sprightly priest. Thereafter, the Academy reframed the rules to prevent such a peculiar incident. Barry’s performance still induces tears and he was the first Irish to win an acting Oscar.
Come 2023, an overwhelming number of 14 nominations were awarded to Irish talents and projects. Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ captured nine nominations, however, the major highlight was the nomination for Colm Bairéad’s ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ in best international film. It was the first-ever Irish film to be shortlisted. The tension soared high as the film was announced last, owing to alphabetical order. Bairéad’s renowned film had embarked upon its journey more than a year ago at the Berlin Film Festival plagued by Covid.
Lastly, the spotlight falls on Daniel Day-Lewis who won the award for ‘Best Actor’ for his role in ‘My Left Foot’ in 1990.
As a memorable evening for local film industry was drawing to a close, Day-Lewis clinched his first of what would ultimately be a record-setting three best actor awards. Although he had yet to claim Irish citizenship at this moment, he did not shy away from acknowledging his roots during his entertaining and unpolished acceptance speech. “This award will certainly fuel an extraordinary weekend in Dublin for me,” he expressed. He stood victorious against competitors including Tom Cruise, Robin Williams, Morgan Freeman, and Kenneth Branagh. Quite an achievement for a newcomer. He was only the runner up because earlier on that same evening…
1. Brenda Fricker wins the 1990 Best Supporting Actress
Many people believe that the 1990 Oscar achievement of ‘My Left Foot’ heralded a cultural and social transformation for the country that would be seen throughout the next ten years. The first award for the evening was secured by Fricker for her compelling portrayal of the tenacious mother of writer and artist Christy Brown. “I would like to express my gratitude to Mrs. Brown, his mother,” Fricker exclaimed from the stage. “Any woman who has gone through childbirth 22 times is unquestionably deserving of one of these.”
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