Several Irish and International guests are set to arrive into Dublin for the Irish Film and Television Awards on Saturday, February 12th to celebrate the best that Irish has to offer. ‘Sex and the City’ actress Kim Cattrall and ‘The Tudors’ actress Joely Richardson will join the cream of Irish talent on the night where Dublin’s convention centre will play host to the awards ceremony.
IFTA host Simon Delaney will oversee the presentation of 37 IFTA statuettes at the gala Awards ceremony taking place at the capital’s Convention Centre. The guests confirmed to attend the event include acting nominees Brendan Gleeson (Perrier’s Bounty); Pierce Brosnan (The Ghost); Saoirse Ronan (The Way Back); Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors); Colm Meaney (Parked); Stephen Rea (Single Handed);
Others attending include Amy Huberman (Rewind); Charlene McKenna (RAW); Martin McCann (Swansong – Story of Occi Byrne); Eileen Walsh (Snap); Ruth McCabe (Single Handed); Eamon Morrissey (Fair City); Owen McDonnell (Single Handed); Sarah Flood (Fair City); Brian Gleeson (Love/ Hate); Marcella Plunkett (Swansong – Story of Occi Byrne) and Ruth Bradley (Love/ Hate).
Irish directors who will be present on the evening include PJ Dillon (Rewind); Tom Hall (Sensation); Ian Power (The Runway); Juanita Wilson (As If I Am Not There); David Caffrey (Love/ Hate), Thaddeus O’Sullivan (Single Handed) and Dearbhla Walsh (The Silence). In addition to these, behind the scenes production talent will also be present on the night in the shape of Joan Bergin (The Tudors), Consolata Boyle (Tamara Drewe) and Tim Fleming (As If I Am Not There).
As previously reported, Irish producer Morgan O’Sullivan will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award honouring his immeasurable influence on the Irish film and television industry with credits such as ‘Braveheart’, ‘King Arthur’, ‘The Tudors’ and ‘Camelot’. Morgan’s Tudor family will gather on the night to pay tribute to his work. These will include Joely Richardson, who plays Catherine Parr in the final series of The Tudors; singer Joss Stone who appeared as Anne of Cleaves - Henry’s fourth wife; and actress Natalie Dormer who played the seductive Anne Boleyn.
Where further international guests are concerned, Golden Globe winning actress, Kim Cattrall will be in attendance at the awards show to announce the winner of a key Award. Irish actor, Colin O’Donoghue, star of the US box office topping feature ‘The Rite’ will return to the Irish Film & Television Awards having won the Breakthrough Award at IFTA 2003. Other special guests include IFTA winning Irish actor Aidan Gillen, star of ‘Love/Hate’ and ‘The Wire’; actresses Brenda Fricker (My Left Foot), Sinead Cusack (The Birds) and Angeline Ball (The Commitments); Harry Potter's Luna Lovegood, Evanna Lynch; ‘Coronation Street’ star Michelle Keegan; plus Irish actors Keith McErlean (RAW), Don Wycherly (Rasai na Gaillimhe), Patrick Bergin (Sleeping with the Enemy) and Frank Kelly (Father Ted).
Familiar faces from the Irish TV screens joining the celebrations at IFTA 2011 will include; Pat Kenny, Gay Byrne, Barry Murphy, Hector Ó hEochagáin, Kathryn Thomas, Ray D’Arcy, Caroline Morahan, Laura Whitmore, Craig Doyle, Gráinne Seoige, Sinead Desmond, Brian Dowling, Alan Hughes, Lisa Cannon, Aisling O’Loughlin, Tommy Tiernan, Deirdre O’Kane, Miriam O’Callaghan, Daithí O'Sé, Bill O’Herlihy, Mark Cagney, Anna Nolan and Lorraine Keane. In addition, comedy hip-hop duo The Rubberbandits are also set to make an appearance.
Speaking ahead of the gala awards ceremony, IFTA CEO Áine Morairty commented that: “After long months of planning, it’s hard to believe IFTA 2011 is finally here! Despite economic setbacks, we can be proud of our Irish creative talent who are continuing to deliver world class production, entertaining audiences both at home and around the world. We look forward to celebrating these fine achievements in Dublin this weekend.”
From Production crew to catering staff, a team of over 450 works on the Irish Film & Television Awards. 1,300 special guests will attend the event with over 170 media outlets reporting from Ireland and across the globe. The 8th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards take place on Saturday 12th February 2011 and will be broadcast live across Ireland on RTÉ One from 9.30pm.
