‘Cavan really knocked it out of the park’ at the IFTAs

This year's Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA) gathered the greatest in the industry together to celebrate the talent the country has to offer.

Hosted by Cavan comedian and actor Kevin McGahern, the Breffni county was extremely well represented at the event with Mullagh man Brían F. O'Byrne winning in the Actor in a Supporting Role category for his part in the thriller Conclave; while Philip Doherty directed Irish crime series Crá, nominated for Best Drama.

“There's obviously been a mistake,” the Mullagh man joked on stage.

“I've nothing to say,” he said, picking up his award and looking at it in shock.

“I'm here on my own so, if somebody wants to come and talk to me anytime, please do,” he said, before finishing with a heartfelt “thank you”, which was met with huge applause from the audience.

For Philip Doherty, he was hoping his Irish-language crime drama series Crá would land Cavan a “hat-trick” with Kevin “knocking it out of the park” as an MC, and Brían winning best supporting actor.

“It was a one and a two and then it was coming up to Crá,” he said, recalling the night.

“But anyway, not this time,” he said.

Speaking to The Anglo-Celt on Monday morning, Philip said his series was up against some “big big players” such as Apple's Bad Sisters who won in the category and Say Nothing from Disney Plus.

“It was an honour to be in the same category as all those amazing shows.

“Everyone who was nominated was an absolute winner as far as I'm concerned, and to be in the room that night with some of the best actors and artists in the world was a wonderful experience.

“It was a real celebration of film and TV and, to be part of that, it feels like we're all in there celebrating together.”

Despite not getting an IFTA on the night, Philip said the experience has put “fire” in his belly to get one in the future.

“I'm early enough when it comes to my career in film and TV and Crá is hopefully going to go further as well,” he said.

“Everyone was so down to earth and so lovely,” he said, adding that the event was “a completely different experience” to the online version held during Covid when Redemption of a Rogue was nominated for Best Script.

He said the “love and warmth” that Crá has been getting has been “brilliant”.

“There hadn't been a major TV drama series in Irish in a long time,” he said, adding that the production was “overdue”.

Shot in Gweedore, where Ulster Irish is spoken in a “real thriving Gaeltacht”, he said the west Ireland location gave an “edge of the world sort of feel” to the entire series.

Speaking on the host, a fellow Cavan man, Philip believes Kevin “absolutely smashed it out of the park” adding that he was “unbelievable”.

“Hilarious from start to finish, he had the audience in the palm of his hand,” he said.

“There was a huge Cavan influence on the night and it did feel like we were well represented.

“Cavan really knocked it out of the park.”