"I realised I could not top this, ever. It is a master dress and it brings me joy to see someone so exquisite representing an Irish brand on the red carpet.”

Next weekend she’ll walk the red carpet for the world’s biggest film awards. And last night Cork animator Nora Twomey was in celebratory mode at the Irish premiere of her acclaimed new film.

East Cork-born animator Nora Twomey didn’t hesitate to fly to America when Angelina Jolie wanted to collaborate on her latest film, writes Esther McCarthy.

With a wealth of prestigious awards, including several Oscar nominations, under its belt, the Irish animation industry worth an estimated €100m continues its rise to the top.

The Co Kilkenny-based animation company behind the Oscar-nominated Song of the Sea film saw its profits nearly double last year to €234,067.

Award-winning Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon has created a short film narrated by Moone Boy star Chris O’Dowd especially for children going into hospital for an operation.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

The Kilkenny animation firm behind the Oscar-nominated Song of the Sea last year enjoyed a further jump in profits, according to the managing director of Cartoon Saloon Gerry Shirren.

A new exhibition shows the huge amount of work needed to get Song of the Sea from basic idea to Oscar-nominated film. Richard Fitzpatrick looks at the major stages in the eight-year process

Tomm Moore has already enjoyed a night at the Oscars for his Song of the Sea, and now the animated feature is about to be released in Ireland, writes Ed Power

Goldsmith Yvonne Ross, fiancée of producer Paul Young, will be walking the red carpet at the Oscars tomorrow wearing jewellery she designed for the event.

Irish movie-lovers will be rooting for Cartoon Saloon tomorrow evening when the Kilkenny-based animation studio takes on the giants of Hollywood at the 87th Academy Awards ceremony with its feature film, Song of the Sea.

The animation industry is in rude health globally and especially in Ireland with Cartoon Saloon up for an Oscar next week. Ed Power asks some well known faces what cartoons they lived for as kids.

Up to half a million people are expected to flock to thousands of venues nationwide as they open their doors to the public this evening for a free and fun-filled celebration of heritage, culture, arts and music.

This week’s Small Business Show looks at Camara, the charity which takes old technology from businesses and puts it back to work helping disadvantaged children around the world. Oscar nominated animation company, Cartoon Saloon, talk about what it takes to create great animation and how publishers are now getting in on the animation industries. Temptster talks about filling to those empty tables and chairs as well as cinema seats. In the final part of the show we meet video analytics company Vidiro Analytics.

IRELAND has a lot of good things to be animated about for a change with two Irish made films – The Secret of Kells and Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty – among this year’s Oscar nominations.

COMEDIAN Kathleen O’Rourke, the voice of Granny O’Grimm, is looking for a free frock to wear at next month’s Oscar Award night in Hollywood.

THE Irish animation sector has exploded over the past decade with hundreds of people employed in the multi-million euro industry.