Actress Saoirse, 13, nominated for BAFTA

CARLOW actress Saoirse Ronan’s dizzying rise in the film world continued yesterday when she was nominated for a BAFTA gong for her role in the acclaimed film Atonement.

Already nominated for a Golden Globe in America earlier this month, the 13-year-old is nominated in the Best Supporting Actress in the BAFTA roll of honour for 2008.

Hers is one of 14 nominations received by Atonement, the film of Ian McEwan’s novel, this year. The news will fuel speculation about a possible Oscar nomination when the American list is announced.