‘Love/Hate’ set to sweep the boards at Iftas

While international film stars will be thin on the ground at tonight’s Irish Film and Television Awards in Dublin’s Convention Centre, a huge turnout of Irish stars and celebrities is expected at what is regarded by some as Ireland’s answer to the Oscars.

Most of the cast of Love/Hate will be present. And Irish screen stars Saoirse Ronan and Chris O’Dowd are the biggest names attending — along with Gabriel Byrne and Brendan O’Carroll.

A-listers Colin Farrell, Pierce Brosnan and Michael Fassbender have sent their regrets, but those flying in to support the event include Victoria Smurfit, Fionnuala Flanagan and Amanda Byram.

The glamour stakes will be raised by local beauties Rosanna Davison, Caroline Morahan, Karen Koster, Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh, Lucy Kennedy and Kathryn Thomas. Fashionistas will be keeping an eye on the frocks on the red carpet, while the men only have to worry about turning out in black tie.

And guests at the 10th Ifta awards will feast on fine Irish beef and chicken before the main event kicks off, which is being hosted for the third successive year by actor Simon Delaney of Bachelor’s Walk fame.

Up to 450 people are working to make the event a massive success and it will be followed by an after-show party downstairs in the Convention Centre.

CEO Áine Moriarty said: “The adrenalin keeps the whole team going. That is part of the buzz. But we will crash and burn when it’s all over...then take a few days off to recover.”

Bookies have made the hit RTÉ crime show Love/Hate the odds-on favourite to sweep the boards. It has been nominated for 11 awards and Paddy Power has made it the 1/20 favourite to win the award for Best Drama.

They are also offering odds of 33/1 for the popular drama not receiving any gongs at all.

Meanwhile Ifta bosses are hoping that tonight’s show will attract a similar number of viewers to last year. In 2012, 1.143m viewers tuned in as The Guard, got the Best Film award and to veteran Irish actress Fionnuala Flanagan received a Lifetime Achievement award.

Star turns

- Independent movie, The Guard, starring Brendan Gleeson, was last year’s big winner, scooping the Best Film prize..

- The youngest ever IFTA recipient was 13-year-old Saoirse Ronan for her role in the film Atonement in 2008.

- It took over a month to make this year’s 42 bronze cast statuettes.

- Each statuette weighs in at 1.97 kg and was designed by Jarlath Daly and made in foundry-cast bronze.

- The awards ceremony will be screened at 9.35pm tonight on RTÉ One.

- Kathryn Thomas will be joined at the show by Kian Egan and Bressie, two of her co-stars on The Voice of Ireland.

Picture: Peter Coonan as Fran, Robbie Sheehan as Darren, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Nidge and Killian Scott as Tommy in RTÉ crime drama ‘Love/Hate’, nominated for 11 awards.