TV3 soap ‘Red Rock’ leads Ifta nominations

A shortlist of nominees in 23 strongly contested television categories for the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards has been unveiled.

Out in front with eight nominations is TV3’s police drama, Red Rock, with Sean Mahon, who plays Brian McGonigle in the hit series, nominated for best male performance.

Sean, who played a corrupt copper, was recently killed off in the series that has grown into a serious police drama. Both Andrea Irvine, who plays Garda Sergeant Angela Tyrell, and Jane McGrath, in the role of Garda Sharon Cleere in the soap, are nominated for best female performance.

Meanwhile, in the award for directing for soap or comedy, Red Rock directors Diarmuid Goggins and Lisa Mulch are both nominated, while Paul Walker is nominated for best writer.

...and finally we've been nominated for best Irish soap!
WHOOP!
8 #IFTA NOMINATIONS! pic.twitter.com/uTHanvLY73

— Red Rock (@RedRockTV3) September 14, 2016

It has also been nominated for the best soap/continuing drama alongside RTÉ’s Fair City and TG4’s Ros na Rún, which is also in the running for the best Irish language award.

Fair City received a total of three nominations: Karl Shiels, who plays wheeler-dealer Robbie T, is in the running for best male performance, while Aisling O’Neill, who plays Carol, his wife, is nominated for best female performance.

RTÉ comedy Bridget and Eamon, is nominated for best comedy, female performance (Jennifer Zamparelli), with Zamparelli, Jason Butler and Bernard O’Shea named for the best soap/comedy writers. Butler is also among the nominees for the title of best soap/comedy director.

Sharon Horgan, who stars in and co-wrote Catastrophe, a British sitcom first broadcast on Channel 4 in January last year, is nominated for best soap/comedy writer.

The English-born Irish actress, writer, director, and producer, is also known for the comedy series, Pulling.

Her brother Shane is a former Leinster and international rugby player and rugby analyst for RTÉ Sports.

Mrs Brown’s Boys, meanwhile, receives three nominations with comedian and actor Brendan O’Carroll, nominated for best male performance and best soap/comedy writer.

With the awards being announced in Dublin’s Double Tree Hotel on Friday, October 7, the academy’s chief executive Áine Moriarty said they were proud to showcase the great Irish-made talent and acknowledge the hard work, creativity, and spirit of the people producing hundreds of hours of great television every year.