Irish Examiner view: Golden opportunity for Irish stars at the Academy Awards

Jessie Buckley and Ciarán Hinds are in the running for acting awards while Kenneth Branagh is tipped for best director and best original screenplay

Jessie Buckley is one of the leading Irish talents nominated for Oscars at tomorrow's Academy Awards. Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage

There’s a good representation of Irish talent in tomorrow night’s Oscar stakes at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles with Belfast representing a high value — although like the film, hugely sentimental — punt at 14/1. 

Kenneth Branagh comes in at 12s for best director and his story is priced at 6/4 for best original screenplay. 

Ciarán Hinds is 25/1 for best supporting actor while Killarney’s Jessie Buckley is a 33-1 shot for her brilliant performance as the conflicted mother in the adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s The Lost Daughter. If she doesn’t scoop this one, then watch out for next month’s Olivier Awards where she is nominated for her stunning rendition of Sally Bowles in Cabaret.