February 2025
Irish-Australian Arts News
Welcome to our February Roundup
Fáilte (welcome) to the February edition of our Irish Australian Arts Newsletter.
In this edition we lament the failure of KNEECAP to get shortlisted for an Oscar and look forward to the new Irish thriller starring Barry Keoghan.
March is looking like a bumper live music month with the huge MISNEACH festival in Sydney featuring Dermot Kennedy and Glen Hansard and the Frames. Kneecap’s gig at UNSW Roundhouse is sold out but they are also appearing at Misneach on March 16th at Sydney’s Domain. Also sold out is Limerick’s favourite son, Blindboy Boatclub at the Enmore, Sydney on April 2nd. Now we’re sucking diesel!
February 1st is not only the first day of Spring in Ireland but it’s also the feast day of St Brigid (or Bad Brigid as she is sometimes known!) the Celtic goddess of fertility. Of course Brigid was from Louth like myself!
In honour of Brigid here are a few lines from Antoine Ó Raifteirí (the Wandering Blind Poet) penned around the year 1800. We dedicate this to the poor souls in Ireland recovering from Storm Éowyn – one of the worst storms on record in Ireland. Spring will soon be with you!
Anois teacht an earraigh / Now with the coming of spring
Beidh an lá ag dul chun síneadh / the days will be getting longer
‘S tar éis na Féile Bríde / and after the feast of Bridget
Ardóidh mé mo sheol / I will raise my sail
Ó chuir mé i mo cheann é / Since I got it into my head
Ní chónóidh mé choíche / I will not settle
Go seasfaidh mé síos / Until I stand down
I lár Chontae Mhaigh Eo / In the middle of County Mayo
Irish Awards Update
The 2025 Golden Globe Awards were held on the 6th of January, and the smaller number of Irish nominations limited the number of wins but Irish Actor Colin Farrell beat out Andrew Scott to win his 3rd Golden Globes, this time Best Actor for DC’s The Penguin Limited Series.
See the full list of winners here.
The SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards nominations came out in January and there were a few Irish nominees. Colin Farrell (The Penguin) and Andrew Scott (Ripley) have received best actor nominations for both SAG and Critics Choice, and their respective shows and co-stars have received nominations. Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) has received a Best Actress SAG nomination, Graham Norton has received a Best Talk Show Critics Choice nomination, and Kneecap has received a Best Foreign Language Film Critics Choice nomination.
The Oscar nominations were also announced in January and despite making the shortlist, Kneecap didn’t get a nomination and no Irish stars made the cut either. The Irish production company Tailored Films co-produced the Screen Ireland supported film The Apprentice, which received a couple of acting nominations and Conclave editor Nick Emerson also received a nomination.
You can read the Irish Times coverage here and you can read RTE’s positive take on Kneecap‘s snub here.
St Brigid’s Day Pagan Celebrations!
Saturday 1 February, 5.00pm
Brigid the Rebel Healer – Crossmaking
cross making workshop followed by ceremonial tribute – all materials provided
Waverly Cemetery, shelter beside the Circular Mound
https://isa.supporterhub.net.au/events/brigid2025crossmaking
Saturday 1 February. 7.00 pm
Doireann Nic Mhathúna and friends St Brigid’s Day concert
Doireann, an award-winning concertina & flute player, singer, dancer, and Irish language speaker joins the Gaelic Club to celebrate St Brigid’s Day
special guests include the multi-talented singer and flautist Caitlín Ní Mhéalóid, guitarist and singer-songwriter Dominic Breen, along with Doireann’s sister Eithne Nic Mhathúna, a professional musician and singer in her own right, all the way from Ireland
The Gaelic Club, 64 Devonshire St Surry Hills
Tickets: $30, kids free
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/doireann-nic-mhathuna-and-friends-st-brigids-day-concert-tickets
Sunday 2 February, 4.30pm
Brigid the Rebel Healer – An Evening with the Prankqueans
music, poetry, drama
Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe
https://gleebooks.com.au/event/the-prankqueans-brigid-the-rebel-healer/
IFTA Award Nominations
The IFTA have announced the award nominees for the 2025 ceremony, and have also announced the recipient of the IFTA Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has announced that iconic Irish actor Colm Meaney will be honoured with the Irish Academy Award for his Lifetime Achievement, and for his outstanding contribution to the Irish and international screen industry. His career, spanning five decades, has seen him work with renowned filmmakers including John Huston, Robert Redford, and Ron Howard; and alongside actors such as Al Pacino, Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Bruce Willis, Brian Cox, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Stewart and Michael Gambon, to name a few.
The other notable announcement are the Rising Star nominees:
Anthony Boyle (Actor – “Say Nothing,” “Masters of the Air,” “House of Guinness,” “Manhunt”)
Aislinn Clarke (Writer/Director – “Fréwaka,” “The Devil’s Doorway,” “Eye Exam”)
Clinton Liberty (Actor – “House of the Dragon,” “Holding,” “Red Election,” “Normal People”)
Alisha Weir (Actor – “Abigail,” “Wicked Little Letters,” “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical”)
Drag Bingo at the Gaelic and yet more arty gossip!
- Bring Them Down
Irish star Barry Keoghan’s new film is a thriller Bring Them Down about an Irish shepherding family that faces conflicts on multiple levels. They deal with internal discord, family tensions and a rival farmer while grappling with cultural and generational issues.
The full trailer has been released and the film enters cinemas in Ireland on the 7th of February.
Bring Them Down full trailer drops ahead of 7th Feb release | The Irish Film & Television Network
- Drag Bingo Extravaganza on Sunday 2 February, 1.00pm
Join Sydney Outfielders for the most fabulous Sunday afternoon in town! They’re rolling out the glittery carpet for the “Drag Bingo Extravaganza” at the legendary Gaelic Club, and it’s all for a fantastic cause—supporting their Sydney Mardi Gras 2025 parade entry!
Hosted by the sensational drag king Beau Gerk, bringing charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent to every bingo call!
The Gaelic Club
sydneyoutfielders.org.au/event-details/drag-bingo-extravaganza-at-the-gaelic-club
- New historical series to examine Éamon de Valera’s years of imprisonment
De Valera san Fhásach (De Valera in the Desert) is a new historical documentary series that presents the vital story of de Valera’s Wilderness years from 1924 to 1926 when he was imprisoned, in poor mental health and stripped of his political power.
breakingnews.ie/entertainment/new-historical-series-to-examine-eamon-de-valeras-years-of-imprisonment-1715807.html
- James Nesbitt lands role in Netflix’s adaptation of Run Away by Harlan Coben
Coben’s next project, upcoming limited series Run Away, entered production in January. James Nesbitt will lead Run Away as Simon, a man whose perfect life starts to crumble after his daughter Paige (Ellie de Lange), well, runs away.
Netflix’s last Coben adaptation Fool Me Once was the most streamed original TV series in 2024.
netflix.com/tudum/articles/run-away-harlan-coben-plot-cast-release-date-news
- Dermot Kennedy festival in Sydney
Multi-platinum Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy announces MISNEACH (‘Courage’ in Gaelic), a new global music festival celebrating Ireland’s rich music heritage, coming to Sydney this St Patrick’s Day! Dermot will be joined by The Frames (only Australian show), Matt Corby, Kneecap, Meg Mac, Amble, Sorcha Richardson, The Scratch, Susan O’Neill, FYNCH and Cliffords.
frontiertouring.com/current-tours/dermot-kennedy-misneach-2025/dermot-kennedy-2025-16-mar-syd
- New edition of Tinteán
Melbourne based Irish Online Magazine Tinteán dropped a new edition on the 10th of January and all the articles are now available to read on their website.
tintean.org.au/
Click on the link above to check out our events diary for February 2025 onwards which includes some exciting news on Irish music national tours and other riveting stuff.
Add your event to our Monthly Newsletter
We have had some enquiries from Irish organisations about publicising their events in our newsletter. If you have an event coming up then get the info to us by the 21st of January and we will do our best to include it in our newsletter. It helps if you can provide the text ‘ready to go’ and remember – a picture tells 1000 words so send some pics too!
Slán agus beannacht
Natalie O’Neill & Enda Murray (director)
Irish Film Festival
