BARRY Keoghan has been hailed an “inspiration” after winning his first BAFTA on Sunday night - as the star described his win as a "daydream”.
The Dubliner won Best Supporting actor for his role in The Banshees of Inisherin - and he thanked the Dubliner inner city community who raised him.
He told the audience: “For the kids that are dreaming to be something from the area I come from."
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The Summerhill native dedicated his first BAFTA to his son Brando, who he welcomed with his girlfriend Alyson Sandro last August, and the children from his hometown in Dublin.
Speaking in the winner’s room after the awards ceremony, the 30-year-old said he planned to go home and celebrate his big win with his son.
“I’m going to go home now and cuddle my son,” he gushed. “I love the bones of him.”
Barry also revealed he plans to keep his BAFTA award under a picture of his late mother, who sadly passed away when he was just 12-years-old.
Reflecting on what his win means for Ireland, the actor continued: “We’re an Island of great storytelling with amazing actors, and winning something like this helps the industry back home massively.”
“I think overall the Irish have 14 nominations at the Oscars – that’s crazy.”
“And I’m wearing red tonight. I should have worn green,” he joked.Barry wrote on Instagram afterwards: "What a few days... Daydreaming."
On Monday, pupils from O'Connell Secondary School on Richmond Street North in Dublin hailed Keoghan as “inspirational”.
Conor Flood, who taught Keoghan at O'Connell Secondary School on Richmond Street North, said: "You could see from an early stage he was going to be something that he wanted to be.
"As a student, the first thing that you think about is the fact that he had an enormous smile on his face. A very, very positive kid and he's a very positive adult."
Mr Flood has watched his former pupil's trajectory from the school plays to major awards.
"There's lots of kids that you teach that have that same energy and same positivity, but not all of them would have that sort of direction. And from day one, Barry would have been had that sort of focus on what it was that he wanted to do."
Flood told RTE’s News At One that Keoghan and his family are part of the fabric of the local community, and it’s important for local teenagers to see someone like themselves succeed.
Darragh Flynn Kenny, a pupil at O’Connell Secondary, said it’s an inspiration. "He’s just a normal young fella from around the area, and just to be able to say he comes from the same place as me, he did the same things as me growing up, and he is where he is. Even if it’s acting or football, or whatever, it’s like it gives you that bit of drive to push on say, he did it so it’s achievable."
Kelvin Williams is also a pupil at O’Connell.
He said: "People just kind of look at areas like this and don’t really give it much thought. He went out from here, it gives us a bit of pride and maybe we can be exactly like him or even better."
O’Connell pupil James Johnson says Keoghan’s success has changed how he thinks about his own future, saying: "I feel like I can get ahead to anywhere I want to go. I can be successful and I can follow my dreams."
Tadgh O’Driscoll, also a pupil, describes Keoghan as "absolutely amazing".
"He’s an inspiration to everyone in the school and an inspiration to everyone around the north inner city. He’s come from such a hard, tough background and really made something of himself. It just goes to show anyone from any area, it doesn't matter what colour, race, anything you are. You can do what you want if you really believe in it."
Meanwhile, bookies Boylesports has made the Dubliner 6/1 from 10/1 to win the Best Supporting Actor title at the Academy Awards on March 12 after his BAFTA win.
Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan remains the strong favourite to win the famous gold statue next month with his odds at a red-hot 1/10 but Irish support means Barry Keoghan is the dark horse.
Support has also been arriving for his co-star Brendan Gleeson in the same category with his chances trimmed into 10/1 from 12/1 since the betting was made available.
Sarah Kinsella, spokesperson for BoyleSports said: “Punters are starting to get behind their favourite Irish actors with Barry Keoghan on the move in the betting to win an Oscar next month. He won a BAFTA for his role in The Banshees Of Inisherin and although there is a red-hot favourite to beat in his category, the luck of the Irish might just see him defy the odds.”
Elsewhere, in Tipperary, a former school teacher of Kerry Condon has described the BAFTA winner as a “hard working” and “unassuming” star.
Condon said winning the Best Supporting Actress award was "really surreal".
Speaking in the BAFTA winners' room, the 40, year-old said: "Oh my God, the whole thing was just this blackout weird moment.
"All I remember is looking and seeing all the boys looking at me like, 'get up’. It was just it was really surreal."
Mary Butler, former principal of Ursuline Secondary School in Thurles, Co Tipperary, directed Condon in school plays when she was a teenager.
Mary paid a glowing tribute to Kerry after she nabbed the Best Supporting award for her role in The Banshees of Inisherin.
Mary told us: “She is a super girl. I directed her in shows. The child has that to thank for herself. She was a great girl but she was very hard working. She was full of initiative. Like she applied for Angela’s Ashes during the summer and she came back in sixth or fifth year and said ‘Ive got the part in Angela’s Ashes’.
“You know, very unassuming. She’s a great girl. Real hard worker and she was full of talent as well.
“I’d always be very slow in pushing them because I know it is such a precarious career. You know that they’re very good. Like we had Jessie (Buckley) as well. So in that sense, you would always be very careful of that.
“We’d Amy O’Dwyer as well. She was in Fair City for a while. It’s a tough road and you’d be stupid not to tell them it’s not.
“It takes great character, great talent and great work ethic.”
Massive celebrations took place in London at the BAFTAS after party among the Irish.
Paul Mescal walked the red carpet with his father Paul and mother Dearbhla, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for a type of bone marrow cancer.
The Kildare native missed out on the Best Actor Award for his role in Aftersun – but that didn’t stop the star from enjoying his night at the BAFTA afterparty.He even impressed on the red carpet as he spoke as Gaeilge to TG4.
After a quick outfit change, the Normal People actor showed off his muscles wearing a cream double-breasted waistcoat to the Chiltern Firehouse event.
He attended the afterparty with his sister Nell as well as his parents.Meanwhile, Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and An Cailin Ciuin director Colm Bairead missed out on BAFTA wins but all eyes will be on them for a win at the Oscars next month on March 12.
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