Dublin City Council to mark Barry Keoghan's BAFTA win next month

Sarah Slater

Dublin City Council is set to mark the achievement of Irish actor Barry Keoghan who won his first BAFTA last weekend for his best supporting actor role in The Banshees of Inisherin officially next month.

A motion is being put forward by two independent inner city councillors and former Lord Mayors of Dublin Christy Burke and Niall Ring who both live in the area Keoghan grew up in.

The Council’s Central Area Committee is to officially mark “his achievement of winning the Best Supporting Actor Award at the BAFTAs and the fact that this win will inspire young people of the inner city, to see someone like themselves succeed.

“People of the inner city are so proud of Barry, and the fact that he never forgot where he came from. We congratulate Barry and his family and request the Lord Mayor to acknowledge this great achievement.”

The 30-year-old father-of-one has vowed to "drop in" soon to his former school O’Connell Secondary School in the inner city of Dublin after staff and students praised the actor following his BAFTA win. His former teacher Conor Flood said the school and pupils took “great pride” in his win and work.

He tweeted: “This is beautiful thank you lads for getting on national TV and saying those lovely things. I will drop in as soon as I am back to have a big haul chat Mr Flood, and I’ll drop over to the primary (school) too.”

Cllr Burke who lives in the Summerhill/Ballybough area said the young actor has “never forgotten where he comes from and has always been a massive support to the area.”

Cllr Burke continued: “The entire community and I’m sure his family are so proud of what he has achieved. For an inner city guy to achieve these heights is fantastic.”

Keoghan thanked his co-stars and Ireland in his acceptance speech, and dedicated the award to children from his hometown of Summerhill/Ballybough in Dublin.

In his speech dedicated his BAFTA to his son Brando, his mother and added: “For the kids that are dreaming to be something from the area that I came from. This is for yous.”

He also spoke in a press conference following the awards he spoke about wanting to be someone who shows children they can follow their dreams.

Tipperary’s Kerry Condon also became a first-time BAFTA winner in the best supporting actress role in the film.