Longford’s links to the Oscars

The 95th Academy Awards ceremony will be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles on March 12, 2023.

This year there have been thirteen Irish nominations, including nine for the Banshees of Inisherin. This is the most ever received by the Irish in a single year.

Longford, alas as far as our research shows, has never won one of those coveted statuettes. But if, like our famous 1916 proclamation, we call on our exiled children in America Australia and elsewhere, Longford has acquitted itself very well.

The first of our Longford diaspora to triumph, was Patty Duke who was born in Elmhurst New York on December 14, 1946. Her paternal grand-parents were both born in Longford town, they were James Bartholomew Duke and Catherine Ann O’Hara.

At age 15, Patty portrayed Helen Keller in the film The Miracle Worker, a role she had originated on Broadway. In 1963 she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance; at that time, she was the youngest to achieve such an honour, she died in 2016.

Sean Astin, son of Patty Duke starred as a child actor in The Goonies and later as the Hobbit, Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1994 for the film Kangaroo Court.

Drama aplenty as The Carnival comes to Longford!

Mel Colmcille Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York, on January 3, 1956. He is the second son of Hutton Gibson, a writer, and Longford-born Anne Patricia Reilly. His mother was born in the parish of Colmcille, close to the hill of Molly. She visited the place of her birth a few years before her death in 1990.

In 1995, Gibson produced, directed, and starred in Braveheart, a historical epic, for which he won two Oscars, the Academy Award for Best Director, and the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Nicole Kidman’s Irish ancestry starts with Hugh Masterson who was born in Rincoolagh a townland in Granard parish in 1793, he was married to Elinor Briody, their daughter Bridget Masterson married James Gallagher (Callachor) a native of Cavan, they were Nicole’s fourth great grandparents.

Nicole was nominated for an Oscar on five occasions, she won one, for her portrayal of writer Virginia Woolf in the drama The Hours, in 2003.

Stunning Longford design chosen to compete at Dublin City Final of Junk Kouture

Melissa McCarthy’s great grandfather Thomas Carty was born in Currygrane, in Clonbroney civil parish, to John Carty and Maria Quinn in 1867, his son, Melissa’s paternal grandfather was Michael Joseph McCarthy, (born Michael Carty), in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, where his father had moved, after he married.

Of her family, Melissa said “Being Irish means being self-sufficient and doing whatever is needed. My dad’s friends in Chicago were all Irish and we grew up thinking of ourselves as Irish.

“His dad was a Carty, but the name got changed to McCarthy when he emigrated. I’m truly a Carty,” she said.

Melissa won best supporting actress for Bridesmaids in 2012 and best actress for Can You Ever Forgive me 2019.

One of those famous exiles, Will Ferrell, who has starred in several great comedy films has never been nominated for an award by the Academy, but I am sure his time will come.

Although I have found no links so far of a connection to Longford, the fact that he came here to search for his roots, that he proudly wore his Longford jersey on national TV, entitles him to a mention.

In his own words: “My dad researched that all the Farrells were from Longford so we went there a few years ago. Word got out I was in town and like 500 people showed up to this pub I was at and I ended up drinking at some Irish lawyer’s house at like two in the morning.”

In 2017 he again visited Ireland, and on the Late Late Show it was his attire that captured the nation's imagination - at least around the Longford direction anyway.

Down Memory Lane | Style aplenty as RTE presenter among special guests at 2012 Longford Mother and Daughter Lunch

The native of California was sporting the blue and gold of Longford GAA on the Friday night for his big appearance on RTE's primetime show. While being interviewed he showed the colours of the O'Farrell county, which he wore with pride.

Although Banshees are harbingers of tragedy and misfortune, let us hope that the ones from Inisherin bring great tidings on Sunday, March 12 next.

Good luck to all our Irish nominees.