Mayo village rooting for An Cailín Ciúin at the Oscars

EXCITEMENT is building in Lahardane ahead of the Oscars and BAFTA awards ceremonies.

The writer/director of the film An Cailín Ciúin, which is nominated for a BAFTA on February 19 and is also in the running for an Oscar on March 13, has strong links with the area.

Colm Bairéad's grandfather, Billy Barrett, hailed from Lahardane. Billy was a brother of James Barret of Barrett's of Lahardane.

Director Colm is well known in the area having spent three summers working in Barrett’s pub for William and Mags in the late '90s and he still has some great friends in the area.

The local community Facebook page, Lahardane/Bofeenaun Community Notes, who highlighted the connections, said the whole community and country is rooting for An Cailín Ciúin/The Quiet Girl.

An Cailín Ciúin has been nominated in the International Feature Film category of the Oscars. It has created history as the first Irish-language feature film to be nominated in this category.