Gabriel Byrne was honored with the Irish Film and Television Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to him by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, on February 15.
This was such a special occasion for him! Everyone was happy and supportive and the response on Twitter and in the press was overwhelmingly positive, as we would expect.
Below you will find Gabriel on the red carpet and at the podium, accepting his award. Tweeted responses to this gala evening for Gabriel have been compiled and there are screenshots of his acceptance speech. The speech itself, transcribed for easy translating, is at the end.
Enjoy Gabriel’s evening the spotlight! He is always in the spotlight for us, but on this night, he belonged to his countrymen and women and the rest of the world who tuned in! heart
On the Red Carpet
We know that the red carpet is not Mr. Byrne’s favorite place to be. But this night was special and Gabriel used the opportunity, as is his way, to speak out about the things that matter to him.
Gabriel Byrne used his red carpet moment at the #IFTAS to talk about being pro-choice, on the night he was given the lifetime achievement award by @PresidentIRL Michael D Higgins. #Repealthe8th @LdnIrishARC clip:@goss_ie pic.twitter.com/0iu5KXmPes
— eef (@eefhah) February 16, 2018
The incredible #GabrielByrne tells us how “meaningful” it is to get the Lifetime Achievement Award at #IFTA18 saying “It’s about the life that I’ve led.” pic.twitter.com/lnD70YUwqn
— Entertainment on RTÉ (@RTE_Ents) February 15, 2018
Actor Gabriel Byrne was one of the first signatories to the @artistsrepeal8 statement. He gives his strong views on #repealthe8th at the #IFTA18 last night. https://t.co/pZdjMlOTfh @goss_ie pic.twitter.com/lriwuEgrGa
— ArtistsRepeal8 (@artistsrepeal8) February 16, 2018
Gabriel Byrne > Liam Neeson https://t.co/cEZreO08ea
— Angela Coraccio (@slickfixation) February 16, 2018
Gabriel Byrne had some interesting answers when I briefly got to ask him about the Irish film industry (he didn’t say what I expected him to) https://t.co/gk5lgg8RAd
— Aoife Barry (@sweetoblivion26) February 16, 2018
Even more reason to have deep love for Gabriel Byrne https://t.co/WtJgXahQDK
— Polly Barklem (@PollyBarklem) February 16, 2018
Watch
The IFTA Awards Highlights Show is a condensed version of the evening. Gabriel’s acceptance speech is a shortened version of the original, but it is all we have now, so enjoy!
Waiting to receive awards is nerve-wracking…
Click this image to see Gabriel’s acceptance speech via the RTÉ Player
The introduction by President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and tributes from friends and colleagues, including Richard E. Grant, Emily Watson, and Brendan Gleeson, as well as film clips, start at the 40:00 minute marker.
Gabriel’s acceptance speech begins at @ 44:20. The video will be available until March 19, so be sure to watch before then! The transcription of Gabriel’s speech is at the end of this posting.
Standing ovation and much phone action!
Acting is easier than speechifying…
Gabriel Byrne holding the IFTA for the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to him by President Michael D Higgins at the Irish Film and Television Awards 2018 at the Mansion House in Dublin. @IFTA #IFTA18 #IFTA2018
@OldDublinTown @OldeEire @PhotosOfDublin @ShopsofDublin pic.twitter.com/SUaO74FyUb— Karl Ffrench (@KarlFfrench) February 18, 2018
Lifetime achievement award winner Gabriel Byrne and the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins and wife Sabine. #IFTA18 pic.twitter.com/fjCPCuOFm7
— Scannain (@Scannain_com) February 15, 2018
Enormous #congratulations to our incredible patron #GabrielByrne for his Lifetime Achievement at @IFTA awards #IFTAs #IFTA18 pic.twitter.com/5yxOhde41e
— Hospice Foundation (@IrishHospice) February 19, 2018
Gabriel Byrne yesterday at the @IFTA Film and Drama Awards #GabrielByrne #ifta18 #LateLate pic.twitter.com/wobA75uEjF
— doreen kennedy (@doreenk) February 16, 2018
Gabriel Byrne is honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at the IFTAs, President Michael D. Higgins always gives powerful speech😍😍
Pic is me and Gabriel and the Minister for Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan, pic.twitter.com/VvHYwkwuET— Ifrah Foundation (@IfrahFoundation) February 16, 2018
Congratulations to Gabriel Byrne who was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award last night at the IFTA’S in Dublin. @RTElyricfm @rte @martylyricfm @IFTA pic.twitter.com/dhdbcWn07y
— Marty Whelan (@martylyricfm) February 16, 2018
Sometimes the good guys win. The greatest actor of his generation my friend Gabriel Byrne. https://t.co/gekFiIVSwT
— Michael Des Barres (@MDesbarres) February 20, 2018
General Gushing
Swoon I’m so happy to hear this. Go Gabriel Byrne 😍😍😍 https://t.co/UYPaWlShU3
— Polly Doyle (@Peeleens) February 16, 2018
LOTS OF LOVE TO GABRIEL BYRNE https://t.co/0aDqBKDS7O
— Susanna Pellis (@SusannaPellis) February 15, 2018
Would love to be in Michael D’s shoes @presidentirl in the company of one of the nation’s best. Well done #GabrielByrne – Gorgeous #ifta18 https://t.co/artvaKDPra
— Melissa Hurley (@Scubablue15) February 16, 2018
Transcription of Gabriel’s acceptance speech
[Much applause and whistling as Gabriel approaches the stage to accept the award from President Higgins]
Thank you for that.
You know, this award is meaningful to me.
And when you look back on one’s –your–life and the decisions that you’ve taken, sometimes with great premeditation, sometimes on instinct, and you get to a place where you look back and you see the reverberations of those decisions: the decision to leave Dublin was a huge one for me. It was just that I had to prove something to myself, I suppose.
But there was a time when work and life were inextricably bound up together for me, and I had to admit that, to a certain extent, my work was my identity. And I came to learn that life and work are two very different things. And imperceptibly, they started to diverge. When we consider the kind of lives that we’ve led, you look back at the successes, the failures, the doubts, the insecurities, the fears, the regrets, and the great gratitude that you have to have been given all those things, including the failures–I’ve always maintained that you learn more from failure than you do from any kind of success.
Thank you to all those brilliant actors in the room, those young actors that are coming up now. God, it’s so moving to see it because I remember talking to Liam Neeson about this. We were the only two in America, they didn’t know where we came from!
I’d also like to thank, on a personal level, my darling, beautiful wife, Hannah Beth.
Thank you.
What a night! Gabriel was in a reflective mood, as one might be when faced with a lifetime achievement award. But there was joy, too. Not a man to rest on his laurels, reports of a new film project began circulating even as he was standing on the stage holding his IFTA Award. And we can’t wait! Congratulations once again to our favorite Irishman! heart
Congratulations from Germany, too!!!
Elf
Wonderful night! So many warm words from Gabriel’s colleagues and his audience. I’m so glad and very proud for him on receiving The Award. Wishing Gabriel Byrne all good things in life and many new projects ❤
What a beautiful gift to herald the young up and comers and remind them (and us) to separate identity and work and to embrace Insecurities, regrets and failures as something to learn from….Always the teacher Gabriel but never preachy. Beautiful and humble acceptance speech.
Angelle
EACH DAY MY ADMIRATION FOR THAT GREAT MAN GROWS, THROUGH ALL HIS DIFFERENT WORKS, CINEMA, THEATRE, CULTURE, AND ALL THAT HE DOES FOR HIS COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD, REALLY HE IS AN EXAMPLE FOR PEOPLE, ACTOR AND PHILANTHROPIC, AND A PRIDE FOR IRELAND. THANKS STELLA FOR THIS SPECIAL MOMENT, AND IN THE WOMAN’S WEEK, ALL MY FEELING FOR YOU AND MY FELLOWS IN THIS PAGE, GOOD LIFE FOR ALL YOU …