'Kings', 'The Tudors' and 'Garage' clean up at the IFTAs

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, star of the Tudors and recent Hot Press interviewee was named Best Actor and the series also picked up awards for Best Costume (Joan Bergin), Best Hair & Make-Up (Jennifer Hegarty, Dee Corcoran) and Best Production Design (Tom Conroy). Rhys-Meyers' co-stars Maria Doyle Kennedy and Nick Dunning won the Best Supporting Actress and Actor in Television awards respectively.

It was also a great night for Lenny Abrahamson, whose critically-acclaimed Garage was named Best Film and its star, comedian Pat Shortt, Best Actor in Film. Abrahamson himself also collected the gong for Best Director in Film. The film's writer, Mark O'Halloran, won the Best Script for Film award.

A special Irish Language award was presented to Kings (pictured), which chronicles the fate of Irish emigrants to England. Brendan Conroy picked up the Best Supporting Actor in Film award for his performance and the film was also honoured in the Best Editing (Dermot Diskin), Best Sound (Ken Galvin, Ronan Hill, Dominic Weaver) and Best Original Score (Pol Brennan) categories.

Oscar-nominated Carlow teenager Saoirse Ronan was named Best Supporting Actress in Film and was also named as the Irish Film Board's 'Rising Star'.

International Best Actor and Actress awards went to Daniel Day-Lewis and Hilary Swank respectively, for their performances in There Will Be Blood and PS I Love You. East German espionage thriller The Lives Of Others was named Best Film, while Mel Gibson was there in person to collect a special award for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema.

Irish television awards were given to The Running Mate for Best Single Drama/Serial and The Podge And Rodge Show for Best Entertainment. RTE travel presenter Kathryn Thomas was named Television Personality of the Year.