Actor Lola Petticrew’s controversial Ifta speech didn’t give the full picture of the political landscape in BallymurphyLola Petticrew’s Best Lead Actress in a Drama win at the Iftas was deserved. But, when the actor dedicated the award to “the kids of west Belfast” and declared that one in three lived in poverty because of “the legacy of war” and “Britain’s hand in Ireland”, it was hard not to look for a sick bucket at the sight of the audience applauding.

Source: Irish Independent February 28, 2026 19:00 UTC