Irish miss out on gongs but still party wit h best

THERE was no victory for the Irish at the 89th Academy Awards in Hollywood.

But the Irish contingent seemed to make the most of the night.

Ruth Negga missed out on Best Actress, which went to Emma Stone for ‘La La Land’.

Designer Consolata Boyle missed out on the Best Costume Design with the award going to ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’.

Irish film company Element Pictures also failed to pick up the Best Original Screenplay award for ‘The Lobster’.

Negga and her longterm actor boyfriend Dominic Cooper both attended the ‘Vanity Fair’ after-party at the Wallis Annenberg Centre in Beverly Hills after the red carpet ceremony.

The actress swapped her red Valentino dress for a less formal ensemble for the A-list party. She opted for a calf-length Oscar de la Renta dress and silver court shoes, accessorising her outfit (right) with emerald and diamond earrings in a nod to her Irish heritage.

The ‘Loving’ star was all smiles later in the night, despite her Oscar disappointment, as she was pictured with her arm around her boyfriend at the star-studded party.

The actress received plaudits for donning a blue ACLU ribbon – as did her other half Dominic. A campaign spearheaded by the American Civic Liberties Union (ACLU), it works to protect civil liberties and called on Oscar nominees to wear the ribbon and show public support.

It has special resonance for Negga, with ACLU representing the woman she portrayed, Mildred Loving, and her husband Richard, during their 1967 Supreme Court case.