Irish Animation Awards 2025
Date Posted: April 28, 2025
Nominees Announced for May 24th Celebration of Creativity and Innovation
Ireland’s globally renowned animation sector will gather together to celebrate creativity and innovation at the 2025 Irish Animation Awards in Galway on May 24th. The nominees for this year’s awards have been announced today by Animation Ireland, the representative trade body for animation studios across the island of Ireland.
More than 328 entries have been viewed and considered by the extensive Irish and international jury. A stellar 35 Irish productions across 23 categories are now in the running to scoop a highly prestigious award at the ceremony in May, which is supported by Primary Sponsor Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. Winners in each category will receive awards created by filmmaker, animator and illustrator Eimhin McNamara. The statue resembles a Phenakistoscope which was an early animation device used to create an illusion of motion.
Animation Ireland CEO Ronan McCabe said of this year’s Awards:“The Irish Animation Awards are a wonderful showcase for the industry on our shared island. The talent and creativity on display is hugely impressive and it’s a fantastic opportunity for us to come together as a community to celebrate our work and our people. A special mention to all the overseas guests who’ll be joining us on the night, the organising team and committee, and major thanks to all our sponsors, without whom none of this would be possible.”
Animation studios across Dublin, Kilkenny, Belfast, Galway, Roscommon, Louth and Cork feature in the nominations, along with many Irish and international independent creatives. With 12 jury nods, Kilkenny’s Cartoon Saloon are leading the Irish Animation Awards 2025 race, followed closely by Brown Bag Films in Dublin which has 10 nominations and Belfast’s Sixteen South which has 9 nominations.
The Best Feature Film or Special category sees Pinkalicious & Peterrific Special by Sixteen South in Belfast; The Magic Reindeer Saving Santa’s Sleigh by Moetion Films in Galway; Lu and the Bally Bunch from Brown Bag Films in Dublin; Hungry Bear Tales: To the Pole! by Treehouse Republic in Dublin and Puffin Rock and the New Friends by Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny all in close competition for the coveted gong.
In the new Award for Best Voice Acting, emerging Irish voice over artist nominees are strongly in the running, with nominations for Aisling Walsh for Doodle Girl by Roscommon’s Studio Meala; Freya McLaughlin for Lu and the Bally Bunch by Dublin’s Brown Bag Films and Bonnie O’Meara for Maddie + Triggs by Turnip + Duck in Dublin. American actor and voice over artist Vanessa Huzar is nominated for Wonder Pets in the City by Dublin’s Kavaleer Productions, while Australian voice over artist Zehra Jane Naqvi, British actor and voice over artist Beth Chalmers and English actor and voice over artist Bob Golding are all nominated for Coop Troop – The Animauville Horror, by Belfast’s Sixteen South.
The Irish Animation Awards are a biennial event, celebrating more than 2,500 highly skilled animation professionals who make and create across the island of Ireland, from Dublin to Galway, Belfast to Cork. Irish animated films and series are enjoyed by children and adults in 182 countries worldwide, with Irish animation studios and their workforces in huge demand internationally, valued for their creativity, craft, professionalism and commitment.
The Irish Animation Awards 2025 are made possible with the support of Primary Sponsor Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, and RTÉjr. With thanks to Coimisiún na Meán, Enterprise Ireland, Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, Corpay, Northern Ireland Screen, TG4, Aon, Brophy Gillespie, Creative Europe Ireland Media, ERA, Gorilla Post Production, Nickelodeon, Milkshake, Menagerie Media Group, National Talent Academy Animation, Toon Boom Animation and Tyrell.
The Irish Animation Awards 2025 will take place at The Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, Galway on May 24th. Special guests will be announced shortly. See www.irishanimationawards.ie for the full list of nominees.
