The Awards

Best Actor

Best Actor

Conleth Hill for the Lyric production of Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones

Also nominated:

Clive Geraghty for the National Theatre production of Living Quarters by Brian Friel at the Peacock

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Shane Hagan for the Bedrock production of Night Just Before the Forest by Bernard-Marie Koltes

Simon O'Gorman for the Storytellers production of The Mayor of Casterbridge by Mary Elizabeth Burke-Kennedy from the novel by Thomas Hardy

Best Actress

Karen Ardiff for the National Theatre production of Love in the Title by Hugh Leonard at the Abbey

Also nominated:

Sorcha Cusack for the National Theatre production of The Freedom of the City by Brian Friel at the Abbey

Olwen Fouere for the Operating Theatre production of Angel/Babel conceived by Olwen Fouere and Roger Doyle

Gina Moxley for the Meridian production of The Mistress of Silence based on Jacqueline Harpman's haunting tale

Best Supporting Actor

David Wilmot for the Druid production of As You Like It by William Shakespeare

Also nominated:

Ned Dennehy for the Lyric production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Sean Kearns for the Kabosh version of William Shakespeare's R&J

Frank McCusker for the Gate production of Aristocrats by Brian Friel

Best Supporting Actress

Barbara Bergin for the Calypso production of Cell by Paula Meehan

Also nominated:

Gail Fitzpatrick for the Celtic Mouse production of Sixteen Words for Water by Billy Marshall-Stone King

Berna Gordon for the Riverrun production of I Never Sang for my Father by Robert Andersen

Catherine Mack for the National Theatre production of Making History by Brian Friel at the Peacock

Best Director

John Breen for the Yew Tree/Island Theatre Company co-production of his own play, Alone it Stands

Also nominated:

Jimmy Fay for the Bedrock production of Night just before the Forest by Bernard-Marie Koltes and the Bickerstaffe production of Comedians by Trevor Griffiths

Ian McElhinney for the Lyric production of Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones

Alan Stanford for the Storytellers production of The Mayor of Casterbridge by Mary Elizabeth Burke-Kennedy from the novel by Thomas Hardy

Best New Play

Mark O'Rowe for Howie the Rookie produced by the Bush Theatre at the Civic Theatre in Tallaght

Also nominated:

Mike Finn for Pigtown produced by Island Theatre Company

Paula Meehan for Cell produced by Calypso Theatre Company

John Breen for Alone It Stands produced by Yew Tree Theatre Company and Island Theatre Company

Best Production

The Lyric production of Stones in his Pockets by Marie Jones

Also nominated:

Lyric production of Carthaginians by Frank McGuinness

The Island production of Pigtown by Mike Finn

The Calipo Theatre Company multi-media production of Xaviers

Best Set Design

Dolores Lyne for the Island production of Pigtown by Mike Finn

Also nominated:

Andrei Both for the Lyric production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Monica Frawley for the National Theatre production of The Tempest by William Shakespeare at the Abbey

Bruno Schwengl for the Gate production of A Christmas Carol and the Storytellers Production of The Mayor of Casterbridge

Best Costume Design

Leonore McDonagh for the Storytellers production of The Mayor of Casterbridge

Also nominated:

Genevieve Blanchett for the Druid production of As You Like It by William Shakespeare

Maureen Finn for the Upstate Theatre production of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Synan O'Mahony for The Machine production of Mysteries 2000

Best Lighting Design

Paul Keogan for the Bedrock production of Quay West by Bernard-Marie Koltes

Also nominated:

Lucy Carter for the Meridian production of The Mistress of Silence based on Jacqueline Harpman's tale

Michael Cummins for the Blue Raincoat production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in a new adaptation by Jocelyn Clarke

John Riddell for the Lyric production of Carthaginians by Frank McGuinness

Best Theatre Company

The Lyric Theatre

Also nominated:

The Abbey and Peacock

Calipo Theatre Company

Island Theatre Company

Special Tribute Award

Patrick Mason, for his outstanding contribution to Irish theatre, in particular during his tenure as Artistic Director of the National Theatre over the past 10 years

Judges' Special Award

Red Kettle Theatre Company, Waterford, for highly creative work with large-scale children's productions by Little Red Kettle

Also nominated:

Bewleys Cafe Theatre Company for reviving, very effectively, lunchtime theatre in Dublin

The Crypt Theatre for the development of a strong and varied programme of consistently high quality productions

Irish Theatre Magazine for providing regular penetrating insights into, and serious debate of, issues central to modern Irish theatre

Jack Fell Down by Michael West and TEAM Educational Theatre Company, for a high-quality project which facilitated sensitive discussion, among teachers, parents and children, of delicate issues surrounding death and tragic loss

Site (Fir Clis/Galway Arts Festival) for bringing a new, imaginative dimension to open-air theatre