Irish Animation Awards 2025: Nominees Announced
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 Saturday 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 (Kilkenny) & Dog Ears (Derry) 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 Saturday May 25th. Special guests will be announced shortly. See www.irishanimationawards.ie for the full list of nominees.
Irish Animation Awards 2025 - Full List of Categories and Nominees
Best Animated Preschool Series (up to 6 years old)
Maddie + Triggs; Turnip + Duck
Silly Sundays; Cartoon Saloon
Nikhil and Jay; Paper Owl Films
ODO; Sixteen South
Doodle Girl; Studio Meala
Best Animated Kids Series (over 6 years old)
Fairly Odd Parents: A New Wish!; Giant Animation
Kizazi Moto Generation Fire; Triggerfish Animation
The Imagination Machine - Series 2; Firebrand Productions
Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese; Kavaleer Productions
Cozmo & Friends; Treehouse Republic
Best Animated Short Film - IRELAND
Retirement Plan; John Kelly
A Wind and the Shadow; Out of Orbit & Enter Yes
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 Screecher’s Reach; Cartoon Saloon
Eldritch Karaoke; Joe Loftus
Introducing Bovina Creamcracker Buttermilk; Studio 9
Best International Animated Short Film
A Night at the Rest Area; Saki Muramoto
Voicemail; Iona Menzies
Wind Goes On; Eric Lee
Lifted; Daniel Robichaud
The Old Man and the Robot; Callum Scott-Dyson
Best SCRIPT for an Animated Series
Kizazi Moto Generation Fire: Hatima; Triggerfish Animation
Maddie + Triggs: Bubbles; Turnip + Duck
Nikhil and Jay: Messiest Mango; Paper Owl Films
ODO: The Visitor; Sixteen South
Wonder Pets In The City: Save the Runaway Egg!; Kavaleer Productions
Best SCRIPT for a FEATURE FILM OR SPECIAL
Puffin Rock and the New Friends; Cartoon Saloon & Dog Ears
Lu and the Bally Bunch; Brown Bag Films
The Magic Reindeer Saving Santa’s Sleigh; Moetion Films
Best Design and Art Direction
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 Screecher’s Reach; Cartoon Saloon
Puffin Rock and the New Friends; Cartoon Saloon & Dog Ears
Eva The Owlet; Brown Bag Films
Silly Sundays; Cartoon Saloon
Golden Ties; Michelle Bardon
Best Direction of an Animated TV Series
Dee & Friends in Oz; Brown Bag Films
Flix; Pictor Films
Kizazi Moto Generation Fire; Triggerfish Animation
Nikhil and Jay; Paper Owl Films
Wonder Pets In The City; Kavaleer Productions
Best ORIGINAL SCORE
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 Screecher’s Reach; Cartoon Saloon
The Imagination Machine - Series 2; Firebrand Productions
The Magic Reindeer Saving Santa’s Sleigh; Moetion Films
The Scavengers; Little Moon Animation
Yukee; Score Draw Media
Best ORIGINAL SONG
Yukee: The Worm Song; Score Draw Media
URBANTAILS: Grasshopper; Pink Kong Studios
Wonder Pets In The City: Since I’ve Branched Out; Kavaleer Productions
Maddie + Triggs: Disco Train; Turnip + Duck
Maddie + Triggs: Pearly Whites; Turnip + Duck
Best Sound Design
Grimsburg; Ed Costello
Coop Troop - The Animauville Horror; Sixteen South
Puffin Rock and the New Friends; Cartoon Saloon & Dog Ears
The Magic Reindeer Saving Santa’s Sleigh; Moetion Films
The Scavengers; Little Moon Animation
Best Feature Film or Special
Pinkalicious & Peterrific Special; Sixteen South
The Magic Reindeer Saving Santa’s Sleigh; Moetion Films
Lu and the Bally Bunch; Brown Bag Films
Hungry Bear Tales: To the Pole!; Treehouse Republic
Puffin Rock and the New Friends; Cartoon Saloon & Dog Ears
Best New IP
Doodle Girl; Studio Meala
Coop Troop - The Animauville Horror; Sixteen South
Lí Ban; Paper Owl Films
Maddie + Triggs; Turnip + Duck
Lu and the Bally Bunch; Brown Bag Films
Best Editing
Coop Troop - The Animauville Horror; Sixteen South
Eva The Owlet; Brown Bag Films
ODO; Sixteen South
Póg mo Pigeon; Lighthouse Studios
Wonder Pets In The City; Kavaleer Productions
Best Storyboarding
Doodle Girl: Adeola Lawal; Studio Meala
Silly Sundays: Estrela Lourenco/ Oriol Vidal/ Suzanne Williams; Cartoon Saloon
Dee & Friends in Oz: Irene Martini; Brown Bag Films
ODO; Sixteen South
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 Screecher’s Reach: Giovanna Ferrari/ Iker Maidagan; Cartoon Saloon
Best Animated Student Film
Every Other Weekend; James Naughton
You've Got This, Allie!; Wren Petkov, Michelle Saal
Wasting; Laura Breslin
A Necessary Wish; Séan Nolan
Rendezvous; Lydia Stone
Best VFX ANIMATION
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 Screecher’s Reach; Cartoon Saloon
The Imagination Machine - Series 2; Firebrand Productions
Rick and Morty S7; Lighthouse Studios
Dee & Friends in Oz; Brown Bag Films
Kizazi Moto Generation Fire; Triggerfish Animation
Best INNOVATION
Decos Records; Wigglywoo
Maddie + Triggs; Turnip + Duck
Team Jay Season 2; Piranha Bar
Wonder Pets in the City; Kavaleer Productions
Zaki Signs; Jam Media
Best VOICE ACTING
Coop Troop - The Animauville Horror: Zehra Jane Naqvi, Beth Chalmers, Bob Golding; Sixteen South
Lu and the Bally Bunch: Freya McLaughlin; Brown Bag Films
Maddie + Triggs: Bonnie O’Meara; Turnip + Duck
Doodle Girl: Aisling Walsh; Studio Meala
Wonder Pets In The City: Vanessa Huzar; Kavaleer Productions
Industry Sustainability Champion (Impact and Awareness)
Brown Bag Films - Industry & Community Outreach Committee
Jam Media - Jess Patterson & Richard Gordon
Cartoon Saloon - Enora Le Luherne