Eva among cast and crew celebrating Oscar nomination for Brooklyn

Ms Birthistle, who graduated from Irish soap opera ‘Glenroe,’ to star in films, including Ken Loach’s ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ and Neil Jordan’s ‘Breakfast on Pluto,’ appears alongside Domhnall Gleeson, Julie Walters, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent and Saoirse Ronan, who is also nominated in the ‘Best Actress’ category.

The screenplay, adapted by Nick Hornby from the novel by Colm Tóibín, is also up for an Academy Award.

The film - set in 1952 - tells the tale of Éilís Lacey who leaves Ireland to immigrate to Brooklyn, where she has a better chance of finding work.

Ms Birthistle’s character meets Éilís on the boat and gives her tips on how to get past the customs officers at Ellis island.

Crushed by homesickness, Éilís finds her spirits lifted by an Italian-American suitor with whom she falls in love. When she must return to Ireland, Eilis is courted by a hometown boy and finds herself torn between two countries and the two men who love her.

Eva continues a fine tradition and is the latest actor from the North West to have appeared in a film nominated in the ‘Best Picture’ category at the Oscars, Ray McAnally having appeared in both ‘The Mission’ and ‘My Left Foot’ and Bronagh Gallagher having appeared in ‘Pulp Fiction.’