'Free Palestine' and 'gutless politicians': Lola Petticrew's rousing IFTAs acceptance speech

Petticrew won one of the top awards and focused their speech on the lack of mental health services in Northern Ireland

BELFAST ACTOR LOLA Petticrew criticised politicians and made an impassioned plea for greater access to mental health services in Northern Ireland while picking up one of the top awards at the IFTAs on Friday.

Petticrew won the award for Best Actress in a Drama for their role as Provisional IRA bomber and hunger striker Dolours Price in the Disney+ series Say Nothing.

The series itself deals with the trauma felt by the families of victims and the mental scars also being burdened by those who took part in violence during The Troubles.

Lola Petticrew’s incredible speech following their win in the Best Actress in a Drama category for Say Nothing at the IFTA Awards 2025#IFTA @DisneyPlusUK pic.twitter.com/T03AirYNJO
— Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) (@IFTA) February 17, 2025

Petticrew was presented with the award by Chris O’Dowd but, in their one minute acceptance speech, the actor made no reference to the award or the glitzy ceremony at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre.

Instead, Petticrew focused on a lack of supports for people and said that governments north and south”punish trans kids for existing and legitimise war criminals with handshakes and shamrocks”.

Petticrew finished the speech with the words “Free Palestine”.

The full speech:

“This show asks big questions about how we in the North move forward and move on. Gutless politicians kick about ideas like painting over murals, while working class people on both sides of the green and orange line cry out for investment in social housing, education, youth services and mental health services.

While both governments punish trans kids for existing and legitimise war criminals with handshakes and shamrocks, my peers are dying by suicide.There is what feels like insurmountable, intergenerational trauma and insufficient services to deal with it.

“I would say that the first step in moving on and moving forward, would be providing some decent mental health services, investing in youth services and a proper standard of living for all working class people in the North. Thank you and Free Palestine.”