Kneecap Celebrates Tom Hardy’s Balaclava Moment Amid IFTA Success

Dublin, Ireland — Kneecap, the Gaelic rap group, expressed their admiration for actor Tom Hardy after he was spotted wearing a tricolor balaclava while walking his dog in London last week. The iconic balaclava, adorned in green, white, and orange, is the same one worn by the group’s DJ, Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh), during performances.

The photo of Hardy quickly garnered attention online and was featured in an article by The Sun. DJ Próvaí originally adopted the accessory to conceal his identity from students while teaching, later sporting it at the recent BAFTA Awards alongside a matching suit.

Following Hardy’s appearance, Próvaí and his fellow band members, Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) and Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), took to social media on Saturday night to share their thoughts. They welcomed Hardy with a post stating, “Tom Hardy – welcome comrade,” complete with handshake and Irish flag emojis.

This unexpected crossover has sparked chatter among fans about the possibility of a sequel to Kneecap’s movie, with calls for Hardy to join the project. Amidst these developments, Kneecap also made headlines for their notable presence at the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) awards in Dublin earlier this month.

The group garnered four IFTA awards at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, celebrating achievements in casting, costume design, editing, and Best Director for Rich Peppiatt. They shared the spotlight with prominent figures such as Cillian Murphy, Saoirse Ronan, and Chris O’Dowd.

During the IFTA ceremony, Kneecap made their public debut with partners. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh attended with Sinéad Nic Colaim, Móglaí Bap was accompanied by Niamh Hinchy, and DJ Próvaí was there with Áine O’Hanlon. Their awards success follows their unique arrival at the Dublin and Belfast premieres of their film last August in a PSNI-style Land Rover, waving Irish and Palestinian flags.

The event also saw Michael Fassbender nominated for Best Supporting Actor, while Small Things Like These secured the title of Best Film. Cillian Murphy won the award for Actor in a Lead Role, and Saoirse Ronan took home two awards for her performances in The Outrun and Blitz, highlighting the night’s significance for Irish cinema.