BACK IN FEBRUARY, three billboards were erected in Lettermullen, Co. Galway to congratulate Irish director Martin McDonagh on the heap of awards that he had received for his movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
The signs read “Comhghairdeas Martin McDonagh”; “Réalt Mór Leitir Mealláin”; “Réalt Mór Hollywood” – or, in English – “Congratulations Martin McDonagh; Big Lettermullan Star; Big Hollywood Star.”
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has won a total of 76 awards (and has been nominated for 188, altogether), including five Baftas and most recently, two Oscars. Frances McDormand took home Best Actress for her role in Three Billboards, and Sam Rockwell won Best Supporting Actor.
We’d imagine that McDonagh is extremely busy collecting all of his awards. However, it turns out that he’s not too busy to write a lovely letter in Irish thanking the people of Leitir Mealláin for their nice gesture of congratulations.
Marion Ní Shúilleabháin of RTÉ Raidío na Gaeltachta shared the letter that McDonagh wrote to his fathers hometown, Leitir Mealláin.
McDonagh thanked everyone who helped put up the billboards. Including the farmer who provided the land, the Heritage Centre, Comhar Chuigéil and all of the people who actually put the billboards up.
He signed off by saying “I’ve seen the pictures and they look wonderful. I hope I can get over to see them myself in the future. Fair play to you all.”
