MEL GIBSON: Finally, receiving his award with a standing ovation from the 850 capacity crowd, Gibson expressed his thanks for the honour, remembering his mother Anne Reilly, who was born in County Longford. “Thank you so much for this incredible honor I’m really happy and pleased to be here…I remember with a great deal of fondness great memories of my time here and all the men and women that worked with me and helped me achieve my vision. Some of them were just fledging at the time and now they are kinda like veterans of camerawork and other aspects of film-making art, which is really gratifying to see how they’ve risen so far, when you saw where they started... I simply can’t express how moved I am and my ole Mum would really have loved to have been here to see this. But, em, maybe she’s watching? I’d like to thank you all from the very bottom of my heart.”