The Young Offenders star Chris Walley has won Best Supporting Actor at the Olivier theatre awards in London, regarded as the Oscars of the British stage.

Walley was honoured at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday for his role as Davey in Martin McDonagh's The Lieutenant of Inishmore - a revival at London's Noël Coward Theatre that also starred Poldark's Aidan Turner.

The Cork-born actor, best known as Jock Murphy in The Young Offenders, said playing Davey in the black comedy was "a bit overwhelming and mad".

His appearance in The Lieutenant of Inishmore was his first role since finishing his studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.

He told the Press Association: "That was my first job out of drama school and I couldn't have really asked for a better first job.

"I love Martin McDonagh's stuff. I grew up reading his work and I always dreamed of getting cast in one, and for Michael Grandage to be directing it, it was kind of bit overwhelming and mad.

"To play the part of Davey is just such a treat as well, I had the best summer. The cast were just such a lovely group of people, and that's rare, or at least I have been told it is."

The play centres on Padraic, who is a member of an Irish republican splinter group who returns home to Inishmore and seeks revenge for his cat Wee Thomas' demise.