Updated 12.30pm

It has been a good night for Irish nominees at the Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. 

Saoirse Ronan took home the award for Best Actress - Musical or Comedy for her role in the coming-of-age film Lady Bird.

The British-Irish filmmaker and playwright Martin McDonagh was awarded the Best Screenplay gong for his latest film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Both Lady Bird and Three Billboards... took home Best Motion Picture awards in their respective categories, while the latter film also saw acting awards for Frances McDormand & Sam Rockwell.

Other winners on the night included Gary Oldman, James Franco and Allison Janney, while Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro won the Best Director award.

The Golden Globes are widely seen as an early indicator of the films that are likely to feature heavily at the Oscars.

In the television categories, the big winner was miniseries Big Little Lies, with Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgard all receiving awards for their roles.

The Handmaid's Tale was named Best Television Series - Drama, with its star Elisabeth Moss also picking up an award.

#MeToo

Picture by: USA TODAY Network/SIPA USA/PA Images

The Golden Globes marked the first major awards ceremony since the start of the #MeToo campaign, which has shaken Hollywood in the wake of the sexual harassment allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein and other prominent men.

At last night's awards, many stars wore black and made powerful speeches directly addressing the issue.

Oprah Winfrey, who received the Cecil B DeMille Award for 'outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment', made a stirring speech on the subject of abuse & harassment.  

She said: "I want tonight to express gratitude to all the women who have endured years of abuse and assault because they, like my mother, had children to feed and bills to pay and dreams to pursue. They’re the women whose names we’ll never know. 

"I’ve interviewed and portrayed people who have withstood some of the ugliest things life can throw at you, but the one quality all of them seem to share is an ability to maintain hope for a brighter morning. Even during our darkest nights."

She added: "I want all the girls watching here and now to know that a new day is on the horizon.

"And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women - many of whom are right here in this room tonight - and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say, ‘Me too,’ again."

While announcing the Best Director nominees, actress Natalie Portman took the opportunity to remind everyone that only men had been nominated for the category.

Opening the show, meanwhile, host Seth Meyers observed: "Good evening ladies and remaining gentlemen".