FOR the first seven years of his life Irish actor Paul Ronan, father of current Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, lived in Dublin's infamous Ballymun flats. Across town his wife Monica grew up in Crumlin, another working class suburb on the south side of the city.

Since both communities fostered a surprising level of local pride, it's no surprise they share the outlook and sensibility of people whose experiences have kept them grounded all their lives.

It's the kind of solid, no nonsense upbringing that has helped Paul to stay focused through all the ups and downs of his own acting career, and it will certainly help to steady his daughter Saoirse as she steps onto the red carpet at this year's Academy Awards on February 23.

For his own part, Ronan admits that interesting new film scripts that he wants to commit to himself aren't arriving every day, but there's no doubt that his 13-year-old daughter currently has a wealth to choose from. That's how it goes in the acting profession, he admits, where success and opportunities ebb and flow - and so Ronan senior has learned how to weather all the changes.

One thing for sure, father and daughter have talked about working together on an Irish film at some point. Meanwhile the trick is to keep it all in perspective.

"I believe in giving people the space to just blossom and learn. That's what we did with Saoirse and I think that's why she's very grounded right now," Ronan said during a recent phone interview with the Irish Voice from New Zealand, where the family is on location while Saoirse is filming The Lovely Bones with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.

"I'm not saying we'll never have to worry, but I don't have a lump in my stomach. I know the foundation is there for her to become a good, decent human being."

Both Ronan's career and Saoirse's are proof that hard work and a bit of luck can be all it takes to get a project going. After all, Saoirse was discovered when Paul took her along to an audition he was trying for himself, so you never can tell what fate has in store.

"Of course I screamed when I heard that Saoirse was nominated for an Oscar. I was excited as you can imagine," Ronan says. "But I also think it's essential to stop and smell the roses, to not to let it take over your life, you know?"

It's the voice of experience. Years before Saoirse began her journey to the top of Hollywood's A-List, Paul began a journey of his own back in the early 1990s when he was a young Irish immigrant in the Bronx. At the time he was working in a bar in the city when he started going to casting calls.

Very soon he was picked for Public Enemy, a play written and directed by Kenneth Branagh at the Irish Arts Center. Other small parts at the Irish Repertory Theatre led to film and television work in Ireland on movies like The Devil's Own with Brad Pitt and Veronica Guerin with Cate Blanchett.

On Irish television he worked on Ballykissangel, which was the springboard for Colin Farrell's career. Ronan also starred alongside Farrell and Kevin Spacey in Ordinary Decent Criminal.

It was Ronan's good fortune to be part of the Irish arts scene in New York in the early 1990s when it was really coming into its own. He credits his experiences then for launching his acting career, and indirectly his daughter's too.

But in comparison with the altogether quiet Irish arts scene of 2008, Ronan feels that the city has gone dead, and he worries about the implications this will have for emerging Irish artists here.

"Back in the early 1990's Chris O'Neill was doing his one man shows, Nye Heron was directing at the Irish Arts Center, Frank McCourt was coming out of his shell and writing again, so it was an exciting time in New York for Irish actors, performers and poets," Ronan recalls.

"It was definitely the time to be there to get off the blocks in terms of any kind of arts activity. But it all seems to have taken a nose dive now, which is a pity, because we Irish are good at all that stuff."

In Ronan's view the late O'Neill was instrumental in the revitalization of the local Irish arts scene by starting up the Irish Bronx Theatre Company. Other companies quickly followed suit. Shows were staged in cafes and pubs, anywhere that the producers could find a venue.

"The New York scene needs to be revitalized. There's more than enough talent. Someone just needs to get some fire and get that scene going again," he feels.

"I think the Irish at our best when we're being artists. It brings out the best in us. I'd certainly like to come back and work here in the future."