'Like a carnival": Irish town of Killarney celebrates Jessie Buckley's Oscar win

Born and raised in southwest Ireland's County Kerry, Oscar-winner Jessie Buckley's journey from local productions to the global stage is something her hometown of Killarney has followed with pride.

 Buckley won the best actress Oscar on Sunday (March 15) evening for her portrayal of William Shakespeare's wife Agnes in Hamnet, a film based on a novel by Maggie O'Farrell, and adapted for the screen by O'Farrell and director Chloe Zhao.

Buckley's mother Marina is a well-known singer and harpist in the town, and the actress was an enthusiastic member of the Killarney Musical Society, developing a talent that would eventually take her to Hollywood.

Buckley's cousin, Brendan Fuller, described the tense moments her family and friends felt before the announcement for Leading Actress award, followed swiftly by jubilation.

"It was like a carnival," he said. "There was tuxedos and dresses and glitz and glam and everything."

The head of a stage school in Killarney where Buckley worked when young remembered her as a "special lady."

Fiona Crowley said: "I think it's only dawning on a lot of people this morning what a huge achievement that actually was, you know.”

Buckley is the first Irish woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, with Saoirse Ronan and Ruth Negga the only other Irish women to be nominated in the category. Buckley was previously nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for The Lost Daughter in 2022.

Cillian Murphy was the first Irish-born actor to win Best Actor in 2024 for 'Oppenheimer'.

Ireland's President Catherine Connolly congratulated Buckley on her win, calling Buckley's achievement "an historic moment".

Production: Amy Pollock/Reuters