Killarney, County Kerry, erupted in celebration on Sunday night as local actress Jessie Buckley won the Oscar for Best Actress at the 98th Academy Awards. Her performance in the film Hamnet earned her the award, making her the first Irish woman to win the category. The town, which has followed her career from childhood plays to Hollywood, embraced the victory as a collective achievement.
Bookmakers had tipped Buckley as the runaway favourite ahead of nominees including Rose Byrne, Emma Stone, Kate Hudson and Renate Reinsve. Her depiction of William Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes Hathaway, was praised by critics. Previous Irish winners of acting Oscars include Brenda Fricker (Best Supporting Actress, 1990) and Maureen O’Hara (Honorary Oscar, 2014).
In Killarney, businesses and residents joined in the festivities. The Arbutus hotel, founded by Buckley’s great-grandparents, drew well-wishers and media. Bartender Denis O’Connor said: ‘It’s all go, all week. It’s great for Kerry and great for the young – she’s a role model.’ A group of children with special needs shared words to describe how Buckley makes them feel, including ‘brave’, ‘inspired’ and ‘seen’.
Carol Dempsey, Buckley’s aunt, noted that the family’s bar would close to the public for a private gathering to watch the ceremony. ‘This isn’t a media spectacle for us,’ she said. ‘We want to celebrate the essence of Jessie.’ Locals suggested the win should prompt a new bank holiday or the freedom of Kerry, along with free beer in every pub.
Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach, recorded a message of congratulations. Radio Kerry had offered a prize for creative good luck messages, generating songs, poems and art. Buckley’s journey from the local musical society to London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and beyond has inspired the community.
