Irish actress Jessie Buckley has made history by becoming the first Irish woman to win the Best Actress award at the Academy Awards in Hollywood. The Killarney native took home the award for her performance as Agnes in Hamnet, an adaptation of the bestselling novel by Maggie O'Farrell. The story explores the emotional relationship that inspired William Shakespeare to write his iconic play Hamlet.

Acceptance Speech

Accepting the award, an emotional Buckley thanked her family and colleagues. “Wow. Thank you so much.  She praised her fellow nominees before acknowledging her family’s support. “My family, my Irish family, they're all here. Ireland bought them flights,” she said. “Mum, Dad, thank you for teaching us to dream and to never be defined by expectation but to carve from your own passion.” Buckley also thanked her husband and daughter during the speech. Marking Mother's Day, she dedicated the award to mothers everywhere, describing it as a tribute to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.” She concluded her speech with the Irish phrase: “Go raibh míle, míle maith agat.”

Family Celebrations in Killarney

Earlier in the week, WLR spoke to Buckley’s aunt Carol Buckley Dempsey, who is originally from Dungarvan and now lives in Killarney. She owns Buckleys Bar, where family and friends gathered to watch the ceremony. Dempsey said her niece had shown a passion for acting from a young age. “She’s loved acting since she was about seventeen,” she said, adding that the family had always believed she would go far in the industry. The pub hosted a private viewing party on the night of the ceremony, as relatives and supporters gathered to watch Buckley’s historic moment unfold. The celebrations continued late into the night after the Killarney native secured her place in Irish film history.

West Waterford Connections'

There was another West Waterford connection at the Oscars' last night, with host Conan O'Brien family coming from Dungarvan. For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.