'It's electric': Jessie Buckley's hometown Killarney celebrates her historic Oscar win

Record ID: 2365682

  • Title: 'It's electric': Jessie Buckley's hometown Killarney celebrates her historic Oscar win
  • Date: 16th March 2026
  • Summary: KILLARNEY, IRELAND (MARCH 16, 2026) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONORARY LIFE MEMBER OF KILLARNEY MUSICAL SOCIETY, MARIE MOLONEY, SAYING: "What she was like back then is like what she is like today. I tell you, she came to us in the year 2000 and she was in the children's chorus, I think it was 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' that we did. And then she ca
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: 'Hamnet' Academy Awards Ireland Jessie Buckley Killarney Killarney Musical Society Oscar
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: Ireland
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Film
  • Reuters ID: LVA005368313032026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: 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) 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.
    Marie Moloney, an honorary life member of the society, told Reuters on Monday (March 16) that the atmosphere in Buckley's hometown was "electric."
    “The only way I could.. say the reaction to this is is that it is Jessie Buckley fever here in Killarney," she told Reuters.
    "This year we celebrate our 40th anniversary ever since we formed Killarney Musical Society and what better anniversary present could we get than to see one of our former members go on and win an Oscar."
    Moloney remembers Buckley as "a pleasure to work with" who worked hard and took direction well.
    "She came to us in the year 2000 and she was in the children's chorus... in 'Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'," she said.
    "She came again... (in) 2008, she was 17 years of age and she auditioned and got the lead role in 'Carousel' as Julie Jordan," she said, adding Buckley won best actress at the Association of Irish Musical Societies' (AIMS) awards for that.
    Buckley is the first Irish woman to win the Academy Award for leading actress. She was previously nominated in the best supporting actress category for "The Lost Daughter" in 2022.
    Ireland's President Catherine Connolly congratulated Buckley on her win, calling Buckley's achievement "an historic moment."
    (Production: Marie-Louise Gumuchian, Graham Fahy)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register