Celebrations are under way in Jessie Buckley's hometown of Killarney, who are "bursting with pride" following her Golden Globe win.
The Kerry native took home the best actress in a motion picture drama award for her portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare, the wife of William Shakespeare, played by Paul Mescal, in Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet.
Buckley was hot favourite to claim the accolade following her Critics Choice Award win last month - while Hamnet also came away with a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Drama in the early hours of this morning.
Speaking to RTÉ News, Radio Kerry presenter and Buckley's cousin Brendan Fullers believes that the key to Jessie's success, is that she always remains "herself down to her core".
"She’s that same Jessie that she's always been, and then you see Julia Roberts hugging her and Steven Spielberg hugging her," he said.
"And these incredible actors, celebrities, directors, producers are all looking at her with the same amazement and admiration that we all have for her - there is just something special about her."
"But I think it's not just me, it's not just her family or her friends, it's the entire county, it's the entire country," he said.
What a weekend for our county!
— Kerry Association (@KerryAssoc) January 12, 2026
Aoibheann brings Young Scientist glory to the Kingdom!
National GAA titles for @Ballymac_gaa & @AnGhaeltacht
And now a Golden Globe for Jessie!
We are truly blessed to be represented by such amazing people.
💚💛 pic.twitter.com/mT7JZi6490
Buckley spent much of her childhood in the Arbutus Hotel, run by the Buckley family since 1926.
For Mr Fullers, the Arbutus was both a hub for the extended Buckley family, and the home of their grandmother Norrie - until her death in 2018.
"Just thinking of Jesse on the stage last night, I think it's pretty obvious to say that Nana would have loved that," he said.
The radio presenter added that amid buzz of an Oscar nomination for Buckley when they are announced next week, fingers in Kerry are crossed that the Hamnet star will soon bring an academy award back to the Kingdom.
Buckley is no stranger to international accolades.
She first entered the public eye after finishing runner up on the 2008 BBC talent show I’d Do Anything with Andrew Lloyd Webber - who was seeking to cast Nancy in his West End production of Oliver!
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Since then, she has built a wide-ranging career across film, television and theatre - earning a BAFTA nomination for her leading role in Wild Rose in 2020, an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Lost Daughter in 2022, and a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance as Sally Bowles in the West End revival of Cabaret in 2021.
But before all that Jessie spent her childhood in a number of local productions with the Killarney Musical Society and the Gleneagle Concert Band.
For Fiona Crowley, founder of the Fiona Crowley Stage School, Buckley's exceptional talent and personality were clear from an early age.
"When she got the opportunity to go to London to perform in the I Do Anything programme, I had the huge privilege to go to BBC Studios with her and see all that unfolding - and it was just wonderful to see how she handled that," said Ms Crowley.
"It was absolutely monumental that she was there amongst greats like Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh, titans of the West End and titans of musical theatre.
"And she held her own."
"And now almost 20 years later, last night was just an accumulation of those years of hard work and wonderful talent. We've always known that talent is there - but beyond anything, she is true to herself," she said.
Ms Crowley added that with or without a Golden Globe, Jessie Buckley is an inspiration to the next generation of aspiring artists.
"Jesse was part of the Fiona Crowley Stage School family for a while and worked with us, and she was a wonderful person to work with children because she was humble, she was caring and she always gave time," she said.
"And as somebody who's in the arts and runs a stage school here, it's so fabulous to be able to say to children, 'look at Jessie Buckley from Killarney and what she can do'.
"It inspires hope and it’s just an amazing thing."
Reporting by: Barry Gallagher
