Tributes to Irish actress Jessie Buckley are pouring in after the Kerry native won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role last night.
In doing so, Buckley makes history as the first Irish woman ever to secure the coveted best actress award.
Acknowledging Mother’s Day in her acceptance speech, Buckley dedicated her award to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart”, concluding “Go raibh míle, míle maith agat”.
The Killarney woman received the Oscar for her performance as Agnes in director Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Maggie O’Farrell.
“Congratulations Jessie Buckley on your historic Oscar success,” Taoiseach Micheál Martin wrote on social media following the win, adding “a well deserved win too for Richard Baneham on a wonderful night for Irish film and the performing arts”.
Tánaiste Simon Harris meanwhile wrote “Jessie Buckley has done it”.
“The first Irish woman to ever win Best Actress at the Academy Awards. What a moment. It’s fantastic to see Jessie recognised on the biggest stage in the world. All of Ireland is so proud tonight. Comhghairdeas Jessie,” he said.
Irish animator Richard Baneham also saw success last night, winning his third ‘Best Visual Effects’ trophy for his work on James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash.
It is the Tallaght native’s third academy award, following awards for the original 2009 Avatar film and its 2022 follow-up, Avatar: The Way of Water.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan praised the Irish achievements, saying that the accolades highlighted “the strength of Ireland’s creative industries and the continued international recognition for Irish talent, production companies and storytelling”.
“Jessie Buckley’s win tonight is a magnificent achievement and a moment of real pride for Ireland. Her performance has captivated audiences worldwide, and this award is a testament to her extraordinary talent, dedication and artistic courage. Jessie continues to represent the very best of Irish creativity on the global stage.
“Richard Baneham’s win tonight, his third, is a testament to his extraordinary expertise and his leadership in one of the most technically advanced areas of global filmmaking. His work on Avatar: Fire and Ash demonstrates the world‑class contribution Irish artists are making to major international productions,” Minister O’Donovan said.
There were six Irish nominees at this year’s Oscars, with two ultimately won at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
Minister O’Donovan also praised the artistic contributions of Hamnet author Maggie O’Farrell; Irish production companies Wild Atlantic Pictures and Element Pictures, both of which produced nominated films; and animated short film Retirement Plan, which was created by John Kelly and starred Domhnall Gleeson.