Jessie Buckley: An Irish Star’s Oscar Triumph and Her Remarkable Family Roots
Jessie Buckley has etched her name in history, becoming the first Irish woman to claim an Oscar for Best Actress. This monumental achievement at the Academy Awards has naturally filled her family with immense pride. Hailing from Killarney, County Kerry, Jessie comes from a lineage steeped in talent and community spirit. Her parents, Marina and Tim Buckley, are well-regarded figures, and their daughter’s success is a testament to the rich tapestry of her upbringing.
A Mother’s Melodies: Marina Buckley’s Artistic and Healing Journey
The seeds of Jessie’s profound artistic sensibilities may well be sown in her mother, Marina. A gifted harpist and singer, Marina once graced hotel lounges with her performances. In recent years, she has transitioned her passion into a deeply meaningful career, becoming a music psychotherapist dedicated to supporting individuals in palliative care.
Jessie herself has spoken eloquently about the profound emotional resonance of her mother’s music. In a poignant address at Elle’s Women in Hollywood event last year, she shared: “I want to tell you about a woman called Marina.
Marina now works as a music psychotherapist in palliative care, but before that, she worked as a harpist and singer, playing in a room like this, in a corner, not being fully seen, fully heard, really listened to.
But, when she sang, it was like she was trying to save herself. She was trying to get something that was stuck ‘out’ and crack the curse.”
She further elaborated on the transformative power of witnessing her mother’s artistry: “One of my strongest memories of feeling the wild effect of touching someone’s heart with a story was watching Marina, my mother, sing. It’s taken me time to unravel myself from the narrow-minded ‘idea’ of what it means to be a woman in the world, and really listen to the stories of my mother, of my sisters, and the incredible women in this room, who have given me the greatest education, the greatest freedom-and the greatest privilege to discover a language that is full, through the hearts, bodies, and minds of the incredible women that I’ve been able to I live through in my work.”
A Father’s Foundation: Tim Buckley’s Multifaceted Contributions
Jessie’s father, Tim Buckley, played a pivotal role in shaping her upbringing, which she has affectionately described as “feral” and infused with music. He managed a guest house, fostering an environment where creativity and a love for the arts flourished.
Currently, Tim serves as the bar manager at the prestigious Parknasilla Resort and Spa Hotel in Kerry. Beyond his managerial duties, he is the hotel’s resident poet and esteemed local historian. He is particularly renowned for leading captivating 70-minute guided history walks across the estate, delving into its rich past, including the history of Derryquin Castle, local literary figures, and the era of the civil war.
When Jessie received her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in The Lost Daughter back in 2022, Tim shared his grounded perspective with Rte Radio 1. He remarked: “We’re a bit – I won’t say blasé about it but there’s a lot of twists in the road to either fame or success and we honour everybody… whether they got awards or didn’t get awards.
So that kind of keeps her grounded and we’re basically the safety net if things fall apart. Everybody has bumps in the road so we just kind of nudge them along. There’s many good people with enormous talent but it all starts with that fragility within themselves. It’s not about being strong it’s about being human. That comes from just being natural, not being stage kids, or this and that or not being a wannabe. If it’s in you, it’ll come out of you and if you can keep it as plain and as ordinary as you can, they’ll be all the better for it. That’s what I think anyway.”
Reflecting on her nomination for the film Hamnet, he spoke of the palpable sense of community pride, stating: “There was ‘a lovely sense of shared joy’ around the town. We are very proud of Jessie. The whole parish is. It’s a big thing. There is a lovely sense of shared joy this morning.” This sentiment underscores the deep connection Jessie shares with her family and her hometown, a connection that undoubtedly grounds her amidst the glittering world of Hollywood.
