Jessie Buckley's stock is expected to skyrocket following what we hope will be her Best Actress win on Sunday night. Could a new home be on the cards?
Kerry has expanded its bragging rights beyond record-breaking Gaelic Football stats and epic scenery to include acting greats, with Killarney native Jessie Buckley, hotly tipped to become the first Irish woman to win the Best Actress gong at the Oscars.
Jessie has earned critical acclaim for her role as Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet, in which she grieves the loss of her son. The buzz around her performance is such that she is the bookie's favourite to win the biggest prize in acting in Los Angeles this weekend.
Address: Zinc House, Templenoe, Kenmare, Co Kerry V93 DC8R
Agent: Lisney Sotheby's International Realty
Price: €1,695 million
While an Oscar statuette has no actual monetary value - technically, they're worth $1, and if you plan to sell it, you must give the Academy first right of refusal - with such a win, Buckley's stock in Hollywood will skyrocket -- and, no doubt, bring in more lucrative roles.
As her options open up, so too will her star power and the ability to negotiate residuals. And if Jessie were to home hunt in her beloved kingdom, Home and Style may just have found her the perfect property.
Located about 40 minutes from Jessie's native Killarney, and sharing what selling agent Eileen Neville, divisional director at Lisney Sotheby's International Realty, Cork, says are the most spectacular views she's ever seen, the A2 BER-rated, 212 square metre Zinc House is a home fit for such a star in the ascendancy.
Completed in 2023 by its builder-owner, the split-level five-bedroom, three-bathroom detached property blends form and function and features smart home technologies such as zoned heating and remote control lighting, heating, and security.
Set across two levels, the main living area, kitchen and master bedroom are at the front and benefit from uninterrupted views that take in Kenmare Harbour to the east, the McGillicuddy Reeks to the south and the jagged peaks of the Caha Mountains on the Beara Peninsula to the west.
The floor-to-ceiling triple glazing includes large-format Schuco sliding doors, allowing for seamless access to the outdoors.
It has an air-to-water system with underfloor heating, as well as sleek architectural detailing.
As for how Jessie -- or any other high-profile buyer-- might come into possession of such a home?
Stephen Day, senior director at Lisney Sotheby's International Realty, explains that most of the time, a celebrity will have someone buy on their behalf.
A lot of legal wrangling will ensue, and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) will be signed.
"More often than not, a high-profile client will send a buyer's agent," Day explains.
"Potential clients traditionally don't view it the first time. Traditionally, someone would look on [Jessie's] behalf, and then we'd probably need to sign an NDA."
Situated just off the Ring of Kerry road, and overlooking the Ring of Kerry Golf Course, designed by Eddie Hackett, 9.5 kilometres from Kenmore, Zinc House is seeking €1.695 million through agents Lisney Sotheby's International Realty, reduced from its original asking price of €1.95 million when it first launched last June.
