Maggie O’Farrell, the bestselling author of 10 novels and co-screenwriter of Hamnet, never imagined she would one day attend the Oscars. The film adaptation of her book, Hamnet, was nominated for eight awards at the 2026 ceremony. “It’s not something I ever thought was possible,” she says about her night at the star-studded event.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Irish Times Women’s Podcast, the writer describes what it was like to dip her toe “into the whole world of Hollywood” and explains her decision to not hire a stylist for the Academy Awards. “I wanted to go as myself ... I wanted to be myself,” she says.
Discussing her delight when Jessie Buckley won the award for best actress, the novelist highlights how “she [Buckley] poured herself – heart and soul and blood and bone – into that role”.
O’Farrell describes the Oscars as a fitting moment to say goodbye to Hamnet: “I wore a mourning veil and a Victorian mourning necklace with my pink dress...it was a celebration but also a saying goodbye”.
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The author’s latest book, Land - which is to be adapted for screen by the same team behind Hamnet - is personal and linked to her family history. In this conversation with podcast presenter Róisín Ingle, O’Farrell tells the fascinating story of how a tiny vignette found on a hand painted map in her family home, led her to the novel.
Inspired by her great-great grandfather’s work mapping Ireland in the aftermath of the Famine, O’Farrell ponders what it was like to re-map Ireland following such an “enormous cataclysm”. The question prominent in her mind was “What happened to the people who survived and stayed? What’s their story? How did they recover?”
You can listen back to their conversation in the player above or search The Women’s Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
