The island town featured in The Banshees of Inisherin may be fictional, but the locations around Ireland where it was filmed are beautifully real — and very visitable.
What is the inspiration behind Banshees of Inisherin?
Set on the fictional island of 'Inisherin' in 1923, the new film is about two male friends who abruptly fall out, with dire consequences. It is intended as an allegory for the Irish Civil War ('Inisherin' translates to 'Island Ireland'), which was in full rage at that time.
What do Irish people think of The Banshees of Inisherin?
Oscar-nominated film The Banshees of Inisherin portrays Irish people as “moronic” and is “extremely offensive”, according to a complaint to the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO).
Inisherin is a fictional place that apparently translates as 'Island Ireland'. I know it's probably churlish of me, but, being Irish, I was turned off by the film's maudlin sentimentality mixed with self-obsession, self-harm, child abuse, wanton violence, dead pets and suicidal ideation.
For viewers who may be scratching their heads over some of the main characters' actions, or the meaning of the title, a quick look at Irish history can help explain some of these elements. The Banshees of Inisherin takes place in 1923, during the Irish Civil War.
The War Allegory in The Banshees of Inisherin Explained
What is the allegory of The Banshees of Inisherin?
I found that there were several ways people decided to interpret this film. Some theorized that Colm and Pádraic's conflict is a metaphor for the Irish civil war. This would make sense as neighbor turned on neighbor without warning during the war.
The movie is set in 1923 on the fictional island of Inisherin (literal meaning: 'Ireland island' – not a coincidence) and tells the story of a pair of friends who fall out — seemingly for no reason.
It's a deeply cynical story with an achingly human message, a meditation on the way we define ourselves through others. One cannot pin their failures on a friend, nor can they use a peer as proof of virtue. We are our own individuals and must recognize ourselves as such.
Yet, as he loses his friend and life begins to tear him down, Súilleabháin descends into loneliness and sadness, a stark contrast to his chipper personality at the beginning of the movie. This is most easily observed by the presence of Mrs. McCormick (Sheila Flitton), the banshee of the movie.
The film begins, however, with Colm refusing to speak to Pádraic. Eventually, Colm tells Pádraic that he simply doesn't like him anymore. The root of that dislike comes from their difference in intellect and interests. Colm is a fiddler and composer, introspective and artistic.
It's subtle, notable, and effective at displaying how depression and loneliness change how we act with each other and the world at large. Passing on the local news to neighbors becomes a chore and an act to avoid, or even a spot you used to hang out suddenly feels poisoned, and your desire to be there vanishes.
A banshee is a mythological creature that appears in Irish folklore and fairy tales. Banshees are female spirits that supposedly wail just before a family member dies. Have you ever heard the phrase "scream like a banshee?" Sometimes people say this when a child is shrieking or a stranger yells loudly.
Barry Keoghan, who plays a youth possibly on the autism spectrum, is terrific as Dominic. It is he who is sharper (and kinder) about life's fallacies, accepting the bad hand he has been dealt by gods of fate.
McCormick (again: definitely, definitely not the titular banshee) leads him to the lake, only to find Dominic's washed-up corpse, having apparently killed himself in the wake of Peadar's unrelenting violence.
Featuring some of Martin McDonagh's finest work and a pair of outstanding lead performances, The Banshees of Inisherin is a finely crafted feel-bad treat. If you don't mind a slow, sad story, The Banshees of Inisherin is worth watching thanks to gorgeous scenery and some terrific acting.
In one way, the growing animosity between Colm and Pádraic directly mirrors the Irish Civil War, where it can be argued that Pádraic represents the Free State forces and the self-sabotaging Colm is akin to the IRA.
The 'Inisherin' of the title is a fictional island, but the film is shot on two: Achill Island in County Mayo and Inis Mór, the biggest of the Aran Islands in County Galway. A journey to each island brings much of the imagery and experiences from the film to life.
Does anything bad happen to the donkey in The Banshees of Inisherin?
The miniature donkey Jenny dies. She chokes to death trying to eat a severed human finger. Her death is not shown on screen, but her body is shown laying by a pile of her vomit when her owner finds her, and he fishes the finger out of her mouth. It's pretty disturbing if you're sensitive to animal death.
What happened to the donkey in The Banshees of Inisherin?
Fed up by the feud and long bored with life on the island, Siobhán moves to the mainland for a job in a library. Devastated, Pádraic comes home to find his pet donkey Jenny has choked to death on one of Colm's fingers.
“Cailín” is the Irish slang for “girl.” A lot of Irish people still use this word even when speaking in English. The plural, “Cailíní,” is also commonly used, for example, “I'm meeting up with the cailíní later on.”
Stór is the Irish word for my love/my darling so by adding the een onto the end it becomes my little darling. Anamchara (pronounced ann-am kara) Is the Irish word for “soul mate”. Mo mhuirnín dílis (pronounced mu voor-neen deelish) Is the Irish for “my own true love” or “my faithful darling”.
It also received nine nominations at the 95th Academy Awards and 28th Critics' Choice Awards, respectively, but went home empty-handed at both ceremonies.
