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The Hidden Irish Folklore in the Banshees of Inisherin: Film Review and Fairy Mythology

Of all the reviews of the Banshees of Inisherin that I’ve seen, few seem to pay any attention to the presence of the banshee, or banshees, in the film. How ironic a? So today I want to review the film the Banshees of Inisherin, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. There will be some spoilers as we go on, but the initial part of this video won’t give any major spoilers outside the general plot.

The film was written and directed Martin McDonagh, know for In Bruges and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, two excellent films by the way. This film is much stranger however but perhaps more thought-provoking, and it contains the directors usual dark comedic style.
It’s set in the backdrop of the Irish Civil War in 1923, and the civil war plays at least one metaphorical role in the film as the film itself is about a civil war between two friends, torn apart by the prospect of death and the ticking clock of life dwindling away.

The film was shot on the island of Inishmore, a stunning island just off the west coast of Ireland. There is definitely a contrast between the beauty of the island and darkness of the subject matter. Some of the major themes of the film include break-ups, death, legacy, and the creative process.
Breedan Gleeson’s character is consumed by the questions of how can you truly accomplish something great and lasting for instance. If you spend most of your time messing about and talking nonsense, how can one leave a legacy like Mozart? Obviously, as everything is heightened in this film, his character takes this to the extreme. The film is also funny however, and is definitely a dark and sad comedy, somewhat of an oxymoron.

Of all the reviews of this film I’ve seen, they do a good job talking about death, existential crises, relationships and break-ups. Yet few have paid any attention to the notion of a banshee. The clue is literally in the title of the movie. To understand anything about this film you need to understand what a banshee is. I know many of you do, but for those who don’t, a banshee comes from an old Irish word meaning “women of the fairy mound” or “fairy women.” It refers to a female spirit in Irish folklore whose presence signals the death of a family member, and the banshee is often depicted as screaming or wailing. In essence, a banshee signals death.
In the film, the main banshee is arguably the old women Mrs McCormack. Understanding this puts the film in a new light.

Sources:

Banshee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banshee

#thebansheesofinisherin #ireland #celtic

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:21 What is a Banshee?
4:18 More to the Story (Spoilers)
5:29 Fairy Folklore
Chapters: