13 Fun Facts About The Banshees Of Inisherin Movie

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The Banshees of Inisherin is a quirky black tragicomedy movie that the celebrated filmmaker Martin McDonagh wrote, co-produced, and directed. It was released in 2022, starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan, and Kerry Condon and now considered as one of the best movies shot in Ireland.

The movie, set on a remote island off Ireland’s west coast, tells the story of a couple of life-long buddies Pádraic Súilleabháin and Colm Doherty, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson respectively, who have a falling out when one suddenly decides to end their friendship, hence the tagline: “Everything was fine yesterday.”

This sudden falling out comes with disturbing consequences for both Pádraic and Colm. Read on to find out more fun facts about The Banshees of Inisherin.

13 Fun Facts About The Banshees Of Inisherin Movie

1. The Banshees of Inisherin is a reunion movie for Farrell, Gleeson, and McDonagh

The trio previously worked together in the 2008 film In Bruges, which was the first movie that Martin McDonagh directed. In fact, McDonagh wrote The Banshees of Inisherin specifically for Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

2. McDonagh was scared to disappoint In Bruges fans

McDonagh was worried that the follow-up to the cult classic In Bruges would disappoint fans, fearing The Banshees of Inisherin might ruin In Bruges’ legacy.

The Banshees of Inisherin proved his fears were unfounded with the film’s whopping $33.6 million box office success.

3. The film’s main cast are all Irish

Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Barry Keoghan were all born in Dublin, Ireland – in 1976, 1967, and 1992, respectively.

Actress Kerry Condon’s birthplace, on the other hand, is Thurles, County Tipperary. She was born in 1983.

4. Martin McDonagh, while London-born, is Irish by blood

Martin McDonagh is an award-winning British-Irish filmmaker born and bred in London. Both of his parents are Irish. His father is originally from Leitir Mealláin, Connemara, in County Galway while his mother came from Killeenduff, Easky, County Sligo.

The McDonagh couple moved back to Ireland in 1992, but Martin and his brother John Michael (who is also a writer-director himself) stayed in London.

5. The time setting of The Banshees of Inisherin is during the Irish Civil War

The Banshees of Inisherin is set in the year 1923. We see this clarification on a calendar onscreen at the begining of the film.

The date says April 1, 1923 – an April Fools’ Day, which makes Pádraic (Farrell) hope that his best pal wanting to cut their friendship is just a joke. However, we learn that it is not.

The setting is around the same time as the Irish Civil War, a conflict that ensued after the war Ireland fought for its declaration of independence from the British. The Irish Civil War took place between the 28th of June in 1922 and the 24th of May the following year.

6. The Banshees of Inisherin movie received critical acclaim

The Banshees of Inisherin received high critical acclaim, particularly toward the screenplay and direction, as well as the musical scoring and the performances of the lead actors.

The film received 9 Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Director for McDonagh, Best Actor for Collin Farrell, Best Supporting Actor for both Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan, and Best Supporting Actress for Kerry Condon.

At the Golden Globe Awards, it won 3 out of 8 nominations: Best Screenplay, Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for Farrell.

The Banshees of Inisherin also got 5 nominations at Screen Actors Guild Awards and was named by the National Board of Review as one of the Top Ten Films of 2022.

7. Inisherin is not a real island

The production used different parts of the Aran Islands to shoot the film. These are on the west coast of Ireland, off the Galway Bay.

However, there is one island there that’s called Inishmore (Irish: Inis Mór), and that’s where they took a lot of scenes used in the film.

They also filmed on Achill Island in County Mayo. Achill Island is the largest island in Ireland.

8. McDonagh’s parents live not far from where the film was shot

McDonagh’s parents went back from London to Galway, Ireland, thirty years ago. They live not far from where most of The Banshees of Inisherin scenes were filmed.

However, as most filmmakers like to do, McDonagh kept the project a secret. He didn’t tell his parents about The Banshees of Inisherin, and that it was being filmed nearby, until the filming was finished.

9. The opening music of the movie is not Irish

McDonagh didn’t want the usual Irish fiddle music for the movie so he used a Bulgarian song in the opening of The Banshees of Inisherin.

The song is performed by The Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir. Eventhough it’s got nothing to do with Irish culture, the music fits the opening scene very well.

10. There are no actual banshees in the film

The titular scene of the movie appears when Colm Doherty (Gleeson), a fiddler, discloses the title of his composition: “The Banshees of Inisherin.”

“The Banshees of Inisherin” is a song that Doherty is hoping will leave a huge legacy. The composition’s inspiration is, of course, the banshee, an Irish mythical creature that howls when someone is about to die.

In the film, the banshees are used as a metaphor for the death of Colm and Pádraic’s friendship.

11. The film features a donkey named Jenny

Jenny the Donkey dies in the film, choking on one of his own fingers that Colm himself mutilated. The Banshees of Inisherin is said to be her first movie, although film star Colin Farrell joked it seemed like her 100th.

While shooting the film, the donkey kicked Farrell in the knee after he got too close to her and touched her nose. In the movie, Jenny the Donkey is owned by Farrell’s character Pádraic Súilleabháin.

12. Some animal actors in the film didn’t like Colin Farrell very much

Farrell was reported to have been terrorized by animals while filming The Banshees of Inisherin.

Apart from Jenny the Donkey kicking Farrell in the knee, the Irish actor also got bitten by the dog owned by Gleeson’s character in the movie. Farrell still has the dog bite scar to tell the story.

The horse, called “Minnie” in the film, seemed to like him, however. The two fared along well.

13. Barry Keoghan accepted his role in the Banshees movie without reading the script

Irish actor Barry Keoghan received an email from McDonagh and immediately accepted the role without even knowing what the movie was about. He just knew it was going to be darned good.

Keoghan’s own life story merits a telling, spending his teens in foster care and going on to become an Academy Award contender. He lost his mother when he was 12, growing up in 13 foster homes with his brother until relatives took them under their care.

Listed as one of Ireland’s greatest film actors, Keoghan’s role as a cop’s troubled son, Dominic Kearney, in The Banshees of Inisherin, garnered him nominations for the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Keoghan is also an amateur boxer.