“THIS ISN’T ABOUT Inisherin. It’s about one boring man leaving another man alone, that’s all.”
If you are one of the few people left that hasn’t watched Martin McDonagh’s critically lauded, Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated movie The Banshees of Inisherin, then that quote delivered by Brendan Gleeson as Colm Doherty gives a fairly succinct description of the story. Except, it is as much about the fictional setting of Inisherin as it is about the fall-out of two friends.
Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and recognition for the brilliant performances by Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin quickly became one of the biggest and most beloved films of 2022. Outside of the spellbinding performances from Farrell, Gleeson and Condon – not to mention the suspense maintained across the plot – the cinematography throughout The Banshees of Inisherin is one of the feature’s strongest components. Set on Inisherin, the majority of the locations featured were filmed on Achill Island and Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands off the West coast of Ireland.
There’s rarely a grey or overcast day setting the scene as Farrell’s Pádraic Súilleabháin traipses around the vast landscape looking for an answer from Colm Doherty about the disintegration of their friendship. Whether it’s in J.J. Devine’s pub, run by Pat Shortt, or at Doherty’s picturesque cottage overlooking the stunning Keem Bay, The Banshees of Inisherin is an extraordinary 114-minute-long advertisement to visit the West of Ireland.
Although, those familiar with the locations used in McDonagh’s fourth feature-length film will be aware that some trickery and additional dressing were applied to some of the scenery. Many of the buildings featured in the film were either constructed purely for the film or given a lick of paint to fit the scenery and era. With the continued success of the film, it’s almost certain that people from around the world – and living in Ireland – will be taking the trip to visit these beautiful sites along Ireland’s west coast.
Explore some of the sites that have won hearts around the world with this guide to the fictional island of Inisherin.
Perhaps one of the most recognised images from the film is that of Farrell and Gleeson sitting at a table outside having a pint by the cliffside. Much of The Banshees of Inisherin’s action from music sessions, confrontations and the consumption of a few pints all take place in the epicentre of the fictional island; the pub. In this instance, J.J. Devine’s, which is run by Pat Short as Jonjo, was located on Cloughmore on Achill Island. Much like Colm Doherty’s cottage on Keem Bay, there was some decoration applied to the original site for the purpose of the film.
The structure of the pub was completely constructed by the crew and demolished once filming was completed. The surrounding vast views in the background as Pádraic Súilleabháin and Colm Doherty converse – while presumably extremely windy given its coastal location – provides incredible scenery for an outdoor pint.
This was another spot in Achill which got a makeover for the screen. Purteen Harbour was transformed into the modest village on the island where the inhabitants would go to O’Riordan’s Shop – its infrastructure constructed purely for the film, as per J.J. Devine’s – to collect messages and their post, as we see Siobhán do in the mid-section of The Banshees of Inisherin. The shop is just one device within the story to demonstrate the claustrophobic nature of a remote island such as the fictional Inisherin as the postmistress has read Siobhán’s letter before handing it over to her.
Regularly, Purteen Harbour is a busy fishing hub and usually welcomes tourists during the summer months. Those hoping to sneak a peek at O’Riordan’s shop on their next visit to Achill island will be left disappointed as it was removed when filming wrapped.
Not only is Corrymore lake the setting for Mrs McCormick’s home on the island, but it’s where one of the many emotive and tragic scenes of the movie occurs. It is here where Barry Keoghan, as Dominic Kearney, tries to create a brighter future for himself with Kerry Condon’s Siobhán. It is also here at this spot where a great tragedy amongst the islanders comes to light towards the climax. The enveloping cliffs create an intimate and secluded setting by the pretty Corrymore lake, a picture-perfect spot for a summer walk or picnic and is a popular place for hikers.
Situated in the west of Achill Island, between the cliffs of Benmore and Croaghaun Mountain, the secluded Keem Bay is the setting for Brendan Gleeson’s Colm Doherty’s quaint thatched cottage and some of the pivotal beach scenes, crucially the final shot. The cottage as we know it from the film, white-washed and complete with a traditional thatched roof, is not true to how it stands in its true state which is a much more modest and weather-worn aesthetic topped by a corrugated roof. A private infrastructure, the interior scenes were filmed in convincing sets made by the crew.
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