In early Fall 2022, I took a trip with my family to Galway, Ireland. Galway is a coastal city on the western coast of Ireland. One of the prime tourist destinations for those coming to Galway is a trip to see the Aran Islands, and specifically Inishmore, which is located a short boat ride away.
At the time of our trip the film The Banshees of Inisherin had just hit theatres, and we had little idea that we were walking around the setting of a recent film, as much of the film was shot on the very islands we’d come to see. If I had realized I’d have certainly asked many more questions about the filming, any celebrity sightings, and what the locals thought, but perhaps it’s best I learned about the islands and community as I did.
What we learned from our tour was that the Aran Islands, much like Inisherin, really was a world to its own. Of course there were reasons to go to the mainland, but for many of the residents, down to just three or so hundred now, they had much of what they needed already. From food, to education, church, and community. Of course the film interrogates the insular nature of the island by looking at the community, and its strengths, and also what happens when that community is perhaps too insulated, and thereby may be in fact smothering.
While I cannot speak for the community, and even what I’ve shared is largely from our tour guide, I can share the landscapes from the islands which I think as they did in the film tell a story of their own. I may not have the chance to coincidentally be in such a beautiful landscape at the time a spectacular film shot at such place is released again, so I felt I should while I can share the photos I captured for your benefit to appreciate the film and the islands even more.
