The Banshees of Inisherin — Musing of a founder in an ego-driven world
A founder's reflection on legacy, ego, and kindness inspired by The Banshees of Inisherin.

The Banshees of Inisherin — Musing of a founder in an ego-driven world
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I recently watched The Banshees of Inisherin on an international flight, and it's still lingering with me. Few movies have moved me as deeply on so many levels: emotionally, philosophically, even politically. Martin McDonagh has crafted a story that is, at first glance, small in scope (a friendship ending on a remote Irish island) but massive in meaning.
As a founder and product leader, I often find myself caught between two pulls: the desire to leave a mark on the industry by building something iconic, and the quieter but deeper desire to be a good human to those closest to me. Watching The Banshees of Inisherin struck a chord because it wrestles with that exact tension.
My review of the Banshees of Inisherin
At its core, the film is about a rupture. Two men, once close friends, suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of an invisible chasm. On the surface, the conflict feels absurd: Colm, a folk musician, tells Pádraic he no longer wants to talk to him. He needs more time to focus on composing music to leave a legacy. But under that absurdity lies something far deeper: a confrontation with meaning, loneliness, ego, and mortality.
In a surprising way, I found myself relating to Pádraic. He's kind, straightforward, and sincere. He values being "nice", not in a shallow way, but because he genuinely cares about the people (and animals) around him. He doesn't need to be remembered in history books. He just wants to be a good friend, a good brother, a good man. And I find that quietly heroic.
The tragedy is that this goodness becomes a liability in a world where ego often tramples empathy.
Colm, in contrast, is desperate to be remembered. He name-drops Mozart but doesn't know what century he lived in. There's something beautifully ironic in that: the emptiness behind his grand pursuit of significance. His "legacy" becomes an excuse to shut out connection, to mutilate himself (literally), and ultimately to bring pain to those around him. As a startup founder, this is something I fight against every day.
One of the most devastating moments for me was the death of Jenny, Pádraic's beloved "miniature" donkey. That innocent animal, whose only sin was wanting company, becomes collateral damage in Colm's pursuit of artistic immortality. It's a brutal reminder that pride rarely stays self-contained. It spills out and hurts those with the softest hearts.
The film also invites broader interpretation. The Irish Civil War rumbles in the background. Brothers killing brothers, with no one quite remembering why. The conflict mirrors the senseless split between Colm and Pádraic. The line that stuck with me most was when the policeman character shrugs off another execution by saying there's a stipend. He didn't even remember which side was getting executed. That indifference toward life, toward others, cuts deeply especially in today's context...
Visually, the movie is stunning. Having spent a fair amount of my childhood in Connemara, I felt an immediate connection to the landscape. The cliffs, the mist, the stone walls, they carry both a familiar beauty and melancholy. The animals, too, aren't just background. They're silent companions, mirrors to their human counterparts.
Beyond the sadness, The Banshees of Inisherin is often hilarious. The dialogue is razor-sharp, and McDonagh walks that fine line between comedy and despair in a way only he can. There's something about Irish humor. It's dark, dry, deeply humane, and it brings light even in the heaviest moments.
Closing thoughts
Ultimately, the film made me think about how much we define ourselves through others. How being seen can make us kind, or bitter. And how, even in our quietest lives, we are constantly making choices: to reach out, or to retreat. To be kind, or to protect our pride. To leave a mark on the world, or to make someone's day a little better.
If those are mutually exclusive, I know which side I'm on.