Banshees of Inisherin: The 83-year-old behind Oscar film's famous knits

1 year ago 26
ARTICLE AD BOX

Colin Farrell wearing the red jumperImage source, Searchlight Pictures

Image caption,

Mrs Barry says a red knit worn by Colin Farrell was her favourite

By Paul Lawlor

BBC News NI

The Banshees of Inisherin has won awards for its acting and writing talent, but for many fans it wasn't just Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson who shone on screen.

The film's knitwear has also received critical acclaim - and that's down to the work of an 83-year-old woman from Greystones in County Wicklow.

Delia Barry's jumpers have been widely praised and even featured in Vogue.

"It's just amazing, I can't understand all the fuss really," she said.

The Banshees of Inisherin is set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland in the 1920s and tells the story of two friends who fall out after one decides to abruptly end their relationship.

In order to create knitwear that was authentic for the period, Mrs Barry based her designs on photographs from 100 years ago.

She said her favourite creation was a red collared jumper worn by the film's leading actor, Colin Farrell.

Image source, Paul Byrne/Greystones Guide

'Back to the start'

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster, she added: "I was proud of Colin Farrell's one when it was finished. I worked off an old photograph from 1921. It was very difficult to figure it out because the photographs were black and white and very enlarged.

"It was very hard to see what kind of a stitch it was, but I got there.

"You have to go back, sometimes to the very start. I had to go back and restart Brendan Gleeson's from the armhole."

Mrs Barry has been knitting for 70 years, but her first foray into film came after the death of her husband, Paddy, from pancreatic cancer.

She was introduced by a friend at a cancer support group to costume designer Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh, who went on to design the costumes in Banshees of Inisherin.

Mrs Barry decided to donate part of her fee for the film to the group to Greystones Cancer Support to thank them for the support they gave to her husband.

She said: "My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2009 and died 11 weeks after.

"The group provided me with support, visited him and there was always someone there to talk to."

Image source, Searchlight Pictures

Image caption,

Barry Keoghan's jumper was a fisherman's knit and "pretty plain sailing" to create, Mrs Barry says

Image source, Searchlight Pictures

Image caption,

The jumpers are based on designs popular in Ireland 100 years ago

After finishing her jumpers, work was done to age them and make them look worn.

This sometimes included adding holes to the garments, something Mrs Barry admitted she did not enjoy, "especially when you're so particular".

Despite featuring in newspapers and magazines from around the world, including Vogue and Vanity Fair, Mrs Barry is keeping her knitting needles firmly on the ground.

"I can't believe that there's so much interest," she said.

"When you've been knitting all your life, they're just jumpers."

Around the BBC

Read Entire Article