In the Most Fragile of Places: Solitude in Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy
In the Most Fragile of Places: Solitude in Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy

Summary/Abstract: Between 2009 and 2020, the Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon reworked Irish mythological and folkloric material for modern audiences, producing a “trilogy” that explored otherness, nature, and the rediscovery of ancient knowledge. This paper examines how an understanding of solitude and its benefits can be applied to the folklore trilogy, benefits that include a reconnection with nature, the attainment of knowledge and wisdom, and personal transformation. The three films – The Secret of Kells (2009), Song of the Sea (2014), and Wolfwalkers (2020) –are compared and contrasted with each other to determine how the trilogy’s representation of solitude developed over time, and to identify recurring themes relating to solitude and isolation. The argument is ultimately made that the trilogy’s depiction of solitude and its benefits is one that modern Irish audiences can, for the most part, learn from and apply in their ownlives. However, weaknesses in the films’ depictions of solitude are also identified, providing insight into how future folklore films can further explore the theme.

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