The Job of Songs

The Job of Songs is an intimate film about the musicians of County Clare, Ireland. At the ends of the earth, teetering on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher and the first to break the stormy Atlantic winds, is the small village of Doolin. Travelers from all over the world gather in the local pubs, hoping to connect with their Irish heritage through traditional music. But things are changing: facing rapid modernization at the hands of tourism, confronting depression and mental health issues, and grappling with a history of colonization and oppression, the people of Doolin turn to music to find solace. Christy Barry shares the rich history of place and music, while bemoaning the changes that tourism so quickly brings to this idyllic village. Luka Bloom seeks a legacy, while passing his adoration of music onto his sister Anne and friend Kieran. Katie Theasby longs to vitalize her music yet struggles with self-doubt, single motherhood, and depression. Each of them battles their own personal demons, fighting their fears of putting themselves out there, coping with the changes that tourism has brought to their community, and dreaming of writing the next ballad that will fill the pubs for hundreds of years. Music has the power to bring people together. In an age where everything is speeding up in life and everything is instant, we’re missing the person that walks right in front of us. We’re lonely and we don’t know why. We’re depressed and we don’t see a solution. In this community of musicians, the artists explore what it means to exist in the old music, the long-standing tradition, and find community through the strumming of a guitar, beating of a bodhran, or sharing of a song.