The Best Irish Movies You Must Watch!

This article will examine our favourite Irish movies, from the classics to modern releases and everything in between. This list comprises films that tell an Irish story or experience, are set on the Emerald Isle, or feature a noticeable Irish cast/director.

This movie list aims to be your ultimate guide to Irish movies! We have arranged our list by genre so you can easily find a movie you’ll love. Before that, why not read a brief introduction to Ireland’s relationship with cinema?

Irish Movies and Cinema

Ireland is a country that not only loves but embraces the arts. We have always been an island of culture, but the fact that we are nestled on the edge of Europe and an ocean away from Hollywood hasn’t always made a career in film viable for most aspiring Irish creatives. However, today, we are known for having some of the world’s most talented and hardworking actors, directors, animators and producers.

Aside from having so many great Irish actors praised for their skill, talent and charisma, Ireland is also a beautiful filming location. Some of the biggest movies, shows and franchises of all time have used Ireland as their backdrop. Check out the 20 biggest movies filmed in Ireland to find out more!

There is something almost ethereal about our little country, from charming fairytale-like villages to stunning natural landscapes such as the Burren and the Giants Causeway, as well as ancient castles and isolated woodland. This variety has helped to make Ireland a famous filming location for some of the biggest movie franchises in the world.

We also have filming studios in Bray and Animation studios in Kilkenny, so plenty of suitable filming infrastructure is available for all our beautiful locations.

Which Irish movies do you think will feature on this list?

Modern Irish Movies – Recently released Irish films!

1. Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Filmed on Achill, which doubles as the fictional island of Inisherin, The Banshees of Inisherin follows two lifelong friends at a crossroads in their relationship. Colm (played by Brendan Gleeson) has abruptly decided to shun Padraic (Colin Farrell) for seemingly no reason other than that he is ‘dull’. Losing a friend can have dire consequences on an island as isolated as Inisherin.

Alongside Gleeson and Farrell, Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon star, making this movie one of the best Irish ensemble casts in recent years.

The film sees the reunion of Gleeson and Farrell in a movie directed by Martin McDonagh, as the trio previously worked on ‘In Bruges’ in 2008. To explore the cast, film locations, and more, check out Banshees of Inisherin: The Ultimate Film Guide!

It’s hard to define a movie like this. It has been labelled as a dark tragi-comedy, but Irish humour can lighten even the darkest stories. That being said, you shouldn’t underestimate the lengths Colm will go to when ending his friendship or the fallout it will cause.

While there isn’t any traditional banshee spirit in this movie, you don’t have to worry, as we have an entire blog about banshees in Irish mythology. Farrell and Gleeson are the best 20 Irish actors ever on our list. Who else do you think features?

2. The Wonder (2022)

Our next film is based on the novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue (which features on our list of top 100 Irish historical fiction novels). Netflix’s psychological thriller follows the curious case of the fasting girl. English nurse Lib Wright (played by Florence Pugh) arrives in the midlands of County Wicklow to observe a young girl (Kíla Lord) who has not eaten in months, yet appears perfectly healthy, with talks of a ‘miracle’ in the works.. 

Set in the late 1800s in a rural religious village in Ireland, this psychological period drama will see Libby fight to discover the truth, figure out who she can trust, and battle to help the girl behind the ‘miracle’.

Did you know? Brie Larson stars in Room (2015), another film adaptation of Irish writer Emma Donoghue’s work.

3. Belfast (2021)

In this semi-autobiographical movie directed by Kenneth Branagh, a young boy and his family experience life at a tumultuous time in Belfast. Set in the late 1960s, viewers can expect to see the beginning of the Troubles in Northern Ireland through the lens of a child in this coming-of-age drama. 

Jamie Dornan, Dame Judi Dench, Caitriona Balfe and Jude Hill star in this brilliant Irish movie.

Belfast surpassed Schindler’s list to become the highest-grossing black and white film of the modern era.

4. Brooklyn (2015)

Brooklyn is a romantic period drama that tells the heartbreaking story of the Irish diaspora, particularly of one Eilis Lacey’s (played by Saoirse Ronan) immigration to New York. Emory Cohen and Domhnall Gleeson co-star as Eilis’s two potential lovers, symbolising the choice she has to make: return home to Ireland and accept her role in society, or stay in New York and try to achieve the American dream.

We can relate to Eilis’s struggles with homesickness. However, in the 1950s, Ireland had little to offer a young woman like our protagonist apart from the prospect of marrying into wealth. In a twist of fate, once Eilis begins to acclimate to life in Brooklyn, a tragic incident forces her to decide on her future much sooner than expected.

This is one movie every Irish person should watch. Many people have experienced immigration firsthand or stayed behind when a family member left home; many relatives moved abroad and never got to return. Brooklyn shares a universal experience in a uniquely Irish way.

Oscar-Winning Irish Movies:

5. My Left Foot (1989)

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown, simply known as My Left Foot, is a biographical drama by Irish director Jim Sheridan adapted from Christy Brown’s 1959 memoir. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Christy Brown, an Irish man born with cerebral palsy who could control only his left foot.

Brown became a famous artist and writer, and the film follows the story of his upbringing, growing up in an Irish family of 15. Brenda Fricker stars as his mother, Mrs. Brown.

My Left Foot saw Irish actors Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker win Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. The movie was mainly filmed in Ardmore Studios in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Irish Mob Movies

6. The Irish Man (2019)

The Irish Man is a gangster film directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese. The story follows Frank Sheeran (played by Robert De Niro), an elderly Irish American War Veteran who recounts his time as a hitman for the Mafia.

The Irish Man has an ensemble cast, and De Niro is accompanied by fellow cinema legends Joe Pesci and Al Pacino. You can find this Irish movie on Netflix!

7. Gangs of New York (2002)

Another Irish gang movie directed by Scorsese is Gangs of New York. Set in 1862, the film introduces the audience to a long-running Catholic-Protestant feud that has erupted into violence just as an Irish immigrant group is protesting against conscription.

Amsterdam Vallon returns to Five Points in New York City seeking revenge against his father’s killer, Bill the Butcher.

The ensemble cast includes Leonardo Dicaprio, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, Cameron Diaz, Daniel Day-Lewis, John C Reilly and Jim Broadbent.

Romantic Irish Movies / Irish Rom-Coms

8. PS I Love You (2007)

One of the most famous romantic drama movies filmed in Ireland is the next item on our list. An ensemble cast featuring Hillary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, James Marsters, Harry Conick Jr. and Jeffrey Dean Morgan came together for the film adaptation of Irish author Cecelia Ahern’s number one bestseller debut novel, PS I Love You.

The movie follows newly-widowed Holly after she receives a message from her late husband Gerry on her 30th birthday. He has arranged for her and her friends to visit his home country of Ireland. This message is the first of many letters from her husband; each new one sends Holly further along her adventure and into a journey of self-discovery, learning how to process her grief.

9. Leap Year (2010)

Leap Year is another Irish romantic comedy starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode. The story follows Anna Brady, who flies to Ireland to surprise her boyfriend with a proposal. Traditionally, a lady could propose to a man on a leap year, and he would have to say yes. Anna had waited years for a proposal and decided to take matters into her own hands, using obscure Irish traditions to her advantage!

Of course, there are several obstacles that Anna has to overcome if she wants to propose before the Leap Year ends. A series of misfortunes mean she arrives in Cork from Wales, over 150 miles from her boyfriend in Dublin. The race is on, but after meeting a local Irish man who agrees to drive her to Dublin, things get even more complicated and unexpected feelings arise. This movie is based around an eccentric Irish wedding tradition, but would you believe we have many more wedding superstitions in Ireland?

Irish Musical Movies:

10. Once (2007):

With an Oscar-winning soundtrack, the Irish romance drama ‘Once’ stars Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as two struggling street musicians in Dublin. The duo performed together in the group ‘The Swell Seasons’ and wrote and composed all of the music in the film. Hansard and Irglová’s song “Falling Slowly” won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the soundtrack received a Grammy Award nomination.

Other movies strive to be as personal as this film. While a romantic image is presented, the struggling characters add a realness to the story. Life hasn’t planned out exactly as they hoped, but they are still fighting to do what they love and navigating their messy connection.

The busking scenes were filmed on Grafton Street, a popular shopping area where a singer or two will always perform. Did you know that the lead male role was initially supposed to go to Cillian Murphy, who also had a professional career in music as the lead singer of a rock band, ‘The Sons of Mr Greens Genes’?

11. Sing Street (2016):

Sing Street is a musical coming-of-age comedy-drama starring Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, Jack Reynor and Kelly Thornton. Sing Street follows Conor Lawlor, starting a band in 1980s Ireland to impress a girl.

If you’re looking for a feel-good, optimistic film with a great soundtrack, Sing Street may be for you.

Rock music has a fascinating history in Ireland, and this charming movie captures the dream of becoming a famous musician that inspired so many youngsters at the time.

Classic Irish Movies:

12. The Quiet Man (1952)

Our next Irish film is a classic by every standard. The Quiet Man stars the king of Westerns, John Wayne, and Irish actress Maureen O’Hara. Maureen O’Hara was the Queen of Technicolor who paved the way to Hollywood for many Irish actors who followed. The brilliant John Ford directed the romantic drama.

The film follows the story of a man (John Wayne) who returns to Ireland and finds love with Maureen O’Hara’s character. Much of the filming in Ireland took place in the West of Ireland, depicting the picturesque countryside of 1950s Ireland, which ended up stealing the show.

An old but actual classic film that is adored by many worldwide, ‘The Quiet Man’ was one of the first coloured films to give the world a glimpse into the undeniable beauty that Ireland has to offer. The film includes two iconic stars, ‘The Duke’ John Wayne and Irish-born actress Maureen O’Hara, who are considered legends of Hollywood’s golden age.

Maureen O’Hara is fondly remembered as the Queen of technicolour and was one of the greatest Irish actors ever. She even features on our list of Irish people who made history in their lifetime!

13. The Field (1990)

Jim Sheridan’s The Field is an adaptation of Irish playwright John B. Keane’s play of the same name. The film features Irish actors Richard Harris, Brenda Fricker, John Hurt, and Sean Bean. By all accounts, The Field is a classic Irish movie filmed in the Connemara region.

It is set in the 1930s and follows the Bull McCabe and the lengths he will go to to keep the field he rented for many years and developed from a useless plot of land to a prosperous field. The film explores a dark take on rural Ireland and questions how much the Bull McCabe is willing to sacrifice to keep the field that has acted as a steady constant in the many eventful and tragic moments of his life.

14. Waking Ned Devine (1998)

Waking Ned Devine, or simply Waking Ned, is an Irish comedy film starring David Kelly, Fionnula Flanagan, and Ian Banann. Although the story is set in Ireland, it was filmed on the Isle of Man.

The film follows two elderly best friends, Jackie and Michael, and Jackie’s wife, Annie, who discover that someone in their small village of 52 people has won the Irish National Lottery. When the town starts gossiping and realises that only one person has yet to be seen since the announcement, they pay a visit to Mr Ned Devine, only to find out that he has died from shock with the lottery ticket still clutched in his hand.

Will the village of Tulaigh Mhór be able to convince the lottery that Ned is still alive so they can retain the fortune, or will someone rat them out? One thing is sure: you’ll get a good laugh out of this Irish comedy!

15. The Barrytown Trilogy

The Barrytown Trilogy consists of three movies based on Roddy Doyle’s famous novels The Commitments (1991), The Snapper (1993) and The Van (1996). The cult classic film series follows the Rabbitte family in Dublin as they navigate life.

Colm Meaney stars as Mr Rabitte, the patriarch of the family. The first film follows young Jimmy Rabitte (Robert Arkins) as he attempts to create and manage an Irish soul band. The second entry follows Sharon Rabitte’s unplanned pregnancy and the response she receives as an unmarried woman in a conservative Irish society. The final movie in the series explores unemployment and friendship as Meaney’s character and his best mate experience the highs and lows of running a business together.

Historical Irish Movies

16. Michael Collins (1996)

Michael Collins is a biographical period drama starring Liam Neeson as the title character, a leading figure in the struggle for Irish Independence in early 20th-century Ireland. Alan Rickman and Julia Roberts star as Éamon de Valera and Kitty Kiernan, respectively.

The movie was a critical and commercial success. It was seen as an essential watch for its historical importance, so much so that the Irish Film Censor reduced the movie’s rating from over 15 to PG to encourage young people to learn about Irish history. As expected with any adaption of a real-life event, specific film details may not be 100% historically accurate, but using real-life locations in the movie, such as Kilmainham Jail, enriches the experience. It reminds us of the importance of learning about our past.

There’s nothing else I can say about this movie except that it is well worth watching. It’s tense, thrilling, emotional, heartbreaking, and rewarding.

17. The Wind That Shakes the Barely (2006)

The Wind That Shakes the Barlemy is a War drama film set during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) and the Irish Civil War (1922-1923). The movie follows two fictional brothers, Damien and Teddy O’Donovan, played by Cillian Murphy and Pádraic Delaney, respectively, who join the Irish Republican Army to fight for Irish Independence from the United Kingdom.

When the Peace Treaty is signed, the two brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the war, and the strength of their familial bond is tested to its limits.

18. Black ’47 (2018)

Black ’47 is a fictional film set during the Great Famine in Ireland from 1845 to 1852. The film explores the devastating reality of living in Ireland at this time, surrounded by unjust death and little to no hope.

The film extensively uses the Irish language when holding conversations between natives of Ireland, which is rarely seen in cinema. While there are a few historical inaccuracies, the film successfully portrays the cruel reality of life in Ireland during this time.

Irish Biopic Movies

19. Hunger (2008)

Michael Fassbender plays Bobby Sands, the Provisional Irish Republican Army member who led the second IRA Hunger strike. The story revolves around the 1981 Hunger Strike in Maze Prison as Irish republican prisoners strike to regain political status.

The film explores the 66 days that Sands spent on the hunger strike, as well as the aftermath of his death and the other deaths of prisoners and prison officers that occurred during this time. It is not an easy watch, but it has been praised for handling the complex subject matter.

20. Philomena (2013)

Philomena is a tragicomedy based on Martin Sixsmith’s 2009 book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee. It is the real-life story of Annie Philomena Lee, an Irish woman who spent 50 years searching for her son. Dame Judi Dench and Steve Coogan star as Philomena and Martin Sixsmith, respectively. The movie follows the journalists’ efforts to reunite a mother and her son.

After becoming pregnant in 1951, Philomena was sent to a Magdalene laundry because she was unmarried. The movie recounts the abuse survivors suffered at the laundries. Philomena spent four years at the laundry and had little contact with her son. Her child was given up for adoption, and Philomena never got the chance to say goodbye.

Against all odds, the unlikely pair attempted to trace Philomena’s son’s whereabouts after 50 years of no results, with the convent continuing to hinder their search all these years later. Philomena is a heartbreaking but true story that highlights how much young unmarried women and their children suffered at the hands of the Church in Ireland and how it is still so difficult to get justice all of these years later.

Final Thoughts

Thanks for reading this article. We hope one of these brilliant Irish movies will be featured on your next film night. With so much variety, there is something for everyone to enjoy! Do you think we missed any tremendous Irish movies that deserve a spot on our list? Let us know in the comments below!

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