Irish cinema is special in the way it often makes small stories feel universal. Whether the films take place on a remote island, in Dublin, or across the Atlantic, you'll find that the best Irish cinema keeps returning to ideas of identity, belonging, conflict, humour, music and home. Let's explore what the Emerald Isle brings to the Silver Screen.
Key Takeaways
- Irish cinema includes much more than historical drama, with strong examples of comedy, horror, romance, musicals and coming-of-age stories.
- Some of the best Irish movies explore national history, including the War of Independence, the Civil War, institutional abuse and miscarriages of justice.
- Dublin, Galway, Kerry and the west of Ireland often shape the mood of Irish films as much as the characters or plot.
- Irish actors and directors such as Saoirse Ronan, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Sheridan, John Carney and Lenny Abrahamson have helped bring Irish cinema to global audiences.
- Irish cinema has earned international recognition through major awards, acclaimed performances and films that continue to travel well beyond Ireland.
Top 10 Must-Watch Irish Films
Irish movies are a mixed bag. You'll find different genres, moods, and periods. They cover themes from revolution, injustice, and emigration to music, friendship, romance, humour, or the pull of home. Here are 10 we think you should watch.
million to the Irish economy in 2025.
| Film | Year | Genre | Key Setting | Main Theme | Why Watch It? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Wind That Shakes the Barley | 2006 | Historical drama | Rural Cork | War and political division | Palme d’Or-winning Irish historical drama |
| The Banshees of Inisherin | 2022 | Dark comedy-drama | Fictional Irish island | Friendship and isolation | One of the most acclaimed modern Irish films |
| Brooklyn | 2015 | Romantic drama | Ireland and New York | Emigration and identity | A heartfelt Irish diaspora story |
| My Left Foot | 1989 | Biographical drama | Dublin | Resilience and creativity | Daniel Day-Lewis’s Oscar-winning breakthrough |
| The Commitments | 1991 | Musical comedy-drama | Dublin | Music and ambition | Energetic, funny and full of soul |
| In the Name of the Father | 1993 | Political drama | Belfast, London and prison | Injustice and family | A powerful miscarriage-of-justice story |
| Sing Street | 2016 | Coming-of-age musical | Dublin | Youth and escape | A warm 1980s Dublin music film |
| The Quiet Man | 1952 | Romantic comedy-drama | Galway and Mayo | Homecoming and tradition | A classic screen image of rural Ireland |
| Once | 2007 | Musical romance | Dublin | Music and connection | Intimate, low-budget and emotionally direct |
| The Guard | 2011 | Crime comedy | Galway | Corruption and odd-couple humour | Brendan Gleeson at his funniest |
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
The film won Best Film at the Palme d’Or – Cannes Film Festival, which is one of the most prestigious awards in cinema.
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Academy Award nominations.
Brooklyn (2015)
My Left Foot (1989)
The Commitments (1991)
In the Name of the Father (1993)
Academy Award nominations.
Sing Street (2016)
The Quiet Man (1952)
Once (2007)
The Guard (2011)
Exploring Irish Cinema by Genre
If you know what you like, then there are likely Irish films in your favourite genre. Across drama, comedy, horror and romance, you'll find that Irish filmmakers often blend humour with grief, realism with folklore, and local stories with universal themes, so genres should only be taken as a loose guide. We still recommend starting with our earlier top 10, though as they're among the best and include Ireland's best actors.
Drama
A hard-hitting drama about young women confined in Ireland's Magdalene Laundries.
A tense, intimate drama directed by Lenny Abrahamson and adapted from Emma Donoghue's novel.
A quiet but powerful drama about silence, conscience and the legacy of institutional abuse in Ireland.
A dark, thoughtful drama about faith, guilt and moral pressure in a small Irish community.
A restrained rural drama about loneliness, routine and a socially isolated man in a small Irish town.
Comedy
A village comedy about a lottery win, a sudden death and a very Irish plan to claim the prize.
A sharp Dublin comedy based on Roddy Doyle's Barrytown stories.
A fast-paced ensemble comedy where love, crime and chaos collide across Dublin.
A Cork comedy about two teenagers, one stolen bike and a lot of bad decisions.
A road-trip comedy about gambling, greyhounds and three friends trying to stay ahead of trouble.
Horror
A supernatural horror about a mother who begins to fear that her son is no longer really her son.
A horror-comedy about an island community facing tentacled creatures with one very unusual survival strategy.
A folk-horror film about a family threatened after disturbing an ancient forest in rural Ireland.
An unsettling occult horror about grief, ritual and obsession.
A Dublin-set folk-horror story about family, disappearance and old supernatural fears.
Romance
A delicate Dublin love story built around music, songwriting and emotional restraint.
A romantic drama about emigration, homesickness and choosing between two lives.
A coming-of-age romance set in 1950s Ireland, centred on friendship, love and self-discovery.
A funny, heartfelt Irish romance about friendship, identity and trying to move forward after prison.
A lyrical romantic drama about a fisherman who finds a mysterious woman in his net.
The Evolution of Irish Cinema
Irish cinema has changed significantly, with Ireland now home to a screen industry that includes film, television, animation, documentary and international production activity.⁶ Irish cinema went from Hollywood productions filmed in Ireland to Irish cinema with a global reach. Here's the long story of Irish cinema told quickly.
1890s-1950s
Early Screen Ireland
Irish cinema began with short films, newsreels, imported productions and early location shooting, while Hollywood films such as The Quiet Man helped shape international images of Ireland.
1960s-1980s
Building a National Film Culture
Television, independent filmmaking and the creation of the Irish Film Board under the Irish Film Board Act 1980 helped develop local talent and support Irish screen stories.
1990s-2000s
International Breakthrough
After the Irish Film Board was revived in the 1990s, Irish filmmakers and actors gained wider attention through films such as My Left Foot, The Commitments, In the Name of the Father, Once and The Wind That Shakes the Barley.
2010s-Present
Global Irish Cinema
Modern Irish cinema now spans drama, comedy, horror, romance, animation and international co-productions, with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland serving as Ireland's national development agency for film, television drama, animation, documentary, VFX and digital games.⁵
Influential Irish Filmmakers and Actors
Productions are made up of the people working on the films. These can include directors who shape films with their vision. Then there are the stars, those who choose to become actors and bring characters to life on the silver screen. We can't name them all here, but look to the works of these Irish stars.
Directors
Best known for My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father, Sheridan helped bring Irish biographical and political drama to major international audiences.
A major figure in Irish cinema, Jordan's work ranges from The Crying Game and Michael Collins to darker, more atmospheric stories.
Abrahamson has moved from intimate Irish dramas such as Garage and What Richard Did to internationally recognised films like Room.
Carney is closely associated with music-led Irish films, especially Once and Sing Street, both of which use Dublin as more than just a backdrop.
Known for sharp dialogue and black comedy, McDonagh brought Irish themes of friendship, loneliness and pride to global attention with The Banshees of Inisherin.
Actors
Ronan has become one of Ireland's most internationally recognised actors, with Brooklyn standing out as a key performance in the Irish diaspora.
From independent Irish films to global roles, Murphy has become one of the most prominent Irish actors of his generation.
Gleeson is a defining presence in modern Irish cinema, with standout roles in The Guard, Calvary and The Banshees of Inisherin.
Farrell has balanced Hollywood roles with deeply Irish performances in films such as In Bruges and The Banshees of Inisherin.
Keoghan represents a newer generation of Irish screen talent, with roles in both Irish stories and major international productions.
Filming Locations in Ireland
So who's the real star of Irish cinema? More often than not, it's Ireland itself. The country is beautiful, and that's why filmmakers love it. Even its less-than-perfect sides are excellent backdrops for telling stories. If you live near a location, you could even be an extra in an Irish film.
Dublin
Kerry
Galway
References
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “The 62nd Academy Awards: Memorable Moments.” Oscars.org, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1990/memorable-moments. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “The 66th Academy Awards.” Oscars.org, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1994. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “95th Oscars Nominations Announced.” Oscars.org, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 24 Jan. 2023, https://press.oscars.org/news/95th-oscarsr-nominations-announced. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Festival de Cannes. “The Wind That Shakes the Barley.” Festival de Cannes, https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/the-wind-that-shakes-the-barley/. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. “About Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.” Screen Ireland, https://www.screenireland.ie/about. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. “About the Irish Film Industry.” Screen Ireland, https://www.screenireland.ie/industry-insights/about-the-irish-film-industry. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. “Screen Ireland Will Host Sing Street Screening Event for Culture Night 2023.” Screen Ireland, 6 Sept. 2023, https://www.screenireland.ie/news/screen-ireland-will-host-sing-street-screening-event-for-culture-night-2023. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Irish Film Institute. “In the Name of the Father.” IFI, https://ifi.ie/film/in-the-name-of-the-father-2/. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Irish Film Institute. “The Commitments and Q and A.” IFI, https://ifi.ie/film/the-commitments-qa/. Accessed 26 June 2026.
- Irish Film Institute. “The Guard.” IFI, https://ifi.ie/film/the-guard/. Accessed 26 June 2026.
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