Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
St. Patrick’s Day has arrived, but it’s likely you won’t be going out to celebrate (again) this year. If you’re staying home but still want to ring in the holiday, why not spend it watching an Irish film? We’ve got plenty of suggestions for you, whether you’re looking for a movie to watch with kids or a more mature option.
While St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t get as much Hollywood love as holidays like Christmas or even Valentine’s Day, there’s still endless movies to choose from that are a perfect pairing to your green beer and shamrock shirts. For the family-friendly celebration, you’ve got The Luck of the Irish or The Secret of Kells. If you’re in the mood for a more dramatic watch, turn to The Wind That Shakes the Barley. Looking for romance? We’ve got that too, with 2007’s Once.
And there’s even more to see beyond this year’s list. If you’re looking for something more gritty, check out our list of 10 Irish Gangster Dramas. Or if you want only the best according to the critics, look no further than The 12 Irish Movies and Shows on Netflix with the Highest Rotten Tomatoes Scores.
Now that you’re all caught up, it’s time to find your St. Patrick’s Day watch. Here’s our list of 7 St. Patrick’s Day movies to watch today, plus where you can find them.
'Brooklyn'
Brooklyn, a 2015 awards season favorite, stars Saoirse Ronan as a young immigrant named Eilis who arrives in New York from Ireland in the 1950s. There, she fights off her homesickness and falls in love, but is still torn between her home country and her new life in the city. The film scored three Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress for Ronan.
'Sing Street'
Sing Street takes place in Dublin the 1980s, where Connor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) decides to start his own band in part to win over a girl. In hopes of impressing Raphina (Lucy Boynton), he tells her he wants her to star in one of the band’s music videos. The John Carney film is a semi-autobiographic telling of his own youth in Ireland, and was even turned into a musical that was headed to Broadway before the pandemic.
'The Wind That Shakes the Barley'
Cillian Murphy stars in The Wind That Shakes the Barley, a war drama set during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. Murphy plays med student Damien, a young man who puts his career plans on hold to join his brother Teddy (Pádraic Delaney) in the Irish Republican Army. While Damien and Teddy thought they’d be fighting together, they find themselves split when a peace treaty is signed.
'In the Name of the Father'
1993’s In the Name of the Father pulls from the real life story of Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis), a man who was wrongfully accused of setting off an IRA bomb in the 70s. As the prime suspect in the bombing, Gerry is sent to prison for 15 years, where he spends over a decade trying to clear his name with the help of an English lawyer. The film was nominated for seven Oscars, plus four Golden Globes.
'Once'
John Carney’s Once was a hit when it premiered in 2007, and earned an Oscar for its song “Falling Slowly.” The romantic drama stars stars Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as a vacuum repairman and a Czech immigrant who strike up a romance while working on music together. The film takes place in Dublin, Ireland, where the couple falls in love over the course of one week.
'The Luck of the Irish'
While it isn’t quite as critically acclaimed as the rest of the films on this list, The Luck of the Irish is a Disney kids’ classic that’s a St. Patrick’s Day must if you haven’t already seen it. The film Kyle (Ryan Merriman), a teen who has to fight for a gold charm to keep his family safe from a leprechaun with sinister plans. The movie first premiered on Disney Channel in 2001, but it often replays in March to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Plus, it was crowned “the only St. Patrick’s Day movie that matters” by Decider’s Anna Menta.
'The Secret of Kells'
Another kid-friendly St. Patrick’s Day pick, The Secret of Kells is an Oscar-nominated animated film that follows Brendan (Evan McGuire), a young boy living in medieval Ireland. While his uncle Cellach (Brendan Gleeson) prepares for a Viking attack, Brendan is busy working as an apprentice in the local monastery’s scriptorium, where he meets illuminator Aidan (Mick Lally), who recruits him to join a quest to fight evil.
