My family and I love finding movies to help celebrate the holidays, but until this year we had never looked up any movies for St. Patrick’s Day. I grew up watching movies like Darby O’Gill and the Little People, but now that I’ve got teens and tweens in the house I thought it would be fun to add a few movies that were not necessarily St. Patrick’s Day-themed, but that took place in Ireland. Since we try to keep R-rated movies out of the house, I only listed movies below that are G, PG, or PG-13. St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so we’ve got a lot of movie-watching to do!
How many of these movies have you seen? I’ve seen and enjoyed several of them and I’m particularly interested in watching The Secret of the Kells, which just happens to be available on Amazon Prime to stream. Speaking of Amazon, this post includes affiliate links to the DVDs. Enjoy and happy viewing!
12 Movies Set in Ireland {St. Patrick’s Day}
Circle of Friends (1995) ‘Circle Of Friends’ is set in 1950’s Ireland. The movie focuses on Benny Hogan (newcomer Minnie Driver) and her best friend, Eve Malone. The story centers around Benny and Eve as they enter student life at University College, Dublin. Here Benny and Eve reunite with their childhood friend, the ice-cool Nan Mahon, the ‘college belle’. They also encounter the handsome and charming Jack Foley, whom Benny quickly falls for.
Waking Ned Devine (1998) When Ned Devine dies from shock after winning the lottery, two longtime friends, Micheal and Jackie, discover the body and agree Ned would want them to benefit from his good luck. They embark upon an outrageous scheme to claim the ticket but first they have to get all the townsfolk to go along with their plan!
The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) Ten-year-old Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in a small fishing village in Donegal, Ireland. She soon learns the local legend that an ancestor of hers married a selkie — a seal who can turn into a human. Years earlier, her baby brother washed out to sea in a cradle, and some think that he is being raised by the seals. Then Fiona catches sight of a naked little boy on the abandoned isle of Roan Inish and takes a more active role in uncovering the mysteries which abound.
Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) Take a wee bit of ancient folklore, mix in some spectacular special effects and a magical cast (including Sean Connery) — and you’ve got one of the most enchanting fantasies of all time! A frisky old storyteller named Darby O’Gill is desperately seeking the proverbial pot of gold. There’s just one tiny thing standing in his way: a 21-inch leprechaun named King Brian. In order to get the gold, Darby must match his wits against the shrewd little trickster — which proves no small task, indeed!
Far and Away (1992) Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star in this critically-acclaimed romantic adventure from director Ron Howard. This breathtaking epic opens on the west coast of Ireland, 1892. Joseph Donelly (Cruise), a poor tenant farmer, is determined to bring justice to an oppressive landlord. Instead, he finds himself accompanying the landlord’s daughter, Shannon (Kidman), to America in a quest for land. Arriving in Boston, Joseph finds a place for them to live while proving a natural at bare-fisted boxing. But his triumph is short-lived as he and Shannon are thrown out into the bitter cold. Joseph sets off for work on the railroad, until a passing wagon train reminds him of his original goal to possess his own land. Preparing to stake his claim in the new territory, he runs into Shannon who is unhappily reunited with her former fiance.
P.S. I Love You (2007) Holly Kennedy is beautiful, smart and married to the love of her life – a passionate, funny, and impetuous Irishman named Gerry. So when Gerry’s life is taken by an illness, it takes the life out of Holly. The only one who can help her is the person who is no longer there. Nobody knows Holly better than Gerry. So it’s a good thing he planned ahead. Before he died, Gerry wrote Holly a series of letters that will guide her, not only through her grief, but in rediscovering herself.
Tristan and Isolde (2006) Tristan and Isolde is a sweeping, action-packed saga of epic battles, political intrigue and forbidden passion, set in a time when the lines between heroism and savagery were etched in fire and carved out with broadswords. After the fall of Rome, visionary warlord Marke seeks to unite the squabbling English tribes to form one strong nation and defeat brutal Irish King Donnchadh. But when Lord Marke’s greatest and most loyal knight, Tristan (James Franco), falls in love with Isolde (Sophia Myles), a beautiful Irish woman, it threatens to destroy the fragile truce and ignite a war.
The Informer (1935) Dublin, 1920. Gypo Nolan, strong but none too bright, has been ousted from the rebel organization and is starving. When he finds that his equally destitute sweetheart Katie has been reduced to prostitution, he succumbs to temptation and betrays his former comrade Frankie to the British authorities for a 20 pound reward. In the course of one gloomy, foggy night, guilt and retribution inexorably close in…
Leap Year (2010) When Anna’s (Amy Adams) four-year anniversary to her boyfriend passes without an engagement ring, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Inspired by an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on Leap Day, Anna follows Jeremy (Adam Scott) to Dublin to propose to him. But after landing on the wrong side of Ireland, she must enlist the help of the handsome and carefree local Declan (Matthew Goode) to get her across the country. Along the way, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places.
The Quiet Man (1952) The first American feature to be filmed in Ireland’s picturesque countryside. Ford richly imbued this masterpiece with his love of Ireland and its people. Sean Thornton (John Wayne) in an American boxer who swears off fighting after he accidentally kills an opponent in the ring. Returning to the Irish town of his youth, he purchases the home of his birth and finds happiness when he falls in love with the fiery Mary Kate (Maureen O’Hara). But her insistence that Sean conduct his courtship in a proper Irish manner with matchmaker Barry Fitzgerald along for the ride as “chaperone” is but one obstacle to their future happiness: the other is her brother (Victor McLaglen), who spitefully refuses to give his consent to their marriage, or to honor the tradition of paying a dowry to the husband. Sean could care less about dowries, he would’ve punched out the bullying McLaglen long ago if he hadn’t sworn off fighting. But when Mary Kate accuses him of being a coward and walks out on him, Sean is finally ready to take matters into his own hands, the resulting fistfight erupts into the longest brawl ever filmed, followed by one of the most memorable reconciliations in movie history!
The Secret of the Kells (2009) In a remote medieval outpost of Ireland, young Brendan embarks on a new life of adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying a book brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest that takes him into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. It is here that he meets the falry Aisling, a mysterious young wolf-girl, who helps him along the way. But with the barbarians closing in, will Brendan’s determination and artistic vision illuminate the darkness and show that enlightenment is the best fortification against evil?
And, just for fun, here are a few movies filmed in whole or in part in Ireland, but which aren’t actually set there:
- The Blue Max (1966) set in WWI France
- Braveheart (1995) set in Scotland but almost entirely filmed in Ireland; Trim Castle used as Carlisle
- David Copperfield (2000)
- Educating Rita (1983) set in Liverpool. University scenes shot in Dublin’s Trinity College
- Ella Enchanted (2004)
- Excalibur (1981) entire movie shot in Ireland, including scene at Powerscourt Waterfall
- Freeze Frame (2004)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) filmed at the Cliffs of Moher
- Henry V (1944)
- The Italian Job (1969) jail scenes filmed in Kilmainham Jail; funeral scene at Cruagh Cemetery, near Rockbrook in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains
- King Arthur (2004)
- The League Of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse (2005) almost entirely filmed in Northern Ireland
- Moby Dick (1956) filmed in Youghal, County Cork
- Moll Flanders (1996)
- The Princess Bride (1987) The Cliffs of Insanity scenes filmed at the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare
- Reign of Fire (2002) entire movie, includes scenes shot at Wicklow Gap and Poolbeg Generating Station
- Saving Private Ryan (1998) beach scenes filmed on Curracloe beach, County Wexford
- The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965) Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie scenes filmed at Smithfield, Dublin
- Zardoz (1974)
- 10 Best Leprechaun Movies from In Our Spare Time
- 5 Fun Modern Paranormal Irish Tales from Pretty Opinionated
- St. Patrick’s Day Movies on Netflix from Mom on the Side
- Sweet St. Patrick’s Day Books for Babies from My Kids Guide
- Movies Set in Ireland from Better in Bulk (you’re here!)
- St. Patrick’s Day Music from Callista’s Ramblings
- Kids’ Games from Ireland from Gaggle of Gamers
- 10 Favorite Irish Actors from Day by Day in our World
- Books about Brendan the Navigator from Upstate Ramblings
For more St. Patrick’s Day fun, check out a few posts from some of my favorite blogs:
© 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Can you believe I haven’t seen ANY of these movies yet?
I love so many of these movies to watch for St. Patrick’s Day! I have a few of these movies, but I need to try watching something different. Thanks for the movie ideas!
Me too! It’s been too long since I’ve seen it, and I don’t even think my kids have seen it!
I haven’t seen Darby O’Gill and the Little People in forever! I loved that movie as a child!
Darby O’Gill and the Little People is one of my favorites. I’ve watched that every year for years!