The five best Irish films of all time – ranked

Now you know which ones not to miss

While some productions are made either wholly or partially in Irish, most films from Ireland are still produced in English.

In a 2009 article from Variety which spotlighted Irish cinema, Ireland had only two filmmakers “anyone had heard of” up to 1999/2000.

Those two names were Neil Jordan and Jim Sheirdan, according to the article.

However, this same Variety article stated that as of 2009, Ireland then had “more than a dozen directors and writers with significant and growing international reputations”.

The Irish filmmakers who gained international reputation

A number of films from Ireland were either censored or banned during the 20th century, owing largely to the influence of the Catholic Church with films including The Great Dictator, A Clockwork Orange and Life of Brian being banned at various times.

In Ireland, the first fictional film shot was Kalem Company's The Lad from Old Ireland in 1910.

This was an American film, however, and it was the first one shot on location outside the United States.

It was directed by Sidney Olcott, who returned the next year to shoot over a dozen films primarily in the small village of Beaufort, County Kerry.

While Olcott intended to start a permanent studio in Beaufort, the World War I outbreak prevented him from doing that.

A list of the greatest Irish films

1. The Banshees of Inisherin

The comedy-drama which was nominated for nine Academy Awards, making it the most Oscar-nominated Irish film ever is The Banshees of Inisherin, which is undoubtedly one of the best movies of the decade and one of the best Irish movies ever.

The film is set in 1923, near the end of the Irish Civil War, on a small island off the coast of Ireland.

"But Pádraic's repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve, and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences."

Written and directed by the acclaimed Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Three Billboards), The Banshees of Inisherin's portrait of a fallout between long-time friends is hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure.

We'd argue, though, that the brilliance of McDonagh's screenplay lies in how this central story becomes a metaphor for several different topics: isolation, mental health, the difficulties of rural life, war, and the sacrifices people make to follow their passions.

The performances across the board are also flawless, and the movie looks stunningly beautiful.

As such, it's no surprise that The Banshees of Inisherin holds a near-perfect 96% Rotten Tomatoes score and was nominated for nine Academy Awards, making it the most Oscar-nominated Irish film of all time.

2. The Wind That Shakes The Barley

Our number two pick, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, is also dubbed one of the greatest Irish films ever made.

Directed by renowned Ken Loach (Kes, I, Daniel Blake), The Wind That Shakes the Barley is an unflinching look at Ireland’s War of Independence and the bitter Civil War that followed.

Set in the early 1920s, the drama stars Cillian Murphy as Damien O'Donovan, a young medical student who abandons a promising future in London to join the IRA alongside his brother Teddy (Pádraic Delaney).

A united struggle for freedom soon fractures into a devastating family and ideological divide, as the brothers find themselves on opposing sides of the Irish Free State.

The 2006 release took home the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and remains one of Loach’s most critically acclaimed works.

Shot in his home county of Cork, Murphy delivers a quietly intense performance, embodying the internal conflict and heartbreak that comes with choosing between loyalty and principle.

Additionally, with a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score and notes of realism, emotional weight, and political nuance, the film is often named the best ever made in Ireland.

3. That They May Face the Rising Sun

"Now deeply embedded in the life around the lake, the drama of a year in their lives and those of the memorable characters that move about them unfolds through the rituals of work, play and the passing seasons," a plot synopsis for the movie reads.

Described as a "lyrical celebration of the everyday", That They May Face the Rising Sun earned rave reviews upon release and picked up the top award for Best Irish Film at the IFTAs.

Co-written and directed by Pat Collins and featuring amongst its cast Brendan Conroy (Hokum), Lalor Roddy (Michael Inside) and Sean McGinley (The General).

4. The Guard

Possibly the funniest Irish film ever made is The Guard, the feature directorial debut of John Michael McDonagh (Calvary, War on Everyone).

The crime comedy film sees Brendan Gleeson play Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a crass and confrontational cop working in a sleepy town in Connemara.

Disinterested at work and regularly indulging in drugs and alcohol while on duty, Boyle finds himself paired up with straight-laced FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) against his will.

Everett is in Connemara hunting a group of drug traffickers (played by Gerry Wilmot, Liam Cunningham and Mark Strong) who are seeking to take advantage of the isolation of the West. This is so that they can receive a massive seaborne shipment of cocaine.

As the traffickers start to interfere with Boyle's life, the cop decides to settle his differences with Everett to take down the criminals together.

Featuring dynamite chemistry between Cheadle and Gleeson, a scabrously funny script by McDonagh and an oddly emotional redemption arc for its anti-hero, The Guard became the most successful independent Irish movie in Irish box office history upon release in 2011.

It is now widely considered a cult classic.

5. An Cailín Ciúin

The brilliant 2022 Oscar-nominated Irish drama, An Cailín Ciúin (also known as The Quiet Girl), is our number five pick.

Based on the story 'Foster' by Claire Keegan, the Irish-language film is set in rural Ireland in 1981.

It revolves around a nine-year-old girl named Cait (an incredible Catherine Clinch) who is sent away from her overcrowded, dysfunctional family to live with foster parents (Andrew Bennett and Carrie Crowley, both also incredible) for the summer.

"Quietly struggling at school and at home, she has learned to hide in plain sight from those around her," the plot synopsis reads.

"She blossoms in her foster parents' care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth."

Written and directed by Colm Bairéad, An Cailín Ciúin does stunning work evoking the period in which it is set.

This is as it weaves a simple yet incredibly powerful coming-of-age story that should turn even the most typically stone-faced movie watcher into a weeping mess.

Holding a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film went on to make history by becoming the first Irish film ever to secure a nomination in the Oscars' Best International Feature Film Category.