By Susan Granger

After you’ve enjoyed your green bagel, pint of Guinness, corned beef & cabbage or shepherd’s pie, why not conclude St. Patrick’s Day with a good Irish movie, perhaps one you’ve never seen before or are yearning to see again? So many of them are streaming these days….no blarney.

“The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022): Oscar-nominated Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are at odds in this tragicomedy about a friendship gone sour…on HBO MAX, Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube, Vudu.

“The Wonder” (2022): Based on Emma Donoghue’s novel and set in 1852 in the Midlands, it features Florence Pugh as an English nurse sent to rural Ireland to investigate claims of a miracle: namely, a young girl who stops eating but, astoundingly, stays alive…on Netflix.

“The Wind That Shakes the Barley” (2006): Cilllian Murphy stars in this saga of two brothers revolving around the Irish resistance to British rule during the War of Independence (1919-21) and how the divisive Treaty of 1921 split the country…considered one of the best Irish films on Amazon Prime, HBO Max & Netflix.

“Philomena” (2013): Nominated for four Oscars, it stars Judi Dench as an Irish unwed mother who was forced to give up her baby for adoption. Years later, she teams up with a London-based journalist (Steve Coogan) to find out what happened to her son…on Netflix, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play.

“In the Name of the Father” (1993): Daniel Day-Lewis stars in Jim Sheridan’s adaptation of the true story of the ‘Guildford Four,’ four men who were falsely accused of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings; it was nominated for seven Academy Awards…on Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, iTunes, Vudu.

“The Commitments” (1991): There’s music galore in this delightful Dublin-set tale, starring Robert Arkins, Johnny Murphy and Angelina Ball – considered one of the best Irish films…on Prime Video, Apple TV, iTunes, Vudu.

“The Secret of Roan Inish” (1995): Based on Celtic folklore and set in a tiny fishing village near Donegal, John Sayles’ charming cultural identity tale evokes the legend of the ‘selkies,’ who are part seal/part human and can live on land…on Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Redbox.

“Bloody Sunday” (2002): This drama recalls the tragic events of January 30, 1972, when 14 innocent civilians were wounded by the British Army following a civil rights protest in Derry…on Amazon Prime.

“Waking Ned Devine” (1998): Two elderly mates from a tiny Irish village conspire to collect the winnings from a multi-million-dollar Irish National Lottery ticket that belonged to their late friend, Nate Devine…terrific comedy….on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu & Google Play.

“Michael Collins” (1996): Directed by Neil Jordan, this historical drama stars Liam Neeson as the famed Irish revolutionary who fights to motivate the National Army during the Irish Civil War… with Aidan Quinn and Stephen Rae…on Amazon Prime, Redbox, Apple TV, iTunes, Vudu.

“Evelyn” (2002): Set in 1953, this emotional story focuses on the life of Desmond Doyle, embodied by Pierce Brosnan, who is abandoned by his wife on Christmas Eve as the Irish courts dictate that their children be placed in Church-controlled orphanages…on Amazon Prime.

“The Guard” (2011): In this comedy buddy cop story, Don Cheadle is a stern no-nonsense FBI agent working with Brendan Gleeson, a bumbling, disrespectful Irish police officer, as they attempt to foil a criminal gang operating in Ireland…on Netflix.

“Once” (2007): With familiar songs and lyrics, romance blooms on the streets of Dublin as a street busker and a Czech immigrant begin a relationship that irrevocably changes both their worlds…on Netflix, Amazon, iTunes.

Hard Times (2009): This Irish comedy tells the story of a group of friends who hijack a truck full of Viagra and plan to sell it in Amsterdam…starring John Lynch, Linda Hamilton, Cornelius Clarke and Lochlainn O’Mearain…on Amazon Prine & Netflix.

“Wild Mountain Thyme” (2020); Jamie Dornan and Emily Blunt play childhood friends/neighbors deciding what to do with their land as their parents age…on Amazon, iTunes.

“The Quiet Man” (1952): John Ford’s flamboyant romantic comedy with John Wayne as a boxer who returns to Ireland after accidentally killing a man in the ring. It co-stars Maureen O’Hara and Barry Fitzgerald…It was filmed in Cong, Mayo and County Galway…on Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus, Apple TV, Vudu, Roku.

Catch up on Susan’s recent reviews:

Susan Granger

Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in Journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has appeared on radio and television as an anchorwoman and movie critic for many years. Read all her reviews at susangranger.com.

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