Ireland has long captured the imagination of filmmakers from around the world. With its rolling green hills, dramatic coastlines, and rich storytelling culture, the Emerald Isle makes a breathtaking backdrop for all kinds of stories.
From heartwarming romances to gripping thrillers, movies set in Ireland offer something truly special. Get ready to discover 16 films that bring the magic of Ireland to life on the big screen.
1. The Quiet Man (1952)
John Ford’s classic love story is practically a love letter to Ireland itself. An American boxer named Sean Thornton returns to his ancestral home in the fictional village of Inisfree and falls for a fiery local woman.
The film was shot largely in County Galway and County Mayo, capturing jaw-dropping Irish landscapes.
Fun fact: The Quiet Man helped spark a major tourism boom in the west of Ireland that still lasts today.
2. Braveheart (1995)
Although Braveheart tells the story of Scottish warrior William Wallace, a big chunk of it was actually filmed in Ireland. The wide-open green fields of County Wicklow and the Curragh in County Kildare doubled as medieval Scotland throughout the film.
Mel Gibson directed and starred in this epic historical drama, which went on to win five Academy Awards including Best Picture. Ireland’s landscape proved so convincing that most viewers never noticed the switch.
3. Once (2007)
Shot almost entirely on the streets of Dublin, Once is a low-budget musical romance that took the world by storm. The story follows a struggling street musician and a Czech immigrant who bond over their shared love of music.
Real Dublin locations like Grafton Street and Fitzwilliam Square give the film a raw, honest energy.
The movie won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly,” turning its two lead actors into international stars overnight.
4. Brooklyn (2015)
Brooklyn tells the moving story of Eilis, a young woman who leaves her small hometown in County Wexford to start a new life in New York City during the 1950s. The film captures the bittersweet experience of leaving home behind while chasing a better future.
Scenes set in Ireland were filmed in Enniscorthy and New Ross.
Saoirse Ronan earned an Academy Award nomination for her heartfelt performance, making this one of Ireland’s most celebrated films in recent memory.
5. The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
Ken Loach’s powerful drama is set during the Irish War of Independence and the Civil War that followed in the 1920s. Two brothers find themselves on opposite sides of a brutal conflict, tearing their family apart.
The film was shot across County Cork, using the region’s moody, rain-soaked landscapes to stunning effect.
It won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006, bringing global attention to one of Ireland’s most painful historical chapters.
6. Michael Collins (1996)
Liam Neeson plays Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins in this gripping historical epic directed by Neil Jordan. The film traces Collins’s rise as a key figure in Ireland’s fight for independence from British rule.
Dublin city center served as a major filming location, with streets transformed back to the 1910s and 1920s.
The movie sparked renewed public interest in Collins’s life and legacy, reminding younger generations of the sacrifices made during Ireland’s struggle for freedom.
7. Calvary (2014)
Calvary is a deeply thoughtful drama set along the rugged coastline of County Sligo. Brendan Gleeson plays a good-hearted priest who receives a shocking threat during confession, forcing him to reflect on faith, guilt, and community.
The film uses the raw, untamed beauty of Ireland’s west coast to mirror its heavy emotional themes.
Director John Michael McDonagh crafted a story that feels both deeply Irish and universally human, earning widespread critical praise across Europe and North America.
8. The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
John Sayles directed this enchanting family film based on Irish and Scottish selkie folklore. A young girl named Fiona moves to the west coast of Ireland and becomes obsessed with finding her baby brother, who she believes was taken by seals.
The movie was filmed on location in County Donegal, showcasing some of Ireland’s most remote and magical coastline.
Its gentle, mythic tone makes it a perfect film for kids who love folklore, mystery, and beautiful ocean scenery.
9. In Bruges (2008)
Two hitmen are sent to hide out in the beautiful Belgian city of Bruges after a job goes wrong in this wickedly funny dark comedy. While not set in Ireland, the two main characters are Irish, and the film explores Irish identity, guilt, and dark humor in a way that feels deeply rooted in Irish culture.
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are both outstanding, delivering performances that balance laugh-out-loud comedy with genuine emotional weight throughout.
10. Sing Street (2016)
Set in 1985 Dublin, Sing Street follows a teenage boy named Conor who starts a band to impress a girl he meets outside his new school. The film perfectly captures the energy of 1980s Ireland, from the economic hardships families faced to the escape that music and dreams could offer young people.
Director John Carney, who also made Once, fills every scene with infectious songs and genuine warmth. It quickly became one of the most beloved Irish films of its decade.
11. Bloody Sunday (2002)
Paul Greengrass directed this gut-wrenching docudrama about the events of January 30, 1972, when British soldiers shot and killed 14 unarmed civil rights protesters in Derry, Northern Ireland. Shot in a handheld, documentary style, the film places viewers right in the middle of the chaos and terror of that day.
It won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film remains a powerful reminder of one of the most controversial and heartbreaking events in modern Irish history.
12. Leap Year (2010)
Leap Year is a light, fun romantic comedy starring Amy Adams as Anna, an American woman who travels to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on February 29th, following an old Irish tradition. Things go hilariously wrong, and she ends up stranded in the Irish countryside with a grumpy but charming innkeeper.
Filming took place across County Clare, Dingle in County Kerry, and the Dingle Peninsula. The gorgeous scenery almost steals the show from the romantic storyline itself.
13. Angela’s Ashes (1999)
Based on Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Angela’s Ashes tells the story of a young Irish boy growing up in desperate poverty in Limerick during the 1930s and 1940s. Director Alan Parker brought the book’s vivid, heartbreaking world to life using authentic locations throughout Limerick city.
Emily Watson plays the resilient mother holding her family together against impossible odds. The film captures the grim realities of working-class Irish life with honesty and compassion, making it both difficult and deeply moving to watch.
14. Ondine (2009)
Colin Farrell stars as a quiet Irish fisherman who pulls a mysterious woman from the sea in his fishing net off the coast of County Cork. His young daughter becomes convinced the woman is a selkie, a magical creature from Irish folklore.
Director Neil Jordan uses the breathtaking scenery around Castletownbere and Bantry Bay to create an almost fairy-tale atmosphere.
Ondine blends myth and reality in a way that feels uniquely Irish, celebrating local storytelling traditions and the wild beauty of the southwest coast.
15. The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Set on a fictional small island off the west coast of Ireland in 1923, this darkly comic drama follows the sudden end of a friendship between two men, with devastating consequences. Martin McDonagh filmed the movie on Achill Island in County Mayo and Inis Mor in the Aran Islands, using the isolated landscapes brilliantly.
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson both received Academy Award nominations for their performances. The film won the BAFTA for Best British Film and became a worldwide critical sensation.
16. Waking Ned Devine (1998)
When a man in a tiny Irish village wins the lottery and then dies from the shock of it, his neighbors hatch a hilarious scheme to claim the prize themselves. Waking Ned Devine is a wonderfully funny and warm comedy that celebrates the quirky spirit of small Irish communities.
Most of the filming took place on the Isle of Man, but the story is set in a fictional Irish village and captures the feel of rural Ireland perfectly. It became a surprise international hit.