TOP TEN IRISH FILMS TO WATCH BEFORE COMING TO IRELAND

Ireland is a land of storytellers and were no strangers to the silver screen.

The Horgan brothers from East Cork were seen as some of the first pioneers of film around the time of the Lumiere brothers. We also have Cork's own Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy and Jessie Buckley. Even Star Wars is filmed in County Kerry.

So here are my 10 Irish films I'd recommend watching before you come to Ireland. You can watch my videos listing these films by clicking here

Film #1

My first recommendation is An Cailín Ciúin, which translates as the Quiet Girl in English. A story about a young girl who goes to live with extended family in the Irish countryside. So many layers to that film. Heartbreaking at times, absolutely beautifully shot, incredible

performances all around. Nominated for best foreign film at the Oscars a couple of years ago. My second recommendation is Intermission.

Film #2

My second recommendation is Intermission. Definitely one of Ireland's quirkiest films starring a young Colin Farrell and Cillian Murphy. Colom Meaney in there too. Very local but gives you a real sense of that Irish humour.

All based around Dublin. Well recommend.

Film #3

My number three film is Michael Collins. An epic film directed by Neil Jordan starring Liam Neeson. The late great Alan Rickman and Julia Roberts. An incredible film based around the Irish War of Independence which then subsequently was followed by the Irish Civil War. Well worth a watch to give you a snapshot of Irish history and how the Irish Republic was formed.

Film #4

My film number four is Song of the Sea, an animation by the gang of Cartoon Saloon. I saw this film the same day I watched Inside Out by Pixar and I really, really liked the Pixar film, but Song of the Sea just blew me away. It has a real sense of Irish spirituality.

Film #5

Number five is The Field based on the play by John B. Keane of the same name starring the brilliant late Richard Harris and John Hurt and a certain Ned Stark in Sean Bean. It's a story of a farmer's fight to hold on to that little bit of land that he has and that his generations before him had farmed and cultivated and kept. It's a much deeper film about the holding back the tide of modernisation. I would say it is Richard Harris' best film performance.

Film #6

A Little Unknown film at number six, which is Disco Pigs, starring once again Cillian Murphy. You might see the trend there. Local lad and Elaine Cassidy. It's based around the play by Enda Walsh of the same name and directed by Kristen Sheridan. Very local to Cork. The vernacular is very local, so it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you do put the effort in, it's a brilliant little film.

Film #7

My film number seven is a legendary film, The Commitments, based around an Irish soul band, full of loads of Irish musicians, Irish actors, including the late Glen Hansard. Very funny, very well written, beautifully directed by the Englishman Alan Parker, who's also director of film number eight.

Film #8

My film number eight is Angela's Ashes directed by Alan Parker based on the book by Frank McCourt. Set in 1930s Limerick, it gives you a snapshot of what life was really like in the working-class areas of the city back then. The damp, you can almost smell it off the film. It's It's got incredibly funny moments, but it is a bleak film and gives you a real snapshot into what life was like.

Film #9

Film number nine is The Wind Shakes the Barley. Similar to Angela's Ashes and The Commitments, it sometimes takes an outside perspective to be able to tell a really great story about a place in its culture, have that objective view. And Ken Loach was no different. Similar to Michael Collins, it tells the story of the Irish War independence followed by the Irish Civil War. But this feels like a much more local story, mainly shot in and around Cork. It feels much more like a small family story rather than a big epic of Michael Collins. And the ending is absolutely heartbreaking. Well worth the watch to get once more get a sense of that Irish history and that time in our history where the republic came from.

Film #10

The Young Offenders is film number 10 created by Peter Foot.

It tells the story of two young lads who set off from Cork City down to West Cork in search of bales of cocaine that are said to be washing up on shore. This is based on a true story, funnily enough. Absolutely hilarious tale of two lads trying to make a few quid off the cocaine washing up on shore. Nobody knew it at the time, but the success of this small little independent film shot all around Cork has now gone on to make a number of TV series with the BBC. Brilliant watch. Really, really funny. Saturday Night Entertainment. Well worth a watch.

That's it. That's my top 10. Hope you enjoy them all. Let me know if you do watch them and what you think of them. Thanks for reading!