My top 10 Irish Movies

My top ten(ish) of Irish Movies. Not exactly set in stone. Some of these  could move  up, down, or off the list!

10. One hundred Mornings (2009)
09. Disco pigs (2001)
08. The Butcher Boy (1997)
07. Crushproof (1998)
06. Sensation (2010)
05. Inside I’m Dancing (2004)
04. What Richard did (2012)
03. The Commitments & The Snapper (1991)
02. The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)
01. Garage (2007) & Adam and Paul (2004)

4 Comments
  • Reply Luke Mc

    September 4, 2013, 2:37 pm

    Interesting list. For me Sensation is a bust – didn’t work at all for me. Haven’t seen some of them and not sure if putting two films at 3 and 1 isnt’ cheating. I would go The Snapper as its funnier and grittier and Adam & Paul because, well, the same reason!

    What constitutes an Irish movie?

    If it is movies by an Irish director then The Company Of Wolves, Boy A and In The Name Of The Father would get a look in.
    If it is movies made/set in Ireland then Bloody Sunday, Hunger and The Dead are right in there. Also possibly The General.

    Also would put Good Vibrations firmly into the bottom reaches of the top ten.

  • Reply John

    September 4, 2013, 2:51 pm

    Yeah I’m not sure exactly what constitutes an Irish movie.

    I guess the main criteria for me is: 1. Is it set in Ireland? 2. Does it have Irish characters/actors? 3. Is the director Irish? (The last one on it’s own is just about permissible!)

    The General isn’t bad but I have a bit of an issue with romanticizing these kind of people. Though The General isn’t quite as blatant, even in the title as Ordinary Decent Criminal.

    I really liked Boy A. I didn’t know the director was Irish.

    I remember liking Hunger but for some reason left little imprint on me, I can hardly remember it.

    Yeah I’d happily swap around The Wind that Shakes the Barley with the Snapper, but I absolutely love the naturalism of The Barley; that moment where Liam Cunnhingham forgets what he was saying and stutters and stammers is one of the finest 20 seconds in film making if you ask me (most likely cut from every other movie).

  • Reply james

    September 19, 2013, 11:34 pm

    no way could garage be put up there with the best Irish films ever made , true its script is good and the character evokes some sympathy and certainly a contender for top 10 but certainly not number one. Personally i feel you’re overlooking so many other films such as Kings with Colm Meaney

    • Reply John

      September 20, 2013, 3:36 pm

      Hi James

      This is just *my* personal top 10. I’m not saying these are the best Irish films ever made.

      But I do think Lenny Abrahamson is the finest filmaker Ireland has produced, which is kind of why I have Garage lumped in with Adam and Paul at number one. Maybe Garage should be on its own a bit further up – but I do think it’s a subtle masterpiece.

      I haven’t seen Kings yet, I’ve added it to my watchlist.

      There are others that I have omitted that make other people’s list, just not mine. Like Transmission. The cinema audience in stitches every time someone said Feck… that really grated on me.

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