The Best Movies Set in Ireland

Before tackling the Jason Bourne franchise, director Paul Greengrass helmed this gripping reenactment of the infamous “Bloody Sunday” shootings in 1972. What begins as an Irish protest for independence turns into a deadly massacre when British soldiers start firing upon unarmed civilians. Some scenes were shot at the location of the actual event.

Director John Ford (of “The Informer”) returned to Ireland for this romantic dramedy, one among a number of collaborations with movie star John Wayne. The story takes place in 1920 and follows retired boxer Sean Thornton (Wayne) to the small Irish village of his birth. Upon courting a local woman (Maureen O’Hara) and purchasing a property, Thornton draws the ire of the town bully.

Director Stanley Kubrick took inspiration from historical paintings when crafting this lush period dramedy, based on an 1844 novel. It chronicles the exploits of Irish rogue Barry Lyndon (Ryan O’Neal), who marries into the life of an aristocrat. “This is a masterclass in cinematography,” wrote critic Wendy Ide for the Observer (UK).

The first of three collaborations between director Jim Sheridan and actor Daniel Day-Lewis tells the true story of Irish artist Christy Brown. Suffering from cerebral palsy, Brown creates paintings, prose, and poetry using only his left foot. Day-Lewis reportedly stayed in character during production and went on to win his first Academy Award for his performance.

For their second collaboration, director Jim Sheridan and Daniel Day-Lewis set their sights on real-life historical figure Gerry Conlon. Falsely imprisoned for an IRA bombing he didn’t commit, Conlon spends 15 long years trying to clear his name. The film currently holds the #188 position on IMDb’s list of the Top 250 Movies.