Movies Filmed in Ireland: Epic Films Shot in Stunning Locations
Updated July 2025
From sweeping coastal cliffs to bustling Dublin streets, Ireland has been the stunning backdrop for countless iconic films—both home grown Irish movies and major Hollywood productions. Whether you’re looking for historical epics, gripping dramas, dark comedies, or new Irish movies making waves, this list showcases the best of films filmed in Ireland, featuring legendary actors like Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Saoirse Ronan, and Cillian Murphy. films shot in Ireland.
As an Irish film buff, nothing beats seeing my homeland’s wild cliffs and charming towns light up the silver screen. My must-watch Irish films will allow you to see the heart and soul of Ireland – along with enjoying some great craic.
Among these gems is the famous Irish prison movie Hunger (2008), a harrowing portrayal of the 1981 IRA hunger strikes, as well as recent hits like The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) and Small Things Like These (2023), proving that Ireland continues to inspire powerful storytelling.
Explore Oscar-winning dramas, charming musicals, thrilling crime tales, and haunting historical films—all set against Ireland’s breathtaking scenery. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic like The Quiet Man (1952) or a modern masterpiece like Belfast (2021), these movies capture the heart, humour, and resilience of the Irish spirit.
- Movies Filmed in Ireland: Epic Films Shot in Stunning Locations
- Irish Movies & Filming Locations: A Cinematic Tour of Ireland
- This guide showcases the best films shot in Ireland, including:
- Top 46 Movies Filmed in Ireland (Year Order)
- The Quiet Man (1952)
- My Left Foot (1989)
- The Field (1990)
- The Commitments (1991)
- In the Name of the Father (1993)
- The Snapper (1993)
- Circle of Friends (1995)
- Michael Collins (1996)
- The Van (1996)
- The Butcher Boy (1997)
- Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)
- The General (1998)
- Waking Ned Devine (1998)
- Angela's Ashes (1999)
- Agnes Browne (1999)
- The Magdalene Sisters (2002)
- Veronica Guerin (2003)
- Intermission (2003)
- Adam & Paul (2004)
- Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
- The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
- Once (2007)
- P.S. I Love You (2007)
- Hunger (2008)
- Ondine (2009)
- The Secret of Kells (2009)
- Leap Year (2010)
- The Guard (2011)
- Albert Nobbs (2011)
- Philomena (2013)
- Calvary (2014)
- Song of the Sea (2014)
- Brooklyn (2015)
- The Lobster (2015)
- Sing Street (2016)
- The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
- The Secret Scripture (2016)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), The Force Awakens (2015)
- Black '47 (2018)
- Extra Ordinary (2019)
- The Hole in the Ground (2019)
- Belfast (2021)
- The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
- The Wonder (2022)
- Small Things Like These (2023)
- Where to Watch?
- Experience the Magic of Ireland’s Film & TV Legacy
Irish Movies & Filming Locations: A Cinematic Tour of Ireland
From the rugged Dingle Peninsula to the mystical Skellig Michael, Ireland’s breathtaking landscapes have set the stage for legendary films—both Irish-made classics and major Hollywood blockbusters.
Whether you’re a fan of historical epics like Saving Private Ryan (which filmed its D-Day scenes on Curracloe Beach), the magical world of Harry Potter (the Cliffs of Moher doubled as the Horcrux cave), or the galactic battles of Star Wars (where Skellig Michael became Luke Skywalker’s remote hideout), Ireland’s set-jetting locations are as iconic as the movies themselves.
This guide showcases the best films shot in Ireland, including:
Northern Ireland hits like Belfast (2021) and Game of Thrones.
County Wicklow’s starring role in Braveheart (Trim Castle) and P.S. I Love You (Powerscourt Estate).
The Wild Atlantic Way’s dramatic scenery in The Banshees of Inisherin and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Even cult favourites like The Princess Bride, which used the Cliffs of Moher for its Cliffs of Insanity!
Travel tip: Planning a cinematic road trip? Visit Trim Castle (a Braveheart stronghold), wander the Powerscourt Estate (a The Count of Monte Cristo filming spot), or hike the Dingle Peninsula (seen in Ryan’s Daughter).
From Oscar-winning dramas (My Left Foot) to new Irish movies (Small Things Like These), these films prove Ireland is more than a backdrop—it’s a character itself.
Ready to dive in? Check where to stream them and experience the magic of Irish cinema.
Top 46 Movies Filmed in Ireland (Year Order)
The Quiet Man (1952)
Plot: An Irish-American boxer (John Wayne) returns to Ireland and falls for a fiery local woman (Maureen O’Hara), but must contend with her stubborn brother.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Cong, County Mayo
My Left Foot (1989)
Plot: The true story of Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis), an artist with cerebral palsy who paints and writes using only his left foot.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin, Wicklow
The Field (1990)
Plot: A farmer (Richard Harris) fiercely defends his land from an outsider, leading to a tragic clash in rural Ireland.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Connemara
The Commitments (1991)
Plot: A working-class Dublin band forms to play soul music, battling egos and life struggles.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Tubi (Free)
Filmed in: Dublin
In the Name of the Father (1993)
Plot: The true story of the Guildford Four, wrongfully imprisoned for an IRA bombing.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin
The Snapper (1993)
Plot: A young woman’s pregnancy causes gossip in her Dublin neighbourhood as she refuses to name the father.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, BritBox
Filmed in: Dublin
Circle of Friends (1995)
Plot: A coming-of-age romance about three Irish girls navigating love and betrayal in 1950s Ireland.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Kilkenny, Dublin
Michael Collins (1996)
Plot: Liam Neeson stars as the revolutionary leader in Ireland’s fight for independence.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin, Wicklow
The Van (1996)
Plot: Two unemployed friends start a fish-and-chips van during the 1990 World Cup.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin
The Butcher Boy (1997)
Plot: A troubled boy’s descent into violence in 1960s rural Ireland. Darkly comic and disturbing.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Monaghan, Dublin
Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)
Plot: Five sisters in 1930s Donegal face societal pressures and personal dreams.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Donegal
The General (1998)
Plot: Brendan Gleeson plays real-life Dublin criminal Martin Cahill.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin
Waking Ned Devine (1998)
Plot: A village conspires to claim a lottery win after a local man dies from shock upon winning. Not filmed in Ireland but a brilliant movie all the same.
Streaming: Disney+ (Star), Amazon Prime
Filmed in: Isle of Man (Irish-themed)
Angela’s Ashes (1999)
Plot: Frank McCourt’s memoir of growing up in poverty in 1930s Limerick. I have to add my older Irish relatives absolutely hated the book and the move – they don’t believe most of it happened.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Cork, Dublin
Agnes Browne (1999)
Plot: A widowed Dublin mother (Anjelica Huston) struggles to raise her kids with humor and heart. One of my absolute favourite Irish films.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin
The Magdalene Sisters (2002)
Plot: A harrowing drama about women abused in Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Tubi (Free)
Filmed in: Dublin
Veronica Guerin (2003)
Plot: Cate Blanchett plays the Irish journalist murdered for exposing drug gangs.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Hulu
Filmed in: Dublin
Intermission (2003)
Plot: A darkly comic crime film intertwining Dubliners’ lives after a botched robbery.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin
Adam & Paul (2004)
Plot: A tragicomic day in the life of two heroin addicts in Dublin.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin
Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
Plot: A transgender woman (Cillian Murphy) searches for her mother amid the Troubles.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin, Wicklow
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
Plot: Brothers (Cillian Murphy) join the IRA during the Irish War of Independence.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Kanopy
Filmed in: Cork, Kilkenny
Once (2007)
Plot: A Dublin busker and a Czech immigrant bond through music. Glen Hansard one of the stars now lives in Dublin and busks every Christmas in Grafton Street to raise money.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Tubi (Free)
Filmed in: Dublin
P.S. I Love You (2007)
Plot: A widow (Hilary Swank) receives letters from her late husband.
Streaming: Netflix (some regions), Amazon Prime
Filmed in: Wicklow, Dublin
Hunger (2008)
Plot: This brilliant Irish prison film centres around the 1981 IRA hunger strike in Northern Ireland’s Maze Prison.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Tubi (Free)
Filmed in: Belfast
Ondine (2009)
Plot: A fisherman (Colin Farrell) rescues a woman who may be a mythical selkie.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Castletownbere, Cork
The Secret of Kells (2009)
Plot: A boy helps complete the Book of Kells amid Viking invasions.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Filmed in: (Irish animation)
Leap Year (2010)
Plot: A woman (Amy Adams) travels to Ireland to propose on Leap Day.
Streaming: Netflix (some regions), Amazon Prime
Filmed in: Wicklow, Connemara
The Guard (2011)
Plot: A crude Irish cop (Brendan Gleeson) teams with an FBI agent to stop smugglers.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Tubi (Free)
Filmed in: Galway, Connemara
Albert Nobbs (2011)
Plot: A woman (Glenn Close) disguises herself as a man in 19th-century Dublin.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Dublin
Philomena (2013)
Plot: A journalist helps a woman (Judi Dench) find her son taken by nuns.
Streaming: Netflix (some regions), Amazon Prime
Filmed in: Wicklow, Dublin
Calvary (2014)
Plot: A priest (Brendan Gleeson) is threatened with murder in confession.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Peacock
Filmed in: Sligo
Song of the Sea (2014)
Plot: A boy discovers his sister is a selkie in this animated fairy tale.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Filmed in: (Irish animation)
Brooklyn (2015)
Plot: An Irish immigrant (Saoirse Ronan) torn between New York and Ireland.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Disney+ (Star)
Filmed in: Enniscorthy – Wexford and Dublin
The Lobster (2015)
Plot: Single people must find love or be turned into animals in a dystopian world.
Streaming: Netflix (some regions), Amazon Prime
Filmed in: Parknasilla, Kerry
Sing Street (2016)
Plot: A Dublin teen forms a band to impress a girl in the 1980s.
Streaming: Netflix (some regions), Amazon Prime
Filmed in: Dublin
The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
Plot: Irish UN soldiers defend a Congo outpost against overwhelming odds.
Streaming: Netflix
Filmed in: Dublin, Wicklow
The Secret Scripture (2016)
Plot: An elderly woman (Vanessa Redgrave) recalls her life in a mental hospital.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Filmed in: Sligo, Dublin
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), The Force Awakens (2015)
Plot: Rey trains with Luke Skywalker on Ahch-To (Skellig Michael).
Streaming: Disney+
Filmed in: Skellig Michael, Kerry and the Inishowen Peninsula, locations between Cork and Donegal doubled as Luke’s Island.
Black ’47 (2018)
Plot: An Irish Ranger seeks revenge during the Great Famine.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Tubi (Free)
Filmed in: Connemara, Wicklow
Extra Ordinary (2019)
Plot: A driving instructor with supernatural powers battles a satanic rock star.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Filmed in: County Mayo and Dublin
The Hole in the Ground (2019)
Plot: A mother suspects her son is replaced by a doppelgänger.
Streaming: Amazon Prime, Shudder
Filmed in: Dublin, Wicklow
Belfast (2021)
Plot: A young boy’s childhood in 1960s Belfast during the Troubles.
Streaming: Amazon Prime (Rent), Apple TV
Filmed in: Belfast
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Plot: A friendship ends abruptly on a remote island, leading to dark consequences.
Streaming: Disney+ (Star), Amazon Prime (Rent)
Filmed in: Inishmore the Arran Islands & Achill Island, County Mayo
The Wonder (2022)
Plot: A nurse investigates a girl who claims to survive without food.
Streaming: Netflix
Filmed in: Wicklow
Small Things Like These (2023)
Plot: A coal merchant (Cillian Murphy) uncovers abuse in a Magdalene Laundry.
Streaming: Upcoming (Expected on Netflix)
Filmed in: Wexford
Where to Watch?
- Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV, Max (HBO), Tubi, Kanopy are key platforms.
- Use JustWatch.com to check current availability in your region.
- Some films may be free on Tubi, YouTube, or Plex (with ads).
Experience the Magic of Ireland’s Film & TV Legacy
From the windswept cliffs of Skellig Michael (Star Wars) to the medieval halls of Trim Castle (Braveheart), Ireland’s stunning landscapes have provided the perfect filming locations for some of cinema’s greatest moments. Whether you’re drawn to the raw emotion of The Banshees of Inisherin, the historical drama of Hunger, or the epic battles of Saving Private Ryan, each of these stories was filmed in Ireland—bringing its wild beauty and rich culture to the global stage.
But the magic doesn’t stop at movies! Ireland has also been the backdrop for hit TV shows like:
Game of Thrones (Northern Ireland’s Dark Hedges & Castle Ward)
Vikings (filmed in Wicklow’s lush valleys)
Derry Girls (capturing Northern Ireland’s charm and humour)
Normal People (showcasing Sligo’s coastal romance)
Now it’s your turn to step into the scene. Plan your trip to Ireland and go set jetting—walk the same cliffs as Jedi, explore ancient castles fit for Hollywood heroes, and soak in the landscapes that inspired filmmakers for decades. Whether you’re a film buff, a nature lover, or just dreaming of an adventure, Ireland’s cinematic wonders await.
Pack your bags, cue your favourite Irish movie soundtrack, and let the Emerald Isle star in your next great adventure!
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