The 10 best Irish movies to watch on Netflix

There's something for everyone

You might be surprised to learn that there's actually a decent selection of Irish movies on Netflix.

Since it's that time of year, our beloved St. Patrick's Day, we're offering some viewing recommendations. Our choice of Irish movies span a range of genres - comedy, drama, horror, documentary, and even animation.

If you haven't seen some of these, they're well worth a look.

Michael Inside

'Michael Inside' is not only one of the best Irish prison dramas of recent years. It's one of the best prison dramas we've seen full stop. It follows an 18 year old (Dafyhd Flynn) who gets arrested for holding drugs for his friend's older brother. Once in prison, David (Moe Dunford) takes Michael under his wing. It's a harrowing social critique with brilliant performances and a script that stays with you long after viewing.

Black 47

Set in the bleakest year of the Great Famine, a ranger called Feeney (James Frecheville) takes vengeance for his family. 'Black 47' is somewhat simplistic in its depiction of the English as mustache-twirling villains; but it also wholly embraces its status as a revenge thriller, with plenty of action and violence. Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea and Barry Keoghan are among the cast.

The Young Offenders

A lot of people seem to forget that hit comedy series 'The Young Offenders' was originally a movie. Released in cinemas in 2016, with the same cast (Alex Murphy, Chris Walley and Hilary Rose), it sees two teenage boys named Jack and Conor cycle to the coast of Cork. They hope to find a bale of cocaine worth 7 million euro there. P.J. Gallagher, who plays the lads' principal in the series, plays a drug dealer also after the cocaine, in the movie.

Handsome Devil

This touching bromedy recalls 'Dead Poets Society'. And it's got a great cast between Fionn O'Shea, Ardal O'Hanlon, Amy Huberman, Andrew Scott, and Hugh O'Connor. A loner and rugby jock are forced to share a room at boarding school. They become friends, but then prejudice starts to impact not just their new camaraderie but the whole school.

Dublin Oldschool

Jason, a wannabe DJ, goes a drug-fuelled trip through the streets of Dublin running from one session to another. He meets a familiar face from the past, his brother Daniel, and starts to rethink his life. Full of energy and fantastic young talent, 'Dublin Oldschool' is funny and thought provoking. And the right kind of bonkers.

Katie

Professional boxer Katie Taylor has led an impressive and fascinating career. The extent of her hard work and the journey she took to win six amateur European championships, five world amateur championships and an Olympic gold medal are powerfully captured in this documentary. Well worth a watch.

The Lodgers

'The Lodgers' is closer to a gothic drama than a horror. Still, there are plenty of scares too. Set in Ireland in the '20s, twins Rachel (Charlotte Vega) and Edward (Bill Millner) live in a remote house and keep the outside world from their door. However, when Rachel meets a troubled war veteran, she tries to leave the house and start a new life. She doesn't reckon with the curse left on their family or her twin's desperation.

The Hole in the Ground

'The Hole in the Ground' stars Irish actress on the rise, Seana Kerslake. Her character is a young mother who has recently moved into a house on the fringes of a rural town with her son. Strange things start to occur, particularly disturbing changes in her little boy. As you can probably tell from the picture in the trailer below, not one for arachnophobes...

The Cured

Ellen Page ('Juno') stars in 'The Cured', a fresh new take on zombie movies. It imagines a world in which a cure has been found for the disease that turns people into cannibals. However, 'the cured' are now rejects of society, having done such atrocious things and killed so many in their zombie state. Frustration and a desire for rebellion starts to arise among them.

The Breadwinner

'The Breadwinner' should be seen by all. It's a gorgeous movie and an unforgettable story. Set in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime, a girl named Parvana is forced to cut her hair and dress like a boy in order to provide for her family after her father is unjustly arrested.