10 Irish Films To Watch On St. Patrick's Day

In this Oscar-nominated film, Saoirse Ronan plays a young Irish woman who begins a new life overseas in the United States and finds herself torn between her roots and the new family she could have in New York.

Think of any '80s pop group, and you'll probably find one of its hits in this delightful retro film. Teenaged Conor escapes his messy home life by falling for the out-of-his-league Ann—to win her heart, he puts together a band, naturally.

Daniel Day-Lewis plays Christy Brown, a real-life man who had cerebral palsy. Having learned how to use his left foot to write, he published several books including an autobiography called My Left Foot. Day-Lewis earned his first Oscar for his portrayal of Brown.

Irish Republican Bobby Sands died in 1981 after embarking on a hunger strike. Michael Fassbender, whose mother is Irish, plays Sands in Steve McQueen's debut film, which earned the coveted Camera D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Based on the memoir of the same name by Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes sees a young family return to Ireland after failing to thrive in America. Their lot only becomes tougher as feckless father Malachy neglects his breadwinning duties and titular mother Angela struggles to keep the family together.

You might be scratching your head at the inclusion of this Brie Larson drama, but it was partly produced by the Irish Film Board, and Emma Donoghue, who wrote the novel that the film is based on, is Irish-Canadian. In the Oscar-nominated film, Jacob Tremblay plays a boy trapped with his mother in just one room.

If you've never seen an Irish rom-com, here's your chance! Amy Adams stars as Anna, who's determined to get engaged. The only problem is, her boyfriend is in Dublin. On her way there, she meets a handsome stranger who throws a Gaelic spanner in the works.

Politics and sex combust when IRA member Fergus (Stephen Rea) develops a bond with a British hostage, Jody (Forest Whitaker). The complications multiply when Fergus meets Jody's girlfriend, Dil (Jaye Davidson) and falls for her.

After meeting on the set of Days of Thunder, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman paired up again as Irish immigrants pursuing a life overseas in the United States, where new blood is being lured with the promise of free land.

You can't go past this classic if you're looking for a laugh. John Wayne is Sean Thornton, an Irish boxer who returns to the Irish town where he was born. It also happens to be the home of lovely, spirited Mary Kate (Maureen O'Hara), who immediately catches his eye. Cross-cultural confusion ensues, but don't worry: A happy ending is in sight.