We’re lucky in that St Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday this year, but – for us hardworking, essay-swamped students – that doesn’t mean we’ll all be heading down to the pub. If, like me, you’ll probably find yourself staying in tonight, here are a few films I’d reccomend you watch to get into the Irish spirit. These films are either set in Ireland, are concerned with Irish characters, or deal with Irish history. It’s all about the Irish on St Paddy’s day, so we might as well embrace it.
1. P.S. I Love You
Who doesn’t shed a little tear at this classic? Gerard Butler, whilst Scottish in real life, plays a cheeky Irish chap who leaves his wife letters and surprises after he suddenly dies. I’d grab a Guinness to watch this one with if I were you, you’re going to need it when you quietly start sobbing.
2. Leap Year
A tad cheerier, this film similarly deals with what happens when an American girl falls in love with an Irish fellow. The problem is that she’s already engaged to a high-flying businessman. Drama ensues. Fabulous drama.
3. Once
I cannot describe how beautiful this film is. Music is at the heart of this story, as a street busker in Dublin starts writing songs with a Czech woman whilst trying to break into the music industry. It’s slow, and heart warming, and perhaps less cheesy than my first two recommendations.
4. Sing Street
Only released last year, this is a musical about a group of teens in 1980’s Dublin who form their own band. The main character, Conor, deals with family troubles and his first crush, taking to music in order to impress a girl. It’s quirky and nostalgic, a kind of indie alternative to a Disney Channel original movie.
5. Brooklyn
I have so much love for this film and the way it empowers its main character, Eilis Lacey, a young Irish girl who immigrates to America in order to improve her career prospects. The film addresses the difficulties and stereotypes people of a minority nationality face in a new country. Whilst it also deals with Eilis’s love life and torn romances, it doesn’t detract from her quest for freedom.