Best Irish history movies
A curated collection of popular history movies from Ireland.
The Treaty (1991)
The Treaty (1991)
How the Anglo-Irish Treaty between the unrecognised Irish Republic, represented by Michael Collins, and the British government was concluded after high-stakes negotiations in 1921.
Ascendancy (1983)
Ascendancy (1983)
Ascendancy is a 1983 British film. It tells the story of a woman who is a member of the British landowning 'Ascendancy' in Ireland during World War I. Gradually, she learns about the Irish independence movement, and becomes involved with it.
Ann (2022)
Ann (2022)
Based on what happened to 15-year-old Ann Lovett in 1984. When she wakes up that morning, Ann feels that it is going to happen that day. She puts on her school uniform, but instead of going to school she is terrified of what is to come and quietly wanders the streets, hoping for human kindness and help, hoping for a miracle, while afraid to approach anyone. As a Catholic school student, she can in the end only count on the blessing of Virgin Mary and thus she gives birth to a baby boy beneath the statue of Our Lady in a grotto near the house of the congregation’s priest.
The Hanging Gale (1995)
The Hanging Gale (1995)
In this historical miniseries created for BBC Northern Ireland, four brothers struggle to survive during the Irish potato famine of the 1840s while facing persecution from an agent (Michael Kitchen) of their indifferent English landlord. Looking on in horror as their primary food source dwindles, the Phelan brothers (portrayed by real-life siblings Joe, Mark, Paul and Stephen McGann) are torn between nonviolent protest and bloody revolt.
The Sound and the Silence: The Alexander Graham Bell Story (1993)
Leathanach Deiridh (2023)
Leathanach Deiridh (2023)
Based on true events. Unfortunate circumstances prompt a young woman to recount her story, from her birth at a mother and baby home to a life spent wondering about her lost family.
Empire of Dirt (2022)
Empire of Dirt (2022)
In 18th century Ireland, a wild band of natives struggle to keep their delicate settlement from dissolving into anarchy.
Once Upon a Tram (1960)
Once Upon a Tram (1960)
Take a nostalgic trip along the beautiful Dublin coast, escaping the hustle and bustle of the city while enjoying the clatter and clang of the old Howth tram. This film records one of the last journeys of the Howth Tram, as it passes through the village, past the golf club, and along the coast – a most elegant form of transport from a bygone era.
Irish Cinema: Ourselves Alone? (1995)
Irish Cinema: Ourselves Alone? (1995)
The Irish entry in the BFI's "Century of Cinema" documentary series examines Irish filmmaking in a decade when the country is going through a highly significant period of creativity and growth in cultural self-confidence. The film makes connections and contrasts, illuminates parallels and continuities, as it weaves through 100 years of cinema in Ireland.
Anne Devlin (1984)
Anne Devlin (1984)
The story of Anne Devlin, who was caught up in the revolt of the Irish under Robert Emmett in 1803, told exclusively from the woman's point of view.