If you nodded off during history classes you may not remember the vast story of Ireland.
Our little island is fairly mighty
She’s suffered immense loss and unfortunate consequences at the hands of the British government and the Catholic Church over the years.
So, if you skipped past in school or have just forgotten topics such as the Magdalene laundries, the Troubles or the Anglo-Irish treaty, these amazing performances will give you an accurate depiction of the fight for Irish independence and another reason to be proud of your Irish culture.
Here are seven movies to enjoy this weekend to entertain you and inform you about our past…
The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Released in 2006 and starring Cillian Murphy, The Wind That Shakes the Barely is a story set during the Irish War of Independence following the lives of two brothers Damien and Teddy O’Donovan.
The film begins with the two brothers being members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the brothers experience a divide in opinion.
This divide has fatal implications and is an amazing interpretation of how the Irish Civil War caused many Irish people to turn on their own.
Where to watch: RTÉ Player
Say Nothing
Okay, not a film but a limited series, Say Nothing is a loosely based account of the Belfast Project interviews with Dolours Price, one of the lead members of the IRA.
Set during the Troubles in Belfast during the 1970s-90s, the TV show is centred around ‘the disappeared’ specifically Jean McConville, a single mother of ten living in Belfast who was abducted from her home.
Throughout the show, we see the Price sister’s upbringing as well as their involvement within the IRA, the London bombing and the stories of other members in the IRA. The show is a great depiction of how devastating it was during the Troubles in Ireland specifically Belfast and the sacrifices and mistakes that were made during that time.
Where to watch: Disney+
The Magdalene Sisters
The Magdalene Sisters follows a group of women being held in one of the Magdalene laundries against their will.
The women devise a plan to escape the laundry however, one of the nuns over them disrupts their plan.
The movie shows the horrific circumstances thousands of women and children experienced at the hands of the Catholic Church in Ireland and what kind of influence the Church had on Irish people as a society in the 20th century.
Where to watch: Apple TV
Small Things Like These
Similar to The Magdalene Sisters, Small Things Like These starring Cillian Murphy was released in 2024 and follows the story of a coal merchant and father of five daughters, Bill Furlong.
Set in 1985 in a small Irish town we see Bill tackle his own beliefs involving the Catholic Church and its treatment of women within the Magdalene Laundries as well as his own personal experience with the laundries during childhood.
Witnessing first-hand what is happening within these institutions while also raising five young women who could potentially be subjected to this torture begins to eat him alive.
Where to watch: Sky
Hunger
Released in 2008 starring Michael Fassbender, Hunger is based on the true story of Bobby Sands, an Irish Republican in Northern Ireland who decided to go on hunger strike in order to force the British Government to overturn the Special Category Status law.
Bobby encourages his fellow inmates to join the hunger strike at different stages in order to maximise publicity. Set in a Maze Prison in 1981, we see the brutality of the British Government and soldiers against Irish people and the physical and psychological damage that the Troubles had on the people of Ireland.
Where to watch: Apple TV
Michael Collins
Michael Collins was released in 1996 starring Liam Neeson. The movie loosely follows the life of Michael Collins, an Irish revolutionary, who leads an independent battle for Ireland against the British army in the hopes for Ireland to gain independence.
We later see Collins aid in the formation of the Irish Free State in 1921 with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
The movie is a great representation of Collins and the people who supported him in fighting for Irish independence and who took a stand for the people of Ireland.
Where to watch: Sky, free to stream on Youtube
Bloody Sunday
Released in 2002 starring James Nesbitt, Bloody Sunday is based on the events that took place on January 30th 1972 in Derry.
Ivan Cooper, an Irish civil rights activist, led a protest march against the law on preventative detention. The protest took an unfortunate turn when British soldiers massacred unarmed protesters.
A total of fourteen men were murdered giving the protest the name of Bloody Sunday.
Where to watch: Google Play