“Don’t throw away luck on little stuff. Save it up.” – Tim O’Brien
I probably mentioned this last year, but despite what I look like I am actually part Irish. Because of this, my family loves Saint Patrick’s Day. We especially love the food and movies. Here are a handful of Irish movies you can watch on Saint Patrick’s Day
The Matchmaker
This is a 1997 movie that is iconic, to say the least. Directed by Mark Joffe and starring Janeane Garofalo, David O’Hara, Milo O’Shea, and more. Marcy is an assistant to Senator John McGlory, who is having problems with a re-election campaign. She ends up being sent to Ireland to try and find the Senator’s roots and spur up some Irish votes. Little does Marcy know when arrives at the village of Ballinagra that they’re preparing for an annual Matchmaking Festival. This well-dressed American becomes the hit of the festival.
Waking Ned Devine
This fantastic movie is a 1998 movie directed by Kirk Jones and starring Ian Bannen, David Kelly, and Fionnula Flanagan. It is based in a small town in Ireland where everyone knows everyone. When an elderly man wins the lottery winner dies of shock, his fellow townsfolk attempt to claim the money. They jump through rings of fire essentially to make sure that what needs to get done is done. With moments that’ll make your stomach hurt from laughing.
The Quiet Man
A 1952 movie directed by John Ford starring John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, and Barry Fitzgerald. Warning it is in fact a long movie, not an Avengers length movie but it is a little over two hours. It follows a retired American boxer who returns to the village of his birth in Ireland, who ends up falling for a very spirited redhead whose brother is rather against of their union.
Leap Year
Look at this a newer movie, this is a 2010 movie directed by Anand Tucker and starring Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, and Adam Scott. Anna Brady who’s waiting for her long-time boyfriend to finally get down on one knee decides to head to Ireland to propose herself on February 29, leap day. According to Irish tradition, a man who receives a marriage proposal on a leap day must accept it and this girl wants her man to accept. Little does she know she is about to head to the adventure that’ll change her life.
P.S. I Love You
Letting you know, according to my mom this movie is a crier but according to me it isn’t. When I watched this for the first time my mom started crying about fifteen minutes in and continued crying off and on throughout the rest of the movie. It is directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, and Harry Connick Jr. This movie follows a young widow as she discovers that her late husband has left her ten messages intended to help ease her pain and start a new life.