“May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, And nothing but happiness come through your door.” – Irish Blessing
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
Celebrated for over 1,000 years, St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish religious holiday that observes the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. You can learn more about the history of St. Patrick’s Day here.
St. Paddy’s celebrations have evolved over the years and now on March 17th, we celebrate Irish culture with music, dancing, food, green beer, parades, bar crawls, and more. Join in on the celebrations by catching a movie on our St. Patrick’s Day watch list, including movies set in Ireland and movies with Irish actors.
So grab a green beer or some movie theater popcorn and get ready for these 13 movies to watch on St. Patrick’s Day —yes, lucky number 13! We included some drinking game ideas for our 21+ friends so you can celebrate St. Paddy’s at home with your inner circle this year. You could always replace the drink with a snack or a mocktail if that’s your vibe this year. Cheers!
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: P.S. I Love You
Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank star in the 2007 romance drama, P.S. I Love You. This heart-wrenching movie brings both tears and laughter. With the Ireland setting and Irish songs throughout the movie, it feels like the perfect film to kick off this list of St. Patrick’s Day movies.
Where To Watch P.S. I Love You: HBO Max
P.S. I Love You Drinking Game: Grab your favorite Irish beer and take a sip every time you hear the words “P.S. I Love You”, and any time you tear up. P.S. they might happen simultaneously. You’ve been warned.
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: The Irishman
Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and more amazing actors. In 2017, Robert De Niro said he was thankful that Netflix “saved The Irishman project”, and with 5 Golden Globe nominations, 10 Oscar nominations, and more award nominations and wins, we are thankful too. See more Martin Scorsese/ Robert De Niro collabs here.
Where To Watch The Irishman: Netflix
The Irishman Drinking Game: Grab a bottle of your finest red and take a hefty sip every time someone dies. Is it appropriate for me to say “cheers”??
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Leap Year
The 2010 rom-com Leap Year stars Matthew Goode (as Declan), Amy Adams (as Anna), and Adam Scott (as Jeremy). After another year of not being proposed to, Anna follows her boyfriend Jeremy to Dublin, to go through with the Celtic tradition that allows women to pop the question on February 29. She instead ends up on the other side of Ireland and meets Declan, an Irishman who changes up her plans. We love when fate has other plans.
Where To Watch Leap Year: Amazon Prime Video
Leap Year Drinking Game: Partypingo has a fun game where you drink beer every time someone mentions Leap Year or Leap Day, someone mentions a city or place, someone mentions luck, someone says “Bob”, or you see someone on the phone. Sláinte!
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Intermission
Set in Dublin, Intermission interweaves various story-lines as a result of a couple’s break up. With themes of love, greed, and violence, this film is sure to keep you on your toes. Intermission stars Irish actors Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy, and Colm Meaney. What more can you ask for on St. Paddy’s?
Where To Watch Intermission: Available for rent/purchase on Amazon Prime Video
Intermission Drinking Game: Stick to beer here and drink every time a curse word is said. *sorry mom and dad*
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: The Luck of the Irish
We’re aware there are two movies called The Luck of the Irish, but in this list, we are talking about the 2001 DCOM —Disney Channel Original Movie––not the 1948 movie. Ryan Merriman plays teen basketball player Kyle. One day, Kyle’s long streak of luck changes and he finds out he is descended from leprechauns. Watch The Luck of the Irish to find out if he can get his luck back.
Where To Watch The Luck of the Irish: Disney+
The Luck of the Irish Drinking Game: Pop open a Guinness and drink every time someone says the words: “luck,” “lucky,” “gold coin,” “leprechaun,” or “rainbow.”
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Once
Guy (Glen Hansard), a vacuum repairman and Irish street performer, meets Girl (Marketa Irglova), a Czech pianist. Together they decide to collaborate in songwriting and performing. See how their music and relationship blossom in the musical/romance Once.
Where To Watch Once: Hulu
Once Drinking Game: Sip a beer for 5 seconds every time a song is sung. Happy drinking… I mean, listening!
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Brooklyn
2015’s Brooklyn tells the story of young Irish immigrant Eilis Lace (played by Saoirse Ronan), as she navigates her way through 1950s Brooklyn. See her get swept away by the city and a fresh romance in Brooklyn.
Where To Watch Brooklyn: Available for rent/purchase on Amazon Prime Video
Brooklyn Drinking Game: Take a shot every time you hear the words: “Irish,” Ireland,” “Italy,” or “Italian.”
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: August Rush
August Rush is an all time favorite movie for a music lover like myself. Featuring Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, the film tells the story of a musically gifted orphan, Evan, a.k.a. August Rush (played by Freddie Highmore), as he runs away from his orphanage in search of his birth parents. Wizard (played by Robin Williams) helps Evan along the way, but has other plans for his own profit. See if August can reunite with his parents in the musical/drama, August Rush.
Where To Watch August Rush: Available for rent/purchase on Amazon Prime Video
August Rush Drinking Game: Drink every time a song is heard (whether on the soundtrack or live) and whenever you hear the words “August” or “music.”
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: The Wind That Shakes the Barley
The Wind That Shakes the Barley is set during the Irish War of Independence in the early 1920s and features Irish actors Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Orla Fitzgerald, and Liam Cunningham. Cillian Murphy plays Damien, an Irish medical student, who joins his brother Teddy (Pádraic Delaney) in the Irish Republican Army.
Where To Watch The Wind That Shakes the Barley: Amazon Prime Video
The Wind That Shakes the Barley Drinking Game: Drink a sip of beer every time you see a gun or a horse.
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Mamma Mia!
Featuring Irish actor, Pierce Brosnan, get ready for the next movie on our St. Paddy’s watch list, Mamma Mia!. This musical/romance features talented actors like Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth, and more. Featuring songs by pop group ABBA, be sure to get your groove on every time you hear a new song play.
Where To Watch Mamma Mia!: Hulu
Mamma Mia! Drinking Game: Grab a glass of champagne or your favorite sparkling wine and take a sip every time a new song plays and every time a new “dad” gets screen time.
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Circle of Friends
Check out Minnie Driver, Chris O’Donnell, Colin Firth, Saffron Burrows, and Irish actress Geraldine O’Rawe in the 1995 film Circle of Friends, a movie about three childhood friends who attend a university in Dublin in 1957. See how they navigate both student and boyfriend life.
Where To Watch Circle of Friends: Available for purchase on Amazon Prime
Circle of Friends Drinking Game: Take a shot every kissing scene and any time someone gets hit on.
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Bridesmaids
Annie (played by Kristen Wiig) is a single woman whose life is messy. When she finds out her best friend Lillian (played by Maya Rudolph) is engaged, she has to serve as maid of honor. Playing Annie’s love interest is Irish actor, Chris O’Dowd, hence Bridesmaids being included in our list. By the way, we have a whole list of Bridesmaids movies to watch if you’re heading into wedding season!
Where To Watch Bridesmaids: Available to rent/purchase on Amazon Prime Video
Bridesmaids Drinking Game: There are endless amounts of drinking games to choose from while watching Bridesmaids. Pinterest has some, Drink When has one, they’re all over. Our suggestion: drink any time you feel secondhand embarrassment for one of the characters.
St. Patrick’s Day Movies: Taken
Northern Ireland native Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former CIA agent who tracks down his daughter after she is kidnapped by human traffickers while traveling to Paris. The movie is action-packed and although not every dad can pull these crazy stunts, Liam Neeson’s character sure can!
Where To Watch Taken: Hulu
Taken Drinking Game: Drink beer every time an unrealistic action scene happens, every time someone is on their cell phone, and every time property is damaged
Did we miss your favorite St. Patrick’s Day movie? Let us know on Twitter!
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