Irish cinema has much more to offer than Darby O'Gill facing off against the King of the Leprechauns or John Wayne taking Maureen O'Hara over mountains and through valleys in "The Quiet Man."

Over the years, the country, with its solid talent for telling a good yarn, has provided some of the most engaging and entertaining modern cinema. If you're not in the mood for a loud and raucous parade, consider celebrating St. Patrick's Day by relaxing on the couch (with a good Irish coffee) and checking out some of the best Irish films available for streaming.

John Carney, who also directed the Academy Award-winning Once, is no stranger to making films with music at their center. Singing Street is the story of Connor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), a modest Dublin teenager who, after being sent to a rough Catholic-run high school, impulsively insists on becoming the lead singer of a band in order to win the favor of a beautiful girl (Lucy Boynton) This is the story of the band. After she expresses interest, he has no choice but to actually start a band and eventually finds an unexpected creative outlet and aptitude for music. The performances by the mostly inexperienced young actors are incredibly engaging, but the real star of the film is the soundtrack, which features catchy original songs from start to finish.

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When it comes to quintessential Irish cinema, "Ryan's Daughter" is pretty high on the list. Filmed on location on the picturesque Dingle Peninsula, the film follows an Irish schoolteacher (Sarah Miles) in the midst of World War I who, despite being married, is dating a British officer. Ryan's Daughter may not have been particularly well received by critics, but it ultimately won two Academy Awards, one for its breathtaking cinematography and the other for John Mills' performance as Michael, the mentally disabled villager who discovers their affair. Ryan's Daughter has become a perennial favorite in Irish cinema, and a visit to the Dingle region will reveal many of the locations where the film was shot.

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OK, technically only about half of "Brooklyn" actually took place in Ireland. But it captures incredibly well the experience of Irish immigrants who leave everything they love behind and try to build a new home in a foreign land. Based on the novel by Irish author Colm Toibin, "Brooklyn" stars Saoirse Ronan as Eilis Lacey. Initially homesick and devastated, as she spends more time in Brooklyn she begins to embrace her new life, especially her attractive Italian-American boyfriend, Tony (Emory Cohen). When she unexpectedly returns to Ireland, she finds herself torn between two worlds. Dreamy and romantic, "Brooklyn" is a love letter to the journey of an Irish immigrant.

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If you just discovered Cillian Murphy in 2023's "Oppenheimer," now is the perfect time to delve deeper into his filmography and tackle some of the most interesting performances of his early career. In The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Murphy plays Damien O'Donovan, a promising young doctor caught up in the Irish War of Independence in the 1920s. He originally planned to leave Ireland to study in London, but after witnessing the cruel treatment his friends and neighbors received from the occupying British forces, he decides he must stay and fight. The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a devastating film, but it is also an important one, and Murphy's performance makes it clear that he is one of the finest actors of his generation."

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What would you do if your best friend in the whole world suddenly told you that he or she never wanted to interact with you again? An ode to our inner insecurities, "The Evil of Inishallin" stars Colin Ferrell as Padraic, a simple but mild-mannered Irishman who wants nothing more than a quiet life with friends and family, and his former friend who has abandoned Padraic in favor of more intellectual pursuits due to his melancholy Colm Doherty is played by Brendan Gleeson. With a bleak and uniquely Irish sense of humor, "The Evil Spirit of Inishallin" not only depicts the rift between the two friends, but also attempts to make this broken relationship a metaphor for the conflict within Ireland.

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Based on a true story, this powerful 1993 film stars Jerry Conlan as Jerry Conlan, who was imprisoned after being forced to confess his participation in a 1974 IRA bombing in Guildford, England. Daniel Day-Lewis plays him. Sent to prison was his father Giuseppe (Peter Postlethwaite), who was also with him. While in prison, Conlan, assisted by a sympathetic lawyer (Emma Thompson), strives to prove his innocence, only to discover that the prosecution is withholding evidence.

The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. Unfortunately, the film won three awards, for "Philadelphia," "Schindler's List," and "The Piano." - MP

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Before "Singing Street," Cartney made this wistful, charming drama. Busking on the streets of Dublin, an unsuccessful musician (Glen Hansard) meets a young woman (Marketa Irglova) selling flowers. When she reveals that she plays the piano, they play his songs together at a nearby music store.

It turns out that he has suffered a broken heart and she has a child and a long-distance husband. Nevertheless, the two are united by their passion for making music. After gathering a few other band members, they stay up all night recording a demo to take to London. - KW

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