Looking for short films to watch but find yourself browsing endlessly? Never fear, we’ve got you covered.
There is an abundance of Irish short films (both in English and in the Irish language) that you can find online from a wide range of directors across the country.
From dramas to comedies, historical pieces and satirical takes, this is just a small selection of great filmmaking and storytelling from Irish creators.
Our selection of 13 Irish short films
1. Goodbye, Darling
Goodbye, Darling is one day in the enduring love story of Irish Volunteer Michael Joseph O’Rahilly and his wife Nancy. Set on the fifth day of the 1916 Rising, a concerned Nancy seeks comfort and diversion by playing the piano, unaware that her husband is leaving the G.P.O. to lead the charge.
2. Lipservice
Written in the Irish language, Lipservice is a sharply satirical comedy of Northside Dublin kids improvising wildly to impress the visiting Irish language examiner.
Check out more Irish language short films here.
3. Damned Peace
Directed by Kerryman, Eoghan Hand, this is a short film about a woman called Denise who tries to find the real story behind a murder. She’s left with the dilemma of which is more important ‘truth or peace?’
4. Rúbaí
As her classmates prepare for their First Holy Communion, Rúbaí announces that she is an atheist and refuses to participate.
Agus an rang ag ullmhú don Chéad Chomaoineach, diúltaíonn Rúbaí páirt a ghlacadh, ag maíomh gur ‘atheist’ í.
5. Scope
When a young man drops out of college to care for his shut-in mother he too finds himself increasingly insulated from the outside world, something which conflicts with his growing forays into amateur astronomy.
6. Hidden Potential
A young school child who is struggling with dyslexia is constantly belittled, ignored and bullied by his classmates, teachers and even school principals. If this continues he faces a life living in the shadows of success. That is until one day someone steps in and changes his life forever.
7. Fluent Dysphasia
Written and directed by Daniel O’Hara and starring Stephen Rea as Murph, who in this movie has little to say to his teenage daughter. He wakes one morning after a drunken night out, to find that he can only speak fluent Irish, something he could never do before and that he has completely forgotten how to speak English.
8. Uisce Beatha
Set in 1912, Uisce Beatha (The Irish for Whiskey or Water Of Life) is the true story of Tom, a young Irish man who leaves his home in rural Ireland to cross the ocean on the ill-fated Titanic. But a night of celebration beforehand results in a twist that will affect Tom’s fate drastically.
9. Yu Ming is Ainm Dom
Yu Ming Is Ainm Dom is the story of a young Chinese man, who is disillusioned with his dead-end job at a supermarket. A spin of the globe leads him to choose Ireland as the destination for his new life and further research informs him that the official language of that country is Gaeilge.
10. The Big Bad World
Set in Ireland in the late ’90s: Two Teens break the rules for the first time by going on their very own vacation into the big bad world.
11. lúbtha (Queer)
‘lúbtha’ is a short film inspired by true events and follows the story of a teenager dealing with his sexuality whilst having to grow up in early 90s Northern Ireland. As physical and mental abuse become a daily struggle, Fintan retreats into a world of anger and silence. With no solution on the horizon, he yearns to escape from the small town he’s been trapped in all his life, bringing nothing but his younger brother.
12. The Crush
Academy Award-nominated Irish short. Ardal Travis is in love. There’s just one problem. He’s an eight-year-old schoolboy and the object of his affection is his teacher, the gorgeous Miss Purdy. When she becomes engaged to her unworthy, crass boyfriend, Ardal is forced into taking drastic action.
13. Brother
When two kids from different backgrounds are forced to spend an uncomfortable amount of time together, they realise how little it takes to become the best of friends.
Can’t get enough of short Irish films from people like Screen Ireland? You can see many more films here.
Lead image from Rúbaí
Brother outstanding
Can anyone find me a copy of The Three Joes?
From Apres Match?
No. The Three Joe’s was an Irish short movie, issued late 80s maybe early 90s. Three lads living in a rental in Rathmines. Wonderful bit of cinema
Nice compilation! Thank you 🙏
Thanks for reading Anna!
Can someone please know the title. It was a film around 1996-7. Irish short film. Two 20 somethings are pulling an allnighter and they have run out of bread . So they need to cross the Protestant / Catholic divide to the only known shop that will be still open late at night.