The sound of lilting Irish accents from across the Emerald Isle has begun to dominate the big screen. Why? Here are our thoughts.
There are plenty of fantastic Irish films that predate the Irish cinema boom of the last five years or so.
In the Name of the Father, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Michael Collins…just a number of incredible films based on Irish events and starring Irish talent that received worldwide recognition.
However, something in the last five to ten years has shifted. Blockbuster Irish films are not one every few years, they are the moment, the centrefold, the stories and characters that the world simply can’t get enough of.
Why the Irish accent is dominating global cinema – talent, history, and passion
So, why have Irish voices become the most requested sound in global cinema? Well, first of all, Irish actors are getting the recognition they deserve.
Ireland is a land of harrowed history, and that history lives within today’s population. The Irish actors of today ooze soul, passion, and charm that explode on the big screen.
Just look at Jessie Buckley. You practically want to reach out and give her a hug while watching any number of her incredible performances – from The Lost Daughter to her Oscar-winning performance alongside fellow Irish star, Paul Mescal, in Hamnet.
Irish actors aren’t taking a backseat anymore. They aren’t settling for the role of the leading lady’s best friend – they ARE the lead.
Irish talent across all departments has been cleaning up at the world’s most prestigious film awards in recent years. In 2023, Ireland shattered the glass ceiling with a monumental 14 Oscar nominations, nine of which were for The Banshees of Inisherin (2022).
Irish movies that smashed box offices around the world – recent hits and old favourites
The Banshees of Inisherin, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, became the most Oscar nominated Irish film in history. It beat Belfast (2021) and In the Name of the Father (1993), both of which had seven nominations each.
The success of the film was unprecedented, and surprisingly, despite its nine nominations, the cast and crew didn’t take home any awards that year.
The film did win several other prestigious awards, though, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes.
2023 was a big year for Irish cinema, as while The Banshees of Inisherin was soaring new heights, An Cailín Ciúin became the first-ever Irish language film to be nominated for an Oscar. While it didn’t win, this was a groundbreaking move for the Irish language.
As previously mentioned, some of Ireland’s most iconic movies paved the way for Irish cinema today.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley, starring Cillian Murphy, while not an Oscar nominee, is one of the most important Irish movies of all time as it relays the hardships Ireland faced during the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War.
The Irish voices of today – breaking the glass ceiling
In 2026, it’s not a rare thing to see a talented Irish actor on the big screen. Modern, young Irish talent is absolutely dominating mainstream cinema and television. Take Lola Petticrew, for example.
An incredible actor from Belfast who uses their platform not just to promote their next big gig, but for essential activism too.
A couple of their notable recent performances include the roles of Dolours Price in Say Nothing and Cushla in Trespasses, both for which they received an Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) award.
Another Belfast actor and rising Irish talent set to become a household name in worldwide cinema is Anthony Boyle. Like Petticrew, Boyle starred in Say Nothing, playing the role of a young Brendan Hughes.
In 2025, he won the Rising Star award at the IFTAs, and just the following year, secured the Lead Actor in a Drama award for his role in House of Guinness, proving his merit for the Rising Star award.
Irish voices have always told important stories – centuries of key historical events told by Irish actors
Telling important stories has always been the path Irish movies and shows have taken, and that continues today.
From the Famine to the Easter Rising, Partition to Bloody Sunday and much more, Irish people have been retelling important pieces of our history to the wider world forever.
In the Name of the Father, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Michael Collins – all films that tell important Irish stories, using Irish voices to do so.0
However it’s not just serious that Irish cinema and TV portrays. The Commitments (1991), The Guard (2011), Derry Girls (2018), and Father Ted (1995) are all a testament to that.
The only difference now is that Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, and other household Irish names aren’t the only ones doing it – they paved the way for modern Irish voices to continue carrying the torch.
An accent admired around the world – the beautiful Irish lilt
Aside from the more important reasons why the Irish accent has become the most requested sound in global cinema, people simply love the Irish accent.
People outside of Ireland are said to admire the accent for its lilting, sing-song nature. Now, of course we know that there isn’t just one Irish accent, there are hundreds of them, if not more.
A Belfast accent compared to a Tipperary accent couldn’t be more different. We know that, but does the world know that? Not always, and that’s ok. Admiration is admiration. Generally speaking, the classic tone of the Irish accent is one that people everywhere just love.
The importance of the arts – giving Irish talent a deserved platform
A large part of the success of Irish cinema and the desire for Irish voices can be attributed to investment in the arts.
Screen Ireland and Screen Northern Ireland’s investment in Irish talent has led to Irish movies and shows being displayed on some of the world’s biggest streaming networks, including Netflix, Disney+, and more.
Investment in the arts is mutually beneficial for both Irish talent and the Irish government.
The more Irish names and locations are shared on screen, the more interest the world has to visit these places – see where they were filmed, see where the actors come from, all while exploring the legendary beauty of the Emerald Isle.
