Whatever it is about the Boston Irish they sure make great movie material.

A few years back 'The Departed' relocated from its original Hong Kong location to the gangster world of South Boston.


'The Departed' finally won an Oscar for Martin Scorsese and Jack Nicholson gave a memorable performance as a Southie Irish boss based loosely on Whitey Bulger.

Before 'The Departed' was Mystic River.

Sean Penn won for his working-class Irish role also set in Boston Irish land.

The 2003 film was nominated for six academy awards

Now comes 'The Town' a taut thriller starring Ben Afleck set in Charlestown the gritty working class Irish enclave,

Next month comes 'The Fighter' the biopic based on the life of Irish Mickey Ward whose rise from the mean streets of Lowell, a Boston suburb, gave Boston the true equivalent of 'Rocky'

Judging by the trailer 'The Fighter' is in exactly the same milieu, a working class Irish guy trying to escape his roots but being dragged back continuously into his past

'The Town' is a magnificent movie catching the gritty spirit and hard scrabble streets of Charlestown.

The scenes in local Irish shebeen bars and of Irish families feuding and loving are truly remarkable.

Pete Postlethwaite as an evil old Irish native luring kids into crime until they are locked in.

He is memorable in his role the best since his Oscar nomination for 'In the Name of the Father' another Irish role.

Ben Affleck and a terrific supporting cast bring to life the incestuous cheek by jowl existence in close knit Irish neighborhoods.

The Oscars may be held in L.A. but the road to them may well be through gritty Irish neighborhoods in Boston.

Not for the first time the Irish in Boston may come up trumps for O'scar.