Read more: The best Irish movies of all time - SEE VIDEOS
SEE PHOTOS: IrishCentral's top ten Irish characters in movies
We here at IrishCentral decided to pick our top 10 Irish move characters complete with videos. Let us know what you think.
The following films feature an actor portraying an Irishman or woman.
Get out your popcorn and lets look at the top ten Irish characters in film history.
1. Christy Brown (My Left Foot)
Daniel Day Lewis’ Oscar-winning performace of handicapped real-life writer/painter/poet is in the pantheon of film roles. He became so involved with the character that he broke two ribs whiling filming for having spent so much time slumped over in a wheelchair.
2. Guy, (Once)
Glen Hansard is the Dublin guitarist/singer-songwriter who sings and makes money on the street. He relies on some luck o’ the Irish to lead up to the film’s emotional ending.
3. Michael Collins (Michael Collins)
Liam Neeson stars in this this biopic about the War of Independence, the partition and the ensuing Irish Civil War.
4. Priest Vallon (Gangs of New York)
Liam Neeson portrays this Irish American Immigrant in the turn of the century film “Gangs of New York”. He has very little screen time but goes toe to toe with Daniel Day Lewis’ Bill the Butcher. Plus Neeson partakes in brawls with an Iron cross.
5. Connor and Murphy McManus (The Boondock Saints)
These brothers living in Boston take the law into their own hands after receiving a “message from God.” The two then right the wrongs of the city with their own brand of pistol-packing whoop ass.
6. Frank Costello (The Departed)
Jack Nicholson’s depiction of a sadistic, Irish mob boss is a great, well-developed character based on the real irish-American mobster, James J. Bulger.
7. Sean Thornton (The Quiet Man)
John Wayne plays Sean Thornton in the classic “The Quiet Man”. The story of a disgraced American boxer who heads to his birthplace in Ireland and falls in love with young lass.
8. William Costigan (The Departed)
Leonardo DiCaprio turns in a strong performance as a south Boston cop in Scorsese’s The Departed. Staring off as a good, clean Irish police officer, he morphs into a lean, mean Irish American gangster.
9.Declan “Deco” Cuffe (The Commitments )
In the great music film “The Commitments” the band of the same name is fronted by the chubby, long-haired “Deco”. He is a jerk but easily forgiven thanks to his amazing, soulful voice.
10. Darby O’Gill (Darby O’Gill and the Little People)
Played by the ebullient Albert Sharpe, Darbie O’Gill sets the bar high for Irish characters with his merrymaking with leprechauns, pots of gold and Irish jigs in this Disney classic.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.shaunaghmairead | Apr 15, 2011, 09:03 PM EDT
By the way, please forgive my typos?
shaunaghmairead | Apr 15, 2011, 09:02 PM EDT
Saw Michael Collins. Loved the history, detested the acting. (especially the fake Irish accents.
shaunaghmairead | Apr 15, 2011, 08:59 PM EDT
I'm young (24) but loved Victor McLaglan in all of his films. And even though others (kdavitt and wyalusingjohn) have mentioned him in this comment section, even though he had a fun onscreen personality and the cutest little Irish accent, he was Eglish. yup, born in England. Who'd have thunk it?
jimsjournalfan | Apr 15, 2011, 03:46 PM EDT
Cool list -- need to see Michael Collins.
Searlit | Apr 15, 2011, 11:36 AM EDT
I agree with 1,2 & 3, haven't seen 5 or 6, loved 9, but I didn't know Irish people liked "Darby O'Gill and the Little People." Cute, though.
macausheen | Apr 15, 2011, 08:12 AM EDT
I am sick as crap at all the Irish gangster movies. It makes you think there are no honest Irish in America. No wonder the world thinks we are uncivilized. I have to admit, though, that I did enjoy The Departed and Boondock Saints.
Rebelforce | Apr 14, 2011, 11:34 PM EDT
In the 40s and 50s the Irish were represented in Hollywood by the likes of Bing Crosby (Fr Chuck O'Malley) Pat O'Brien (Fr Francis P. Duffy) Victor McLaglen (Sgt Major Timothy Quincannon) and Spencer Tracy (Fr Edward Flanagan). Nowadays the Irish are more likely to be represented by Hollywood as low-life gangsters, petty criminals, low-class alcoholics and gritty boxers, as demonstrated by this sorry top ten list. We've come a long way.
teddybear | Apr 14, 2011, 07:40 PM EDT
The Quiet Man is my very favorite.
wmmccall | Apr 14, 2011, 07:11 PM EDT
For me, The Quiet Man, thought trite in many respects, is my favorite Irish film. I echo another's comment re James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy. Wonderful film and wonderful performance. I love Cagney's comment about shedding tears: "You know how we Irish are. We cry at card tricks."
ellenfromcork | Apr 14, 2011, 07:04 PM EDT
Darby O'Gill and the Little People!?!? Is it mad or pig ignorant ye are at Irish Central?
ballyhip | Apr 14, 2011, 05:01 PM EDT
I cast one vote for the seal in The Secret of Roan Inish. For those willing to go out of their way for an honest, little Irish made movie, it has to be Pat Shortt in Garage. An Post even honored him with a stamp.
delbhoy | Apr 14, 2011, 04:00 PM EDT
Eh The 'Bull' McCabe
PhlutiePhan | Apr 14, 2011, 03:49 PM EDT
Once again, the "unusual and bizarre" outrank the "stable and meaningful". If our entire country is esconced on the weird, why should movies be any different?
kdavitt | Apr 14, 2011, 03:42 PM EDT
Victor McLaglen, Sgt. Festus Mulcahy - Fort Apache (John Wayne)
DonnyHL | Apr 14, 2011, 03:26 PM EDT
Hey Mr. Fitzgerald. I think you drank all that beer in your last column before you wrote this crap.
conchobhar | Apr 14, 2011, 02:46 PM EDT
The Boondock Saints? Really? I found it so self-conscious and stereotype-laden I couldn't stick more than 15 minutes of it.
gerald1947 | Apr 14, 2011, 02:20 PM EDT
JIMMY CAGNEY "GEORGE M. COHAN " IN YANKEE DOODLE DANDY & BARRY FITZGERALD IN BOTH "GOING MY WAY & THE QUIET MAN "THAT'S WHAT I THINK .
wyalusingjohn | Apr 14, 2011, 11:49 AM EDT
How about Victor McLaglen as Gypo Nolan in the 1935 "The Informer"? Three Academy awards, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Screenplay.
JerryLynch | Apr 14, 2011, 11:13 AM EDT
How could Tom Cruise, as the heroic and passionate Joseph Donnelly in "Far and Away," possibly be left out?
pounder | Apr 14, 2011, 10:47 AM EDT
Thomas Mitchell in 'The Fighting Sullivans" Robert De Niro in "Goodfellows" Pat O'Brien in anything....ditto Spencer Tracy.Also,Odd Man Out was a real classic thats always overlooked,as was James masons Oscar worthy performance.