Forget about the Leprechaun movies if you’re looking to ring in Saint Patrick’s Day with some horror. Those movies are about as Irish as a Shamrock Shake. But don’t worry, while Ireland isn’t necessarily known for its horror exports, there’s still a handful of good Irish horror movies. In fact, legendary director Francis Ford Coppola’s feature-length debut was an Irish collaboration with Roger Corman. So put on some green, crack open a Guinness, and sit back and relax. Below are 10 different Irish horror movies spanning from 1963 to 2023 to take a look at before March 17.
Dementia 13 (1963)
A tale of greed, family inheritance, an old Irish estate, and an axe murderer, Dementia 13 doesn’t sound much like a Francis Ford Coppola movie. And Coppola’s collaboration with low-budget producer Roger Corman sounds like an unlikely pairing. Dementia 13 marked Coppola’s feature-length directorial debut and the low-budget chiller boasts the kind of inventive camera work you’d expect from an auteur like Coppola. But it’s a choppy, occasionally scattered effort, that can’t quite escape its low-budget root. Still it’s worth a look if nothing more than to see a great filmmaker finding his creative voice.
Rawhead Rex (1986)
If you still want something a little silly that’s a bit Irish than Leprechaun, the 1986 VHS horror outing Rawhead Rex may be for you. Based on a Clive Barker short story and the folklore tale of Rawhead, it’s the story of a mythical monster unleashed on a small Irish village. On one hand, director George Pavlou puts the kind of grisly gore onto the screen that you expect from 80s horror, Nevertheless, the creature effects in Rawhead Rex were laughable at the time of the movie’s release. Needless to say, they have not aged well and the movie’s finale far outstretches its budget. But Rawhead Rex has obtained a bit of cult status over the years.
The Canal (2014)
An under-the-radar supernatural horror movie, The Canal is something of a hidden gem for horror fans. Its story of a film archivist whose life slowly unravels after he receives old 16mm film footage of unsolved murders from the early 1900s, The Canal sounds like pretty familiar stuff. Yet writer and director Ivan Kavanagh (Son) infuses his thriller with enough unsettling atmosphere to
The Hallow (2015)
Not surprisingly, a lot of Irish horror incorporates folklore and elements of folk horror. From director Corin Hardy (The Nun), The Hallow finds a family moving to a remote mill in Ireland where they must fight off a strange fungal nightmare. On one hand, The Hallow largely follows a pretty standard narrative for most of its runtime. Yet it’s also an atmospheric horror movie – and occasionally inventive – that delivers a pretty bleak conclusion. Maybe Hardy didn’t show the same promise when he joined The Conjuring universe, but there’s enough mythology in The Hallow to hold out hopes for the filmmaker to revisit the concept.
A Dark Song (2016)
Simply put, Liam Gavin’s A Dark Song may be one of the best horror movies of the last 20 year or so that you haven’t seen. Its story of a grieving mother convincing an eccentric, awkward practitioner of the occult to perform an arduous and time-consuming ritual to connect with her deceased on sounds like standard horror stuff. And the premise of two characters in a single location focused on the minutiae of dark magic doesn’t sound like a recipe for thrills and chills. However, Gavin delivers a chilling, intimate, and haunting depiction of grief. This is a slow-burn horror movie that becomes increasingly engrossing as you watch it.
The Hole in the Ground (2019)
Soon after Sarah finds her son by a mysterious large hole in the ground, his strange behaviour convinces her that he has been replaced. Another under-the-radar horror movie, The Hole in the Ground is a standout entry. On the surface, The Hole in the Ground sounds like any number of creepy kid or evil doppelganger horror movies. While its premise could have resulted in a derivative thriller, Director Lee Cronin (Evil Dead Rise) mixes fairy tale storytelling, visual inventiveness, and enough ambiguity to offer an unsettling experience. Horror fans should add The Hole in the Ground to their ‘must see’ list.
Sea Fever (2019)
When a fishing trawler sails into an exclusion zone, the ship encounters a parasite that infects some crew members, stranding them at sea. One of many movies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sea Fever was among a handful of independent horror movies that filled a void. Both its subject matter and quiet unnerving approach will surely resonate with audiences more than ever as a result the pandemic. Yes, some viewers will find the more deliberate pacing and lack of overt horror to be frustrating. But Hardiman’s grounded approach and emphasis on psychological tension arguably elevate Sea Fever beyond generic monster movies.
Caveat (2020)
True, Caveat’s premise of an amnesiac drifter agreeing to be chained in a house on a remote island with a disturbed woman stretches credulity. But Damian McCarthy’s directorial debut is just so damn scary, it’s easy to forgive the premise. Some audiences will grow frustrated with Caveat’s ambiguous storytelling. What’s actually happening on the screen is never entirely clear. Still McCarthy effectively blends atmosphere with disturbing imagery and a handful of excellent jumps. Simply put, Caveat stood out as one of the better 2021 horror movies to pop up on Shudder.
Mandrake (2022)
A probation officer’s attempts to rehabilitate a vilified woman released from prison leads to tragedy and a disturbing mystery. From its subject matter to its pacing to its atmospheric imagery, Mandrake is pure folk horror. Though some viewers may be dissatisfied with the lack of more traditional scares, director Lynne Davison invests her thriller with plenty of disturbing imagery. Throw in gloomy tone, disturbing folklore, and ambiguous storytelling and Mandrake more than delivers for its hour and 25 minutes or runtime. All of the performances – but Derbhele Crotty’s in particular – are stellar.
Unwelcome (2023)
Following a brutal home invasion, a London couple retreats to a rural Irish home where they encounter monsters believed to be only a part of Irish folklore. There’s a lot to appreciate about Jon Wright’s Unwelcome. On one hand, the mixing of subgenres is ambitious even if it results in a somewhat disjointed effort. And Wright shows off a lot of creative flair behind the camera. Whether it’s the ways in which he makes the mythical redcaps plausible on screen or the shading and colours in how he films the rural Irish home, Wright has talent to spare. However, not everything works here – Unwelcome can’t help but feel like two very different movies forced into one. Arguably, this creature feature needed a bit more of its creature. But Unwelcome still warrants a watch from horror fans.
