The best movies to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Every March 17th, Saint Patrick, an enslaved Welshman who brought Christianity to Ireland, is honoured. Rivers turn green, people wear shamrocks and revellers enjoy pints of the black stuff.

Given its international renown, it shouldn't be a surprise to learn that Paddy's Day is, to varying extents, central to the plot of many movies. What is surprising, however, is that these films are often dark and gritty, so they contrast with the levity and craic we normally associate with March 17th.

This movie is about Patrick, a man with mental health challenges who goes missing in the middle of the St. Patrick's Day festivities in Dublin. He wanders around the city while having adventures that may or may not be real.

Starring Moe Dunford, 'Patrick's Day' won three IFTA awards and received generally favourable reviews.

Kerry Fox plays Patrick's mother, and she has also starred in classics like 'Shallow Grave' (1994) and 'Bright Star' (2009).

In this movie, she lights up every scene with scenery-chewing charisma.

Harrison Ford is the man accused of a crime he did not commit. As Ford tries to clear his own name, Tommy Lee Jones is the U.S. Marshall who is determined to bring him to justice.

Cinema-goers and critics alike loved this thriller. The best scene is a St. Patrick's Day parade in Chicago, where Ford's character weaves through the mass of people so he can evade his pursuers. The tension he feels is palpable!

Two Irish American brothers get into trouble with the Russian mob. Following this, they set out to rid Boston of crime and they become vigilantes. This brings them to the attention of Willem Dafoe's FBI agent.

The movie was a hit with fans, but critics were appalled by what they saw as an excessively violent Tarantino rip-off.

Despite the film's flaws, it does have two highlights. Firstly, Billy Connolly, a brilliant comedian from Scotland, plays a hitman. It's a surprising casting choice, but it works.

Secondly, and more importantly, the characters in this movie celebrate Paddy's Day in the right way, which is best summed up by this quote: ''Everyone's Irish tonight. Why don't you just pull up a stool and have a drink with us?''

This forgotten movie brought together two actors who had seen better days. Patrick Bergin plays Saint Patrick in this serviceable biography, and it's easy to forget while watching the film that this man once shared a screen with Julia Roberts.

And yes, this isn't about St. Patrick's Day per se, but it is about many days in his life! It's also great for family viewing.

Malcolm McDowell is perhaps most famous for his turn in 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971). But as his career entered a downswing in the 2000s, he ended up in this movie. Now that he is in the winter of his life, he devotes most of his time to voicework.

''Life stinks and you know it''.

This quote sums up the drama at the heart of this little-known, low-budget gem. Yes, the fourteen hours in question happen on March 17th, and, despite the wrangling over the meaning of life, there is a happy ending.

Grace Kelly made her movie debut in 'Fourteen Hours'. In her brief career, the gorgeous actress made a number of classics, ensuring that she was Hollywood royalty as well as a princess in Monaco.

Of Irish stock, she visited Ireland three times and even bought some land there.

Warwick Davis plays the evil leprechaun who wants to settle down and find love. Unfortunately, this quest features lots of skullduggery and mischief. The action takes place on two different St. Patrick's Days, which are 1,000 years apart.

The first movie in the franchise, from 1993, was Jennifer Aniston's film debut. A year later, she would get cast as Rachel Green in 'Friends', and she soon became America's sweetheart.

Dublin gangster films are usually standard genre fare, but this low-budget effort is pretty decent. While the rest of the Irish capital enjoy parades and the like, three criminals spend St. Patrick's Day in a boozy haze as they try to find direction in their lives.

The soundtrack is provided by Damien Dempsey, who is also, as the antagonist, a looming menace in the story.

Starring Sean Penn, this cult classic centres around turf wars, mob violence and undercover cops.

The story reaches a bloody denouement on St. Patrick's Day, with a shootout in a bar.

Sean Penn, pictured here at the premiere of the movie, is not the only famous face in the cast. Gary Oldman, Ed Harris, and Robin Wright light up the story with their talent.

Instead of thinking of pots of gold and those cliches on St. Patrick's Day, we can now think of stars like Ed Harris, rip-roaring crime movies, surprising screen debuts, middle of the road biographies, and last but not least, demonic leprechauns.

So, if you get tired of green rivers and want to enjoy a movie at home, the good news is that all of the films in this gallery, even the obscure ones, are available online.

Have a great St. Patrick's Day. Or as we say in Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!