20 Incredible Irish Horror Movies From The Past 20 Years

Welcome to Ranking Horror where we do nothing but write horror movie lists. Irish horror has quietly become one of the most reliable sources of atmospheric, folklore-driven terror of the past two decades.

From grim folk horror to pitch-black comedy, these films tap into myth, isolation, and cultural unease in ways few other national cinemas can. Below are 20 of the best Irish horror movies released since 2005, ranked from solid curiosities to absolute essentials.

20. Shrooms (2007) – A Trip to the Dark Side

Why it Ranked: I was massively shocked that Shrooms didn’t suck nearly as much as it should have. While it isn’t great, it serves as an enjoyable b-movie that proves you could do a lot worse for a psychedelic slasher.

A group of American tourists travels to Ireland to go camping and take magic mushrooms with an Irish friend. As their psychedelic trip begins, so does the terror, as they are stalked by a sinister figure from local legend. It’s a fun enough ride if you don’t take it too seriously.

Where to Watch: Tubi, Pluto TV, Amazon (Rent)

19. The Lodgers (2017) – A Gothic Family Curse

Why it Ranked: This just misses out on being essential viewing because it functions more as a visual showcase than a cohesive film. There’s real potential here, but it plays better as a gorgeous Gothic aesthetic piece than a genuinely frightening one.

In a decaying rural manor in 1920s Ireland, orphaned twins are bound by a sinister family curse that keeps them locked inside. They must also keep outsiders from entering the house, which becomes a serious problem when their fragile peace is disturbed by a person keen to take possession of the house.

Where to Watch: Tubi, Netflix (Select Regions), Amazon (Rent)

18. The Hallow (2015) – Beware the Forest Dwellers

Why it Ranked: My expectations were a little high for this movie. While the practical effects and creature design are fantastic, the film left a lot of potential on the table. It is worth checking out, but the fairy tale vibes feel slightly off compared to the hype.

A British conservationist and his family move to a remote Irish forest, only to find themselves in a desperate fight for survival against demonic creatures from folklore – The Hallow.

Where to Watch: AMC+, IFC Films Unlimited, Amazon (Rent)

17. Stitches (2012) – Reforming the Birthday Clown

Why it Ranked: This is a ridiculous slasher comedy with some of the most inventive kills in recent memory. Honestly, it’s a “measured expectations” movie that ends up being a whole lot of fun if you know what you’re getting into.

Stitches features Geordie comedian Ross Noble which surprised the hell out of me when I first watched it. A foul-mouthed birthday clown named Stitches dies in a humiliating accident during a children’s party. Years later, he returns from the dead to exact gory revenge on the kids who caused his demise.

Where to Watch: Tubi, Shudder, AMC+

16. Citadel (2012) – Fear Lives in the Tower

Why it Ranked: This is a pretty grim and rather tense psychological thriller. Citadel channels societal anxieties into a terrifying urban horror story about confronting fear. This one was a bit of a fever dream for me. I remember enjoying it but completely forgetting the title. I still think it is extremely unique.

After his wife is brutally attacked by a gang of feral, hooded children, a young father is left with crippling agoraphobia and a new born baby to protect. Teaming up with a priest, he realises he has to enter a mysterious abandoned tower block known as the Citadel.

Where to Watch: Tubi, Vudu, Amazon (Rent)

15. Without Name (2016) – The Forest has its Own Logic

Why it Ranked: The visuals here are utterly fantastic and the trippy nature of the film is a real draw. Much like The Hallow, it leaves some potential unfulfilled, but it remains a hypnotic slice of psychedelic folk horror.

Hired to survey an ancient and mysterious forest, a land surveyor slowly loses his grip on reality as the woods seem to exert a strange, hallucinatory power over him. I don’t think the horror wins out over the general experimental nature of the flick but it’s still worth a look.

Where to Watch: Tubi, AMC+, Amazon Prime

14. The Hole in the Ground (2019) – Not Quite My Son

Why it Ranked: There’s plenty of suspense to be had here in this enjoyable enough folk horror. Again, I was expecting more as there was a lot of hype surrounding The Hole in the Ground but I left feeling a tiny disappointed. A lot of people really liked it, though, so give it a go. Maybe I should rewatch?

After moving to a new home in the Irish countryside, a young mother begins to suspect her son is not her son at all, especially after he returns from the woods where a giant sinkhole has appeared. If you are into your changeling folklore, this is the movie for you.

Where to Watch: Max, Hulu, Amazon (Rent)

13. Isolation (2005) – Something in the Cattle

Why it Ranked: Isolation is a gritty, tense, and, frankly, quite stomach-churning piece of body horror that proves you don’t need a big budget to create genuine dread. It’s pretty slow and deliberate but behind the restraint is a seriously great Irish horror movie.

On a remote, failing farm, a desperate farmer agrees to let a scientist conduct genetic experiments on his cattle. When one of the experiments goes horribly wrong, the small group is trapped and hunted by a monstrous, fast-evolving creature.

Where to Watch: AMC+, Tubi, Amazon Prime

12. Wake Wood (2009) – Three Days of Grace

Why it Ranked: This is a great example of modern folk horror that works as an Irish take on the Pet Sematary formula. It doesn’t bring a whole lot of new ideas, but it executes the ones it has very well.

In this co-production with the UK and the legendary Hammer Films, a grieving couple moves to the remote village of Wake Wood after the tragic death of their daughter. They discover the villagers practice a pagan ritual that can bring a loved one back for three days but at what cost?

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+, Amazon (Rent)

11. The Cured (2017) – The Weight of Guilt

Why it Ranked: The Cured is a powerful and intelligent social thriller that uses its horror premise to explore themes of guilt, trauma, and prejudice. Many of which share parallels with Ireland’s own tumultuous history. Movies like this feel all the more relevant in a post-pandemic world.

We’ve talked about The Cured before in some of our zombie movie lists. Set in Dublin years after a zombie-like virus has swept through Europe. This film focuses on former infected people known as the “Cured” who are now trying to reintegrate into a society that fears them.

Where to Watch: Tubi, IFC Films Unlimited, Amazon Prime

10. The Devil’s Doorway (2018) – Sins of the Laundry

Why it Ranked: Shot on 16mm film, this found-footage horror uses its historical setting to create a politically charged story. The really sad thing with The Devil’s Doorway is that its premise was based in fact, not fiction. That only adds to how disturbing this movie can be. One of the better found footage movies to come out of the 2010s.

I think it’s time for some religion themed found footage, right? In 1960, two priests are sent by the Vatican to investigate a reported miracle at a Magdalene Laundry, a notorious home for “fallen women.” They uncover something far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+, Amazon (Rent)

9. Let the Wrong One In (2021) – Blood and Brothers

Why it Ranked: This is a really good laugh when you need to unwind. It’s a horror-comedy in the vein of Shaun of the Dead, packed with sharp wit and bloody fun. It also features legendary actor Anthony Head.

When a young man discovers his older, estranged brother has become a vampire, he is torn between helping his sibling and siding with a vampire-hunting taxi driver. Naturally, this is a play on the title Let The Right One In but it doesn’t act as a parody of that film.

Where to Watch: Hulu, AMC+, Amazon Prime

8. Sea Fever (2019) – Terror from the Deep

Why it Ranked: It’s an intelligent, claustrophobic sci-fi horror that feels like an Irish take on The Thing or Alien. If you can handle a smaller budget, you’ll have a great time.

The crew of a fishing trawler off the coast of Ireland finds their vessel disabled by a mysterious deep-sea parasite that begins to infect their water supply. This is a movie we have recommended on a few occasions on Ranking Horror and for good reason.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Kanopy, Amazon (Rent)

7. Boys from County Hell (2020) – Digging Up Legend

Why it Ranked: Once again, we are talking about an Irish comedy horror. It’s just something they do so damn well. I love the blending of vampire stuff with folk horror here. It works really well and makes for a movie that feels like a bringing together of the old and the new. Well, as new as rural Ireland can feel, anyway.

A crew of road workers in the fictional town of Six Mile Hill accidentally disturbs the burial cairn of Abhartach, a legendary Irish vampire who may have inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. What follows is a bloody, witty, and uniquely Irish take on the vampire genre.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+, Amazon Prime

6. Son (2021) – A Mother’s Sacrifice

Why it Ranked: Son is a decently tense and rather disturbing thriller that blends supernatural horror with the terrors of motherhood. This is one of those films that really doesn’t get enough attention. Give it a go.

A mother who escaped a cult as a child must confront her past when her young son contracts a mysterious illness. The only cure seems to be committing heinous acts. This is a movie that puts an interesting spin on the question of “how far will you go to protect your child?”.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+, Amazon Prime

5. You Are Not My Mother (2021) – Changeling Secrets

Why it Ranked:  This is a powerful, emotionally resonant, and genuinely scary folk horror film that, again, taps into some more Celtic legends. Carolyn Bracken is on top form here and the movie does a very nice job of weaving an allegorical story about mental illness.

On the week before Halloween, a girl’s mother vanishes, only to return a day later profoundly changed. As her behaviour becomes more erratic and terrifying, the daughter uncovers dark family secrets connected to changeling folklore.

Where to Watch: Hulu, AMC+, Amazon (Rent)

4. The Canal (2014) – A Grisly Inheritance

Why it Ranked: This is an underrated gem that deserves more attention. The Canal is a genuinely unsettling and legitimately disturbing ghost story that may just surprise you. There’s a few scenes that stuck with me from this film and few movies share its thoroughly unsettling vibe. Definitely one to check out if you missed it.

A film archivist’s life begins to unravel after he discovers that his house was the site of a grisly murder in 1902. When his wife goes missing, he suspects a malevolent supernatural entity is responsible.

Where to Watch: Tubi, Pluto TV, Amazon (Rent)

3. Grabbers (2012) – Survival is a Pint Away

Why it Ranked: A brilliant horror comedy, Grabbers is charming, hilarious, and features some fantastic creature design. It might sounds absolutely insane but that’s where the beauty lies. This is just a good old fashioned b-movie with tons to love.

Are you in the mood for an Irish alien monster movie? Well, you are in luck with Grabbers. When a remote Irish island is invaded by bloodsucking aliens, the residents discover a bizarre but effective defence. The creatures are allergic to alcohol. The only way to survive is to stay drunk.

Where to Watch: AMC+, IFC Films Unlimited, Amazon (Rent)

2. Extra Ordinary (2019) – A Ghostly Laugh

Why it Ranked: More of a supernatural comedy than a straight up horror, this film is so charming and hilarious. It’s a must-watch for anyone who enjoys a ghostly laugh with just a hint of the unusual. Sometimes, all you want is a movie that will make you feel good and this fits the bill perfectly.

Something Ireland does so well is blending horror with comedy and Extra Ordinary is no exception. Rose, a sweet driving instructor with supernatural abilities, must team up with a desperate father to save his daughter from a washed-up rock star who has made a pact with the devil.

Where to Watch: Tubi, Netflix (Select Regions), Amazon (Rent)

1. A Dark Song (2016) – The Price of a Miracle

Why it Ranked: A Dark Song is a very slow burning and meticulously crafted film about both grief and faith that builds to a truly unforgettable climax. It’s less about jump scares and more about suffocating, existential dread. It’s set in my home of North Wales, as well, so that’s pretty cool.

Definitely one of my favourite movies on this list. A Dark Song follows a determined young woman and a damaged occultist as they lock themselves in a remote house to perform an arduous ritual to both get something they want.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+, Amazon (Rent)

Ireland: A New Horror Powerhouse?

There you have it – 20 films that prove Ireland is doing some of the most interesting work in the genre right now. Whether they are leaning into the grim reality of their own history or digging up ancient folklore to terrify a modern audience, there is a distinct atmosphere to Irish horror that you just don’t get anywhere else.

It is a far cry from the glossy, jump-scare-heavy crap we often see coming out of the major US studios. These films are gritty, often quite bleak, and usually leave you with a lingering sense of unease that lasts long after the credits have finished rolling. If you only have time for one, make it A Dark Song… It’s a masterclass in tension and one of the most rewarding “slow-burns” I’ve ever seen.

Hopefully, this list helps you find your next favourite flick. I’ll be back soon with another ranking to help you navigate the endless sea of horror out there. Stay spooky.

Quick Picks: The Best of Irish Horror

If you are short on time and just want the absolute best of what the Emerald Isle has to offer, here is the breakdown of the top performers from this list:

• 🏆 The Absolute Essential: A Dark Song (2016)
• 😂 Best for a Laugh: Extra Ordinary (2019) or Grabbers (2012)
• 🌳 Best Folk Horror: You Are Not My Mother (2021)
• 📽️ Best Found Footage: The Devil’s Doorway (2018)
• 🤢 Best Body Horror: Isolation (2005)