by Kristi Kates

St. Patrick’s Day is most often celebrated in U.S. with a few familiar Americanized rituals. Great parades. Green beer. Corned beef and cabbage for dinner. And a lot of leprechaun tales, four-leaf clovers, and green sweaters. But a better way to celebrate this Irish holiday might be to actually delve a little bit into Irish popular culture. Many great films have come out of The Emerald Isle - not only has the land given us a slate of terrific actors, actresses, and directors, but the scenery is stunning, the stories and legends heartfelt, and the humor chock-full of cheek and sly wit. So we’re going to take you on a wee bit of a journey through several movies that you might want to check out for yourself this St. Patrick’s Day.

Ireland is a land of rich history, as are all of the British Isles. Perhaps one of the most familiar U.K legends is that of the rise to power of King Arthur and the quest of the Knights of the Round Table - and, although this story is often presented in a more "fairy-tale" context, it’s told in the 1981 Irish-filmed movie *Excalibur* as more of a dark-ages scenario, with the grit and realism that is rarely included in the presentation of this tale. *Excalibur* stars Irish actors Gabriel Byrne and Liam Neeson along with Helen Mirren and, in a smaller role, a pre-Star Trek Patrick Stewart, and its strength is the human aspect that it brings to the legend - although a *bit* more fantasy may have been welcome in view of some of *Excalibur’s* darker scenes.

Liam Neeson also shows up, this time in the lead role, in our next film, the historical story of *Michael Collins*, and Neeson is joined on screen by fellow Irish actor Aidan Quinn and by American actress Julia Roberts. Set in 1916, the film is a true big-screen epic of this turmoiled time, and Neeson does a superb job portraying the Irish activist Collins as a man driven by a passion of freedom for his country and its people. Director Neil Jordan also achieves an excellent balance between Collins the soldier and Collins the man who became both a hero and a political martyr, and Quinn and Roberts are more than adequate in their supporting roles.

*Far and Away* is another Irish epic, presenting the story of the Irish immigrants’ journeys to America. The story is well told from a more narrowed, personal, singular point of view, through the eyes of the son of a poor 19^th century Irish tenant farmer. Tom Cruise slides nicely into his role as the son, showing a wide range of emotions from resentment to desperation to vulnerability as he pledges to avenge the death of his father (which he blames on the local landlord) and fervently pursue his dream of free land in America. Going along with Cruise for the trials and tribulations is the landlord’s sheltered daughter, portrayed by Nicole Kidman, who learns quickly that to adapt and keep up with the man she is falling in love with (Cruise), she must put aside her coddled ways and draw on her own personal strengths and beliefs to make it through what is not an easy journey.

Another rough "journey" was that of the McCourts of Ireland, probably most familiar to American audiences through the bestselling novels of Frank McCourt, *Angela’s Ashes* and *Tis*. Frank’s first novel, *Ashes,* was recently made into a Hollywood movie, but there’s yet another film that brings the McCourt’s sometimes sad, sometimes funny tales onto the big screen. Presented as a documentary, *The McCourts of Limerick* might be a little difficult to find in your local video store, but it’s worth it - a personal account of the McCourt family, it features not only archived photos, but also interviews with all four McCourt brothers - author Frank, author/actor Malachy, and other brothers Mike and Alphie - talking about their harsh childhood in Limerick, Ireland.

Also on the more sentimental side are the films *Dancing at Lughnasa* and *Circle of Friends,* films of somewhat similar tone that still differ greatly in their delivery and scope. *...Lughnasa,* based on the play by Brian Friel, stars the ubiquitous Meryl Streep, along with Cathrine McCormack, Kathy Bates, Sophie Thompson, and Brid Brennan - the ladies playing five sisters whose missionary brother returns from Uganda and stirs up the family with the new notions and ideas he’s brought back from the "less refined" African land - the close-knit sisters find themselves having to deal with not only the familiarity of their lives being shaken up, but also with how to learn new levels of acceptance. *Circle of Friends*, taken from the novel of the same name by talented author Maeve Binchy, features Chris O’Donnell and Minnie Driver in the lead roles, and tells the story of three girls - Benny, Nan, and Eve - who pledge everlasting friendship to each other. The film, shot in Kilkenny and Dublin, follows the girls’ lives as they part paths and break trusts, eventually to meet again, a little sadder and wiser than before. The Irish accents of the American actors (with the exception of Driver, who does a fine job) could have used some work, but the story itself is sweetly executed, and the characters are full of life and more than believable.

Another believable account, this one of Irish working-class people, is seen in our next movie, *The Commitments*, the story of the rise and fall of a Dublin soul-rock band that stars Robert Arkins, Colm Meaney, and Maria Doyle, among others. As a rag-tag band of musicians pursuing that ever-elusive rock-n-roll dream, the members of the title band - The Commitments - work their way from obscurity to the big stage and back to unknown-land again, going through a remarkable amount of conflict on the journey. Realistic yet laced with seriously humorous moments (the one that immediately springs to mind is the simple yet hilarious sequence where The Commitments are auditioning for additional band members - you won’t *believe* the assortment of characters that shows up at their door), *The Commitments* was a sleeper in the theatres, but a hit on video - and even spawned a soundtrack album that did quite well on the charts.

And for the top of *our* chart, we’ve saved the best for last - the most recent film on this particular list, 1999’s *Waking Ned Devine* was the feel-good comedy of the year. Two good-natured old Irish scamps, Jackie and Michael, find out that someone in their tiny Irish village has won the national lotto - and they’re determined to ferret out the ticket holder, come hell or high water. The ensuing rigamarole that they go through will have you rolling on the floor with laughter, and you’ll find yourself cheering out loud for the main characters’ somewhat questionable but well-meaning schemes. A witty romp full of twists and turns, supported strongly by a talented cast that includes David Kelly, Ian Bannen, James Nesbitt, and Fionnula Flanagan, *Ned’s* best asset is perhaps the brilliant script, a fast-paced and original yet heartwarming story that keeps you guessing until the end.

And that’s the end of our little journey through the best of Irish films - there are many more great Irish movies that deserve to be seen, but this should get you started. Whether it’s Sir Lancelot, Michael Collins, Frank McCourt, Benny, or the ill-fated Ned Devine, grab a few of your friends, invite some of these characters into your VCR, and make this St. Patrick’s Day one to really celebrate the Irish.