This post was published in March 2019 and last updated in June 2026.
I'm sure somewhere in my European mutt roots there's a wee bit o' Irish, but when March 17 rolls around each year I don't do much more than wear green.
And, if I'm honest, St. Patrick's Day is one of those spring holidays that's kind of hard to make spooky.
So when in doubt...horror movies to the rescue! Because there is, after all, a horror movie for practically everything.
You probably know I'm not much of a horror movie fan, but for those that are I've rounded up five quick picks of highly recommended horror movies by Irish filmmakers, plus two more that are set in Ireland and have a spooky vibe.
At the end of the post, you'll also find a link to another list of Emerald Isle-inspired horror flicks to check out from my friend Sarah over at The Spooky Vegan.
Irish horror movies to watch this St. Patrick's Day
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Movie posters sourced from themoviedb.org.
1. Dead Meat (2004)
Irish filmmaker Conor McMahon took advantage of the mad cow disease scare back in the early aughts with this debut film. When a mutated strain of the disease infects people, they are turned into zombies. The movie follows tourists - and humans - Helena and Martin as they try to escape their near-certain fate...
2. Wake Wood (2009)
After their daughter, Alice, is killed in a dog attack, parents Patrick and Louise move to the sleepy town of Wake Wood and discover a pagan ritual that will bring back Alice for three more days. But at the end of the three days...will Alice go back willingly?
3. Shrooms (2007)
Three couples hunting the woods of Ireland for mushrooms sounds like a classic horror movie set up, right? But of course, these aren't just plain old mushrooms - they're magic with drug-like effects. During their hunt, the couples meet some strange inhabitants who tell a creepy, fantastical story around the campfire...but it might not be a story after all when people start dying.
4. Boy Eats Girl (2005)
Nathan has a crush on his friend Jessica, but he's too shy to tell her. When his friends schedule a date between the two, a series of misunderstandings leads to missed connections, and Nathan takes his own life. His mother, however, resurrects Nathan as a zombie, and now Nathan must figure out how to tell Jessica how he feels...without eating her first.
5. Grabbers (2012)
Bad things always happen when you're left in charge at work, right? Lisa, a police officer on Aran Island in Ireland, is left to hold down the fort while her colleague is on holiday just as sea-dwelling, blood-sucking aliens show up. She must lead the island to safety but discovers there's only one way to keep the island inhabitants safe: drink.
6. Dementia 13 (1963)
Time to go old school with this thriller from Francis Ford Coppola set in Ireland. Dementia 13 tells the story of Louise whose Irish-American husband dies. Determined to stay in her wealthy Irish mother-in-law's will, Louise comes up with a scheme and travels to Ireland to put it into action. Her plan, however, comes to a screeching halt when members of her husband's family are murdered.
7. High Spirits (1988)
When Peter's Irish castle is in danger of being repossessed, he decides to give some American tourists an exciting visit by asking his staff to "haunt" the castle. What he doesn't plan on is the Americans bringing along a few ghosts of their own.
What's your favorite Irish horror movie?
Share it in the comments, and let me know which of these movies you enjoy too.
And if you're looking for more suggestions, be sure to check out these 10 from The Spooky Vegan!
