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An Irish Goodbye (2022) movie poster

Plot Summary

An Irish Goodbye (2022) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2022 · 23 mins · English
Echo score 82
Directed by
Tom Berkeley, Ross White
Starring
Seamus O'Hara, Michelle Fairley, James Martin, Paddy Jenkins

In rural Northern Ireland, following the untimely death of their mother, a young man with Down syndrome and his estranged brother discover her unfulfilled bucket list.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 What happens: full plot
  2. 2 Plot questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like An Irish Goodbye
  5. 5 Every angle

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in An Irish Goodbye: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of An Irish Goodbye (2022) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

London-born Turlough McCaffrey lives in London and is estranged from his brother, Lorcan, who has Down syndrome. Their mother, Grainne, dies after an illness, prompting Turlough to return to the family farm in rural Glenmornan with the plan to sell the property and move Lorcan to live with their aunt. But Lorcan resists, insisting he should stay and help care for the land.

Lorcan explains that the local priest, Father O'Shea, gave him a list of things Grainne wanted to do before she died. Turlough argues that the list is now useless, and the brothers clash over Lorcan’s wish to remain on the farm and his role in its future. The next morning, Turlough prepares to drive Lorcan away, but Lorcan refuses to leave until they finish all 100 wishes on Grainne’s list.

Reluctantly, Turlough agrees, and the siblings begin to reconnect as they work through Grainne’s wishes. They use Grainne’s urn as a stand-in for activities such as modeling for a painting, flying with balloons, and even smoking marijuana, gradually rediscovering their bond. The mood shifts when Lorcan breaks the urn while fulfilling the 99th item—skydiving—causing tension and raising questions about trust and responsibility. Turlough worries that Lorcan’s actions could jeopardize the farm and decides to put the property up for sale.

As Turlough gears up to move Lorcan out, Father O'Shea appears and reveals that he never gave Lorcan a list. This revelation leads to a confrontation, followed by remorse from Lorcan. The brothers then decide to complete Grainne’s wishes by attempting the 100th item: going to space. They celebrate by sending Grainne’s ashes into the night sky with fireworks, lying together by a bonfire. In a hopeful turn, Lorcan adds a 101st item—wishing that he and Turlough could become best friends again and that Turlough would stay in London to help care for the family farm. Turlough agrees to consider it, leaving the door open for a new path that blends their bond, duty, and home.

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:39

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Plot questions answered

An Irish Goodbye Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about An Irish Goodbye (2022): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Turlough want to sell the family farm?

Turlough wants to sell the farm because he lives in London and is estranged from his brother Lorcan. After their mother Grainne dies, he returns to Glenmornan with the plan to sell the property and move Lorcan to live with their aunt, believing Lorcan would be better cared for elsewhere.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes show Turlough's distance from family life and his readiness to make practical decisions without considering Lorcan's feelings.

  • turlough
  • farm
  • selling
  • lorcan
  • aunt
  • london
Q2

Why does Lorcan refuse to leave the farm?

Lorcan refuses to leave because he feels responsible for the family farm and wants to honor his mother's memory by staying and caring for the land. He believes he belongs there and can contribute to maintaining the property.

Foreshadowing: Lorcan's attachment to the farm is established when he insists he should stay and help care for the land rather than be moved away.

  • lorcan
  • farm
  • stay
  • mother
  • care
  • land
Q3

Where did Lorcan get the bucket list?

Lorcan claims the local priest Father O'Shea gave him the list of things Grainne wanted to do before she died. However, Father O'Shea later reveals he never actually gave Lorcan any list, making the origin of the 100 wishes ambiguous.

Foreshadowing: Turlough questions the list's legitimacy early on, but Lorcan presents it as something concrete from the priest.

  • bucket list
  • father o'shea
  • lorcan
  • priest
  • grainne
Q4

Why does Lorcan break the urn?

Lorcan breaks Grainne's urn while attempting the 99th wish on the list, which is skydiving. During the skydiving activity, the urn falls and shatters, causing a major conflict with Turlough.

Foreshadowing: The use of the urn for increasingly dangerous activities like skydiving sets up the moment where it inevitably breaks.

  • urn
  • broken
  • skydiving
  • lorcan
  • grainne
  • ashes
Q5

Why does Turlough get so angry when the urn breaks?

Turlough is furious because he sees the broken urn as a sign of Lorcan's irresponsibility and lack of respect for their mother's memory. The incident makes him fear that Lorcan cannot be trusted to care for the farm, reinforcing his decision to sell the property.

Foreshadowing: Turlough's anger stems from his underlying concern about Lorcan's ability to manage the farm and his own guilt about leaving.

  • turlough
  • angry
  • urn
  • broken
  • trust
  • lorcan
Q6

What does Father O'Shea reveal about the bucket list?

Father O'Shea reveals that he never gave Lorcan a bucket list. This shocking revelation means the list of 100 wishes was either something Lorcan created himself or something he imagined, rather than an actual list from Grainne.

Foreshadowing: Turlough's earlier skepticism about the list's authenticity is confirmed when the priest admits he never provided it.

  • father o'shea
  • bucket list
  • reveal
  • priest
  • never gave list
Q7

Why do the brothers send Grainne's ashes into the sky with fireworks?

The brothers send Grainne's ashes into the night sky with fireworks as their final gesture to complete the 100th wish: going to space. This symbolic act serves as a tribute to Grainne and represents her memory rising up, bringing closure to their grief journey.

Foreshadowing: The 100th wish was always intended to be going to space, which they fulfill by launching the ashes into the night sky.

  • ashes
  • fireworks
  • space
  • grainne
  • sky
  • tribute
Q8

What is the 101st wish that Lorcan adds?

Lorcan adds a 101st wish that he and Turlough become best friends again and that Turlough will leave London to stay and help care for the family farm. This represents his hope for reconciliation and their shared future.

Foreshadowing: The 101st wish reflects the brothers' rekindled bond throughout the film and Lorcan's desire for Turlough to stay.

  • 101st wish
  • best friends
  • farm
  • lorcan
  • turlough
  • stay
Q9

Does Turlough stay on the farm at the end?

Turlough agrees to consider staying on the family farm, leaving the door open for a new path that blends their bond, duty, and home. He does not commit definitively but indicates he will think about remaining to help care for the farm.

Foreshadowing: The film ends with Turlough's changed attitude toward his brother and the farm, showing growth from his original plan to sell.

  • turlough
  • stay
  • farm
  • ending
  • london
  • consider
Q10

Why does completing the bucket list matter to the brothers?

The bucket list matters because it gives the brothers a purpose during their grief and a way to reconnect. Working through the 100 wishes together helps Turlough and Lorcan rediscover their bond as siblings, even though the list's origin was questionable.

Foreshadowing: The list serves as a framework for the brothers to spend time together and process their mother's death.

  • bucket list
  • brothers
  • grief
  • reconnect
  • wishes
  • together

Movie threads

More Movies Like An Irish Goodbye, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes An Irish Goodbye tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about grief and family like An Irish Goodbye

Stories of family bonds tested and healed by loss in the quiet countryside. A collection of tender dramas where characters navigate loss and find reconciliation, similar to the heartfelt journey in An Irish Goodbye. If you liked the film's mix of rural setting, brotherly bond, and bittersweet emotion, you'll find more stories here.

  • grieving
  • heartwarming
  • melancholic
  • nostalgic
  • reflective
  • tender
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow characters returning to a family home after a death, forcing them to confront past estrangements. A discovered item, like a bucket list or letter, provides a structure for their shared journey, guiding them through grief toward a renewed sense of family and purpose.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a focus on the emotional weight of loss balanced by the healing power of familial connection. They feature a steady, character-driven pace, bittersweet tone, and rural settings that amplify the intimate, reflective mood.

Movies with a bucket list quest like An Irish Goodbye

Characters find purpose and connection by fulfilling a final wish from beyond the grave. Discover films where characters honor a loved one by completing a posthumous bucket list, just like in An Irish Goodbye. If you enjoyed the blend of poignant loss and uplifting purpose, these similar narrative-driven stories are for you.

  • heartwarming
  • uplifting
  • reflective
  • nostalgic
  • quest
  • grief
  • Tone: bittersweet, uplifting, reflective
  • Pacing: steady, purposeful
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is driven by the discovery and gradual completion of tasks set by a deceased character. This structured quest provides a linear progression, with each item offering moments of humor, reflection, or challenge that directly facilitate character growth and emotional healing for those left behind.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their shared plot mechanism, which creates a predictable but emotionally satisfying arc from sadness to hope. The tone is consistently bittersweet, with a steady pace that allows for both poignant and lightly humorous moments.

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Movies Like An Irish Goodbye

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Every angle

An Irish Goodbye (2022) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about An Irish Goodbye in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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