12 July 2024 |
Ireland TV and Movie Locations
Ireland’s Top 5 Blockbuster Movie Locations to Visit
by Ann Massey
Calling all movie buffs!
Have you ever been watching a movie and wondered where it was filmed? Ireland has been the filming location for more movies than you can imagine – often without you knowing it was Ireland. Look at Ireland’s Top 5 blockbuster movie locations that you can actually visit!
Braveheart is the epic tale of William Wallace and his bid to free Scotland from English tyranny. The 1995 movie starring Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau and was set in Scotland naturally!). Did you know that several filming locations were actually in Ireland?
Trim Castle in County Meath lies on the River Boyne and is the largest and best-maintained Anglo-Norman castle in the Emerald Isle. In ‘Braveheart’, Trim Castle doubled as both the ancient walled city of York in England and for the London scenes.
The Battle of Falkirk was filmed in the East Kildare village of Ballymore Eustace and the English fort was an old hunting lodge within Wicklow Mountains National Park. Other sites include The Curragh in County Kildare representing the Battle of Stirling Bridge and Westminster Abbey is actually St. Nicholas Church just outside of Trim!
All of these locations are close to one another and easily accessible by car.
Oscar nominated and award winning ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ was filmed on location across two of Ireland’s most stunning islands! It tells the story of two best friends and the difficulties that follow when one of them gives the cold shoulder. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon head the cast, set against the backdrop of 1920s rural Ireland.
While the fictional place of Inisherin is one island, for filming it was Achill Island and Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands.
Achill Island is renowned for its rugged beauty, golden sands and pretty villages. It is a Gaeltecht region, which means Irish is spoken on a daily basis and it has great history, outdoor activities from hiking to swimming and incredible vistas.
Inis Mór spots include the ancient Dún Aonghasa fort and Dominic’s Cottage on the west side of the island. You can explore Inis Mór by bike, foot or local transport including horse and wagon! Historic attractions, indigenous flora and fauna, a lively local scene and beauty and tranquillity everywhere you look, it really is the ultimate step into traditional island life.
One of the best-known movies set in Ireland; ‘The Quiet Man’ is a beautiful and funny love story between American retired boxer Sean Thornton and feisty redhead, Mary Kate Danaher. The lead actors, John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara were perfect for this John Ford classic!
The cast stayed in iconic Ashford Castle – once home to the Guinness family and situated in the heart of Cong Village. Much of the filming took place within the extensive grounds and the surrounding village of Cong.
Today you can still have a drink in Pat Cohan’s bar, take memorable photos at the bridge and abbey, or see the Reverend Playfair’s rectory home.
Lettergesh Beach in the stunning Connemara region is the setting for the famous horse race that saw Mary Kate Danaher’s bonnet left shamefully swinging in the breeze! Staying in County Galway, why not amble along to Ballyglunin Station and recreate the railway scene?
When the star-studded cast of Saving Private Ryan found themselves replicating the landings at Omaha Beach in Normandy, they could never have imagined it would take place on a quiet stretch of coastline in County Wexford, Ireland.
Curracloe Beach was the chosen location for Stephen Spielberg’s epic Academy Award winner, due to its striking similarity to the Omaha Beach landscape. For the duration of filming, there were very few special effects, with the majority being real explosions and fire.
Irish Army Reserves were drafted in as extras and thousands of litres of red food dye turned the County Wexford waters crimson. Explosions rocked the neighbouring communities and smoke billowing into the sky was visible for miles.
The cast, including Tom Hanks (playing Captain John Miller), blended in with the locals, including the town of Gorey where many stayed. Hanks described his time filming here as the ‘most magical and wonderful place’ he ever filmed.
To comply with an eco-order, Spielberg’s team spent the following month after filming returning Curracloe Beach to the sanctuary it once was. The same beach was also a filming location for Saoirse Ronan’s 2015 movie, Brooklyn.
Those well versed in the Potter Movie-verse recognise The Cliffs of Moher firstly from a postcard visible in the room of a young Tom Riddle when Dumbledore talks him into attending Hogwarts. Fast forward to The Half Blood Prince and Tom Riddle has become Lord Voldemort, wreaking havoc on both the Wizarding World and Muggles alike.
Professor Dumbledore has been seeking the Horcruxes that contain the essence of Lord Voldemort in a bid to end his reign of terror. One such Horcrux lies in a cliff face cave, protected by crashing waters. In real life, the cliffs and waters are the Cliffs of Moher and the Atlantic Ocean. A second Atlantic Ocean filming location that was included in the sequence was Lemon Rock, beside the famous Skelligs off the County Kerry coastline.
The Princess Bride aficionados will recognise the Cliffs of Moher as ‘The Cliffs of Insanity.’ While the Dread Pirate Roberts scaled the cliff face, in reality they stand more than 700 feet high so please don’t try this yourself!
The best way to explore the sheer magnitude of the formidable Cliffs of Moher is by way of a boat cruise, which brings you close to the cave entrance. For that epic photo opportunity, the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience topside is the way to go!
This is just the top of the Irish film and television iceberg, so subscribe and keep an eye out for more Ireland movie and TV locations you can visit!
Meanwhile, look at our top vacation packages where you can customise to include visits to these famous locations and begin to tick off your list of movie magic visits.
