Hi Everyone. I hope all is well with you all this weekend. First of all a massive congratulations to all in involved in the Irish film An Irish Goodbye which won the Oscar for Best Short Live Action film. What a wonderful achievement! It was a record year for the Irish at the Oscars with no less than 14 nominations for Irish productions! With all this awards season success, it seems like the perfect time for another tour around the country, this time with a touch of movie glamour! Ireland has long been a sought after location for many films and TV shows. Here’s a few of my favorite Irish movie locations and a film or two you may have heard of!
Famous Irish Movie Locations
1. Achill Island, The Banshees of Inisherin
Well we just have to kick off with this brand new Irish movie classic, which set a new record for Irish film this year with a very impressive 9 nominations! Set on the fictional island of Inisherin, the actual locations used were the stunning land and seascapes of Achill Island and the largest of the Aran Islands, Inishmore.
2. Cong, Mayo- The Quiet Man
Next up we’re off to the village of Cong in County Mayo on the Galway/Mayo border. The village and surrounding countryside gained international fame when The Quiet Man was shot there in 1952. This much loved Irish movie remains a perennial favorite and stars John Wayne and very own Maureen O’Hara.
3. Trinity College -Educating Rita
We’re heading back to Ireland’s capital, Dublin City and the iconic Trinity College which dates back to 1592. It was the setting for the 1983 movie Educating Rita, based on the play of the same name by Willy Russell. The film is set in Liverpool and follows Rita’s journey to educate herself on an Open University course. It stars Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Trinity College was chosen as it was deemed to look like a typical English university!
4. Roundstone, Galway-Into The West
This charming harbor village in the stunning region of Connemara was one of the many Irish locations for the irresistible 1992 Irish movie, Into The West. It stars the wonderful Gabriel Byrne as Papa Reilly, the heartbroken father of two boys, Tito and Ossie whose mother dies in childbirth. The story follows their epic journey from Dublin on a white horse named Tír na nÓg into the magical west.
5. Dingle Peninsula-Ryans Daughter
Travelling down the west coast to Kerry now and the gorgeous Dingle Peninsula. This stunning corner of Ireland provided the location for the 1970 film, Ryans Daughter. The movie starred Sarah Miles and Robert Mitchum and was directed by the great David Lean, known for his epic productions.
6. Skellig Micheal – Star Wars
So we stay in the Kingdom of Kerry for our final stop just off the Iveragh Peninsula. Skellig Michael achieved recent worldwide fame when it was chosen as a location for the Star Wars movie, Star Wars; The Force Awakens. The ancient monastic settlement is incredibly preserved. No humans have lived here since the monks left in 1100 who even escaped the ravages of the Vikings.
Take care of yourselves and each other,
Slán go fóill!
Lulu.
