From Westeros to the Wild Atlantic Way: Ireland’s Most Stunning Locations

MB> These locations are so iconic because they are Irish, with all that being in Ireland gives you. Wildness, beautiful light, vibrant greens, proximity to airports and the capital cities of Dublin and Belfast, and of course, some of them are iconic because they feature in the world’s current biggest show, HBO’s Game of Thrones.

 

While we may not have the height of New Zealand, or the weather of South Africa, we have a very unique beauty in light and landscape that is not seen anywhere else. Even our UK-based clients comment on how very different it is here compared to our nearest neighbours. 

 

 

MB> In particular, I think the West Coast, along the Wild Atlantic Way, is very underused. It is Europe’s longest coastal road, of over 1500kms, has the highest cliffs in the world, the Cliffs of Moher, empty long stretches of beaches, spectacular sunsets, some of the best cold water surfing in the world, giving spectacular wave pipes, and when the sun is shining parts of it can look like the Caribbean, without the palm trees of course (our palm trees are a little different to Caribbean ones!).

 

Locations in Northern Ireland are also underused. Many parts of the province have been used in Game of Thrones, with locations that have never been seen elsewhere - castles, mountains, crypts, but also city shots, and new modern buildings that are sprouting up all over both cities, Belfast and Dublin.

 

Both cities have modern elements, but they also have older parts to them, that can replicate other cities. Dublin is very Georgian, with Belfast being more UK-looking. We often use Dublin for period London for example.

 

MB> It is true to say that it often rains in Ireland, but that’s what gives us the green. I’d say that the rain is occasionally a problem, but that we are very used to shooting around it. You won’t travel here for weather. You travel here for the diversity of locations and the technical expertise of crew. In saying that…. when the sun shines, or when it we have perfect mix of cloud and sunshine, it is gorgeous. Our climate is so temperate, never too cold, or too hot.  

 

 

MB> It depends of course on the location. Private locations are usually pretty quick to permit. Northern Ireland permitting can take a bit longer than the South, but Northern Ireland Screen are amazingly helpful and are pushing for more work to come here, so they do tend to make it easy for you.

 

In the South, it is very easy. Most permits for county council’s can be turned around in five working days, less if they’re not too complicated. And Dublin City Council Events are incredibly film friendly. In particular DCC Events love commercials because we’re so fast - in and out in days rather than weeks - so you can often find that they will come up with production friendly ways for road closures where they can.    

 

Both NI Screen and DCC Events see production as a positive to both areas both economically, but also in terms of continuing to generate work for the technicians that are based here.

 

 

 

MB> We pretty much have all crew departments available here now. What I’ve noticed in the past few years of working on the Thrones promos with HBO in the North in particular is the professionalism of the crew. There is nothing like watching the well-oiled machine that is Thrones swing into action. Everyone knows exactly what they’re doing, they are constantly trying to get three shots ahead. You rarely are waiting for a set up. Everything is in place long before it needs to be. It is a testament to the local crews in NI just how much they want the local film industry to work and grow, to see how much they have developed over the past decade in particular. 

 

This is also the case in the Republic of Ireland. The technicians in ROI are vastly experienced and have a level of professionalism that always makes me proud to introduce them to visiting international productions.   

 

Of course, there are some technicians that have to come in, but they tend to be very specialised.  

 

MB> Pretty much everything is here, and if it isn’t, we can easily get it. Sky panels, cranes, specialised tracking arms, MoCo, etc, all of it is easily transportable to either Dublin or Belfast, and we have a system set up to get the equipment in. We tend not to keep too much specialised equipment on the floor here, but that would be the case in any European city outside of London and other major production centre capitals.  

  

 

MB> A shooting day in Ireland for international productions is a 10-hour day, in ROI that is to include a one-hour lunch. NI Crews work to the APA rates out of London, and their criteria. ROI crews work to the criteria put in place by the Commercial Producers Ireland (CPI) organisation.