Please find details
below of the Irish
Film Trail See
the backdrop of
the films made in
Ireland
Moby Dick 1956
scenes filmed in Youghal County Cork
Moby
Dick the film, in 1956, Youghal in Co.
Cork was the setting for John Huston’s
film adaptation of Herman Melville’s
Moby Dick starring Gregory Peck. You can
view some film memorabilia and pictures
from the set in the Moby Dick pub in the
town centre. This classic story by Herman Melville
revolves around Captain Ahab and his
obsession with a huge whale, Moby Dick.
The whale caused the loss of Ahab's leg
years before, leaving Ahab to stomp the
boards of his ship on a peg leg. Ahab is
so crazed by his desire to kill the
whale, that he is prepared to sacrifice
everything, including his life, the
lives of his crew members, and even his
ship to find and destroy his nemesis,
Moby Dick.
Michael Collins
1996 scenes filmed in Dublin
Michael Collins the
film was directed by Neil Jordan in
1996, this great film tells the story of
Michael Collins (known as "the big
fellow") from Clonakilty, Co Cork who
helped set up the Irish Free State
movement. After the Easter Week
rebellion of 1916, and the defeat of
Irish rebels by superior British forces,
Collins wanted an Irish Free State. By
1921 the British are willing to
negotiate and Sinn Fein President Eamon
de Valera sends a reluctant Collins to
London to negotiate a settlement. When
Collins returns with a compromise of a
divided Ireland and an Irish Free State,
not a Republic, he is vilified by de
Valera and repudiated by lifelong friend
Harry Boland after Boland learns that
his girlfriend Kitty Kiernan is in love
with Collins, not him. Collins is now
faced with civil war as he struggles
against those who insist on complete
freedom for all of Ireland. Michael
Collins was played by Liam Neeson, Eamon
de Valera was played by Alan Rickman,
Harry Boland by Aidan Quinn and Kitty
Kiernan by Julia Roberts. Some scenes
from Michael Collins film were set in
Broadstone, County Dublin, Ireland.
The Wind That
Shakes The Barley 2006 scenes filmed in
West Cork
The Wind That Shakes
the Barley film directed by Ken Loach.
Having seen the cruel acts by the
British Black and Tans and two brothers
fight side by side until a truce is
signed. But peace is short-lived and
when one faction of the freedom-fighters
accepts a treaty with the British that
is regarded as unfair by the other
faction, a civil war ensues, pitting
Irishmen against Irishmen, brothers
against brothers, based in early
20th century Ireland.Starring Cillian
Murphy, Padraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham
and Orla Fitzgerald. Some scenes filmed
in Ballyvorney in Co Cork, Bandon,
Coolea and Timoleague, West Cork,
Ireland.
War Of The Buttons
1994 scenes filmed in West Cork
War of The Buttons
filmed in 1994 was directed by John
Roberts was a film based on two separate
childhood groups who engage in battles
where they cut off the buttons,
shoe-laces and underwear of their
captured opponents. This is to get the
boys in trouble with their parents. They
go to battle in mass groups of dozens,
throwing stones and cutting off their
opponents buttons and all the scrapes
that result, and loyalties in childhood.
A light hearted film, with scenes filmed
in Castletownsend. West Cork, Ireland.
It starred Gregg Fitzgerald, Gerard
Kearney and Eveanna Ryan.
The Irish RM
1983-1985 scenes filmed in Kildare &
Wicklow
The Irish RM was is a
film about the English Major Sinclair
Yeates when he comes to work as the
Irish Resident Magistrate and he finds
that the justice system needs tempering
somewhat to suit the local needs - and
that not everything is as
straight-forward as it appears on the
surface. A light hearted film, showing
the Irish life long ago, and all the
interesting, quirky characters he meets
along the way. The Irish RM is played by
Peter Bowles, Flurry Knox by Bryan
Murray, Slipper by Niall Toibin, and Mrs
Cadogan by Anna Manahan. Scenes of the
film were filmed in Kildare & Wicklow.
Ondine 2009
scenes filmed in Castletownbere Beara Peninsula County
Cork
The film Ondine is the story of an Irish fisherman
from an Irish fishing
town who
discovers a woman in his fishing net who
he believes to be a mermaid,
a modern day fairytale.
Ondine was directed by Neil Jordan and
the lead part was played by Colin
Farrell and Ondine was played by Alicja
Bachleda and the priest is played by
Stephen Rea.
Excalibur 1981
scenes filmed in County Kerry
Excalibur film
directed by John Boorman with scenes
filmed in County Kerry in Ireland. All
the intrigue of King Arthur is brought
to the screen. Uthur Pendragon is given
the mystical sword Excalibur by the
wizard Merlyn. At his death Uthur buries
the sword into a stone, and the next man
that can pull it out will be King of
England. Years later Arthur, Uthur's
bastard son draws Excalibur and becomes
King. Guided by Merlyn, Arthur marries
Guenivere and gathers the Knights of the
Round Table. Arthur's evil half-sister
Morgana sires a son with him, who may
prove his downfall. Starring in
Excalibur were Helen Mirren, Gabriel
Byrne, Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson,
Nigel Terry, Nicholas Clay, and Corin
Redgrave.
Ryan's Daughter
1970-1971 scenes filmed in Dingle
Peninsula, County Kerry
Ryan's Daughter where
the set village of "Kirrary" was built just
for the film and dismantled afterwards -
shops, schoolhouse, church, pub, post
office, etc. 200 workmen built it all
using slate and 20,000 tons of granite
from a dozen local quarries; anything
less substantial wouldn't have stood up
to the Atlantic gales
of the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. Many buildings
had fitted interiors, ceilings,
lighting, plumbing and even working
fireplaces and chimneys.
The story of a newly wedded young girl
falling in love with a young English
officer having married an older man in
the local school headmaster. Directed by
David Lean the Headmaster was played by
Robert Mitchum, Michael by John Mills
and Rosy by Sarah Miles.
The Commitments
1991 scenes filmed in County Wicklow
The Commitments
directed by Alan Parker which is based
around Jimmy Rabbitte's (played by
Robert Arkins) attempt to bring soul
music to the people of Dublin and the
incidents that happen along the way.
Light hearted funny film with excellent
music. Starring Colm Meaney, Robert
Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball,
Maria Doyle Kennedy, Dave Finnegan,
Bronagh Gallagher, Felim Gormley, Glen
Hansard, Dick Massey, Johnny Murphy,
Kenneth McCluskey, Andrew Strong, Andrea
Corr and Anne Kent. The Commitments film
is highly entertaining with great music.
The Nephew
1998 scenes filmed in Ireland
The Nephew was a film
directed by Eugene Brady which stared
Pierce Brosnan, Niall Toibin, Sinead
Cusack, Luke Griffin, Phelim Drew, Donal
McCann, Aonghus Og McAnally, Hill Harper
and Aislin McGuckin. Film set in
Ireland, where a girl went to America
never to be heard of again until her son
returns to Ireland searching for his
only remaining family on the death of
his mother. Old conflicts are brought to
the surface once again, Piece Brosnan
plays a strong part as does Hill Harper
in this film The Nephew.
Other well know Films set or part
filmed in Ireland are
The Quiet Man
Playboy Of The Western World
Agnes Brown
Circle of Friends
Dancing at Lughnasa with Meryl Streep
My Left Foot with Daniel Day Lewis
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Flight of the Doves
The Field
Finian's Rainbow
The Matchmaker
My Leftfoot
Far & Away
P.S. I Love You
Reign of Fire
King Arthur one scene filmed at Irelands largest waterfall at
Powerscourt Falls.
Braveheart with Mel Gibson playing William Wallace filmed in County
Wicklow in Ireland
Saving Private Ryan which was filmed on Curracloe beach in County
Wexford in Ireland
Educating Rita, filmed at Belfield Campus, University College Dublin
in Ireland
