Eveything’s all green

That was the first thought of the head of Republic Studios on viewing the footage in 1951. It had taken 20 years for one of the world’s best filmmakers to persuade anyone to get to this point. To fund and make a ‘silly little Irish story’ according to one of it’s stars – Maureen O’Hara.

Ironically the movie would go on to win Best Cinematography for Colour at the 1953 Academy Awards. Back when it was a separate category to Black and White.

If it wasn’t for the determination and true grit of director John Ford than this movie would never have been made and despite all the excellent actors, technicians and government programmes and tax incentives we might not have the film industry we have in Ireland today.

We most certainly would not have captured America’s heart as we did.

That movie is The Quiet Man (1951) showcasing the verdant land is the west of Ireland. The rest is history.

King Cong

This quintessential tale sees John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara navigate rural life in Ireland. It’s simple tale is well shot and has over the decades become more than just a film. Martin Scorsese based his black and white format in 1980’s raging bull on the flashback fight scene while Steven Spielberg used his “saving the frogs scene” as an homage to Ford.

The majority of the movie was shot in the village of Cong, on the north shores of Lough Corrib in Mayo. Pat Cohen’s bar playing host to some of the more crucial scenes. This pub stills stands there today but the most memorable moment comes from a little bridge just outside Maam Cross in County Galway.

As we were diving back from Kylemore Abbey I got Karen to stop the car next to that bridge. There are some plaques nearby and a small parking lot has been added as fans flock to it.

Maam Cross was also used to film some scenes from Ron Howard’s Far and Away (1992). Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star as Irish tenant farmers who move to America in the 1890s to take part in the Land Run of 1983. Howard having been no stranger to filming in Ireland after shooting some scenes for 1988’s sword and sorcery movie Willow.

The Brothers of Inisheerin

Another set of directors who have helped put the west on the map are the McDonaghs – Martin and John Michael. With parents from Galway and Sligo and holidays as a children in Connemara there is a stong irish connection that can be seen in their plays and movies.

2022 saw the Banshees of Inisheerin (directed by Martin). A sad tale of a broken friendship set on a fictional island on the west coast of Ireland. Shooting of scenes were split between Achill Island and Inishmore (Inis Mor).

On Inishmore there were four main spots used to convey the world of the movie. Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan share some moonshine while sitting atop the cliffs at the prehistoric fort of Dun Aonghasa. The cottage where Barry’s character of Dominic lives with his abusive dad was a real cottage down the road in Eoghanacht. Unfortunately some of the stone houses used were actually custom built for the movie and had to be taken down. This includes Padraic’s house in the village of Gort na gCapall.

The graveyard scene at the end of the movie was shot on the beach of Iaraine on the island’s east coast. The graveyard itself is Killeaney graveyard located next to the airport. The labyrinth of stone walls and dirt tracks provided the perfect backdrop for the movie.

Inspired by our own visit to Inishmore, John and his youngest brother Cameron, recreated a scene from the movie.

Before that John Michael had filmed a pair of movies – The Guard (2011) and Calvary (2014). The former set around Galway with the latter set in Sligo and Strandhill – both also starring Brendan Gleeson.

In The Guard (2011) Gleeson teams up with Don Cheadle (FBI but not behavioural science division) to tackle a group of drug smugglers led by Liam Cunningham. The action is all shot around Spiddal, Bearna and Salthill with the Blackrock Diving Tower in the latter featured in a scene where the one of the smugglers (Mark Strong) pay off the local Gardai (Cops).

Calvary (2014) was shot further north in County Sligo. Brendan Gleeson appears again, this time as a parish priest who is being tormented by his parishioners while trying to reconcile his relationship with his daughter (played by Kelly Reilly). The fantastic Benbulbin rock formation appears in a number of scenes including a gorgeous overhead drone shot.

Trope Alert

If a Trope of Irish Cinema is that it must have Brendan Gleeson in it, another one is the ‘Go to Ireland and find love in a small town’ trope. That small town is generally found in the west of Ireland.

The Matchmaker (1997) with Janeane Garofolo, David O’Hara and the legendary Milo O’Shea was shot mainly in Roundstone, Co. Galway with the stone fort of Dun Aonghasa thrown in again.

2010s Leap Year starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode saw filming scattered across the island with Wicklow, Dublin, Waterford being used in addition to Mayo and Galway as well as the Aran Islands. The final scene where Declan proposes to Anna was filmed at Dun Aonghasa while his pub is just down the road in Kilmurvey. Today it is an ice cream parlour.

This year saw Netflix release another of these movies called Irish Wish. This Lindsay Lohan vehicle saw filming take place in Westport, Co Mayo as well as some scenic filming at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare.

The Originator

Back in 1934 there was a curious documentary set and filmed on the Aran Islands by Robert J Flaherty. Man of Aran documents man’s fight for survival on the Aran Islands. This movie has both shaped the artistic branding of the islands – the motif of the three men in a curragh boat have become the symbol of the region – and influenced how future filmmakers including John Ford represented Ireland on the screen.

The Man of Aran cottage, built for the documentary, still stands in Kilmurvey today. The Man of Aran himself was played by Colman ‘Tiger’ King who is buried in that graveyard in Kileaney while fellow native Pat Mullen plays the Shark Hunter. The film contains long shots of the western coast of the island, often being battered by monster waves from the North Atlantic ocean.

Additional scenes were filmed on the east coast beach of Iaraine; showcasing the seaweed harvesting that was carried out there.

You can watch it full on youtube here.

Cliffs of Insanity

Dramatic, fantastic, mind blowing, unreal, powerful. Just some of the words to describe the Cliffs of Moher. These natural beauties tower above the Atlantic Ocean below and provide a unique movie locations.

In Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009), they feature as one of the hiding places of Voldemort’s horcrux that are being tracked down by Professor Dumbledore (played by Michael Gambon) and Daniel Radcliffes titular character.

Hear my Song (1991) a comedy drama telling inspired by the real life of Irish Tenor Jo Locke has scenes filmed at O’Brien’s Tower – the tower at the cliffs. In The Mackintosh Man (1973) Paul Newman’s intelligence operative character is involved in a car chase which sees his antagonist crash off the cliffs.

In the local movie Into the West (1992) – Ossie and Tito literally chase their white horse (called Tir na Nog) to the ends of a great ocean while being chased by a helicopter at the edge of the cliffs. They also appear in the opening scene of David Lean’s Ryan’s Daughter (1970).

Our favourite appearance was as The Cliffs of Insanity in 1987s The Princess Bride. Here Andre the Giant, Inigo Montoya and the legendary Wallace Shawn have to scale the face of the cliff before the a duel ensues with Dread Pirate Roberts (played by Cary Elwes).

It can also be seen in the Netflix movie Irish Wish (2024).

Finally a lot of the Father Ted TV Series was filmed in Clare with the Cliffs of Moher featuring as a backdrop in one of the best episodes “Tentacles of Doom” (S2 E3). It is hear that the Holy Stone of Clonrichert is upgraded to a Class Two relic.

The nearby Doolin Ferry Shop was used as the cornershop of John & Mary throughout the series.

For the opening credits and some exterior shots – Inisheer and it’s shipwreck MV Plassy are featured as ‘Craggy Island’ but since 2007 – Inishmore has become the new craggy island as it plays host to the annual TedFest Festival. This annual event attracts thousands to take part in various events such as the Craggy Cup football match, a Lovely Girls competition and episode watchalongs. There is a permanent Tourist Office located next to Joe Wattys Pub.

That a boy Jack

The Guard (2011) is not the only crime drama to be shot and set around Galway. The hard boiled detective series Jack Taylor (played by the fantastic Iain Glen) is shot and set around the county. Famous landmarks such as Eyre Square, The Spanish Arch, Galway Cathedral and the Crane Bar provide the perfect backdrop for this gritty crime series.