From Hollywood blockbusters to major television shows, Ireland has no shortage of incredible filming locations.
Recent years have been the era of Irish actors, with stars like Saoirse Ronan, Cillian Murphy, and Paul Mescal taking the world of cinema by storm.
But Ireland has long provided filming locations for some of Hollywood’s biggest productions, including Star Wars, Braveheart, and Saving Private Ryan.
Filming locations throughout the country are a big tourist draw, and research carried out by Betfair Casino has revealed the top 12 filming locations in Ireland.
Determining the top filming locations in Ireland – a cinephile’s Irish road trip
Betfair Casino set about determining the top filming locations in Ireland. They worked out an index score based on the location’s Google rating, Tripadvisor rating, and number of Instagram hashtags, and combined these for an overall index score.
In reverse order, the list went as follows:
12. The Curragh (Kildare; Braveheart)
11. Blessington Lakes (Wicklow; P.S. I Love You)
10. Ennistymon (Clare; Father Ted)
9. Keem Bay (Mayo; The Banshees of Inisherin)
9. Trim Castle (Meath; Braveheart)
8. Lough Tay (Wicklow; P.S. I Love You and Vikings)
7. Silver Strand (Wicklow; The Count of Monte Cristo)
6. Enniscorthy (Wexford; Brooklyn)
5. Inis Mor, Aran Islands (Galway; The Banshees of Inisherin)
4. Trinity College (Dublin; Normal People and Conversations with Friends)
4. Killiney Hill (Dublin; Once)
The top filming locations in Ireland – the top three
Third on Betfair Casino’s list was County Sligo, which served as the setting for much of the Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones-starring television adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People. The town of Tubbercurry played the part of the fictional Carricklea.
Achill Island came in second place. The rugged landscape and beautiful beaches of this County Mayo island provided a stunning backdrop for Colm Doherty’s (Brendan Gleeson) house in Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin.
Meanwhile, the rocky landscape of the Burren claimed the top spot on Betfair Casino’s list. The area was chosen to represent Craggy Island in Father Ted after location manager Joe Mardis realised the karst landscape could be portrayed as an island.
Though the nearby house that was used as the titular priest’s abode is a private residence, fans of this most beloved Irish TV show can still admire it from afar, as they explore this uniquely beautiful County Clare area.
