There are many notorious places around Ireland that everyone knows about, but some spots have hit the spotlight thanks to TV and film.
Ireland has been the filming location for many iconic films. From Irish stories like Michael Collins and The Wind that Shakes the Barley to Hollywood blockbusters like Saving Private Ryan and The Italian Job, the Emerald Isle has an appeal like no other.
This island is one of those places that everyone around the world wants to visit. Whether it’s to delve further into our harrowed history, or to experience the lush green and impressive landmarks with their own eyes, there are a lot of peoplw who want a taste of Ireland in one form or another.
There are many famous places in Ireland that everyone has known about forever, but what about the places that really hit the spotlight thanks to appearing in a TV show or film?
10. Balinesker Beach, Co. Wexford – Saving Private Ryan
One of the most famous Hollywood blockbuster movie scenes filmed in Ireland was the opening D-Day Omaha Beach scene in Saving Private Ryan.
The iconic opening sequence, which shows brutal chaos and loss of life that realistically reflects the trauma of the real event, was actually filmed in County Wexford on Balinesker Beach. This beautiful beach certainly gained notoreity thanks to the film.
9. Derry – thanks to Derry Girls
We are by no means saying that Derry wasn’t on the map before Derry Girls, but the show certainly shined a light on this great place.
Derry is one of the places in Ireland that holds the most history from the Troubles, so it was already on the radar for many people who might be interested in historical events.
However, for many people who didn’t know that, Derry Girls sort of put Derry on the map and drove in more tourism than ever before – overnight stays to the city grew 35% in just one year thanks to the show.
You also have many visitors pining to see the show’s filming locations and the iconic mural painted on the side of Badger’s Bar and Restaurant on Orchard Street.
8. Cong, Co. Mayo – The Quiet Man
Cong in County Mayo was really put on the map in 1952 after the release of John Ford’s The Quiet Man, starring Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne.
The village, which straddles the border of County Galway, echoes with the memories of the film’s production. You can check out The Quiet Man Museum today, and the famous statue of John Wayne holding Maureen O’Hara.
7. The Dark Hedges, Co. Antrim – Game of Thrones
There are various places around the north of Ireland that were made famous by Game of Thrones, but perhaps the MOST iconic place that gained notoreity because of the show is the Dark Hedges in County Antrim.
Due to its fame from the iconic show, the Dark Hedges became one of the most photographed natural phenomena in the country, and tourism to the area sky-rocketed.
In fact, people going to see these old beech trees, which were planted in the 18th century, actually became a bit of an issue as heavy foot traffic and people walking where they shouldn’t be was causing damage to the trees.
6. Trim Castle, Co. Meath – Braveheart
Another Hollywood film you may not have known was filmed in Ireland is Braveheart. One of the most iconic locations from the movie is the largest Anglo-Norman Castle in Ireland, Trim Castle in County Meath.
In the movie, Trim Castle, which is a 12th-century fortress, doubled as the walled city of York. It is instantly recognisable as the setting where the English hanged Scottish nobles and where Wallace’s forces later attacked.
After Braveheart was released in 1995, visitors to Trim Castle grew significantly, and today, over 100,000 people still visit annually.
5. Sally Gap, County Wicklow – P.S. I Love You
Sally Gap is a famous crossroads in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, and its fame only grew after it appeared in P.S. I Love You.
The movie, which was based on the novel by Irish author Cecelia Ahern, starred Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. Sally Gap is the location where the pair first meet.
After the movie’s release, thousands of tourists flocked to Sally Gap to experience the romantic setting of their meet cute.
4. Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry – Star Wars
After Skellig Michael appeared as the primary filming location for Luke Skywalker’s hideout on the remote island of Ahch-To in both The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), tourism to Skellig Michael boomed.
No amount of social media promotion or advertisement could drive visitors in their thousands to one location like appearing in one of the most famous film trilogies of all time.
While almost everyone in Ireland already knew about Skellig Michael, these films put it on the international map.
3. Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin – The Italian Job
The famous opening scene of The Italian Job (1969) was filmed in Dublin’s Kilmainham Gaol. As one of the most famous places in Irish history, everyone in Ireland was already very familiar with this old prison.
The gaol closed as a functioning prison in 1924. It has an utterly harrowing past, having housed numerous famous figures in Irish history, including 14 leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising who were executed by firing squad in the Stonebreaker’s Yard of the prison.
It reopened again for guided tours in 1966, just a few years before being used to film The Italian Job, and received a huge boost in visitors after the films release.
2. Achill Island, Co. Mayo – The Banshees of Inisherin
After The Banshees of Inisherin came out in 2022, tourism to see the remote Irish island it was filmed on boomed.
Filming locations for the movie included Keem Bay and Corrymore Lake, and visitors to the island to see these places with their own eyes grew significantly the following year and ever since.
The Banshees of Inisherin certainly shone a spotlight on Achill that it hadn’t experienced before.
1. Powerscourt Estate, Co. Wicklow – Wednesday
The second season of Wednesday, which follows the misadventures and antics of Wednesday Addams, was filmed in Ireland. One location in particular that gained notoriety from the show was Powerscourt Estate.
The beautiful Powerscourt Demesne provided a backdrop for a number of filming locations, including Hester’s House and the dramatic Powerscourt Waterfall, which is the tallest waterfall in Ireland, as ‘Camp Jericho’ in the series.
In 2024, the estate saw a 34% increase in annual tourism revenues, pushing the estate to become one of top attractions for visitors in Ireland.
