New Atlantic Film Trail Now Available Online
Fáilte Ireland has developed with assistance from the Irish Film Board, the Atlantic Film Trail, a new online tour guide inspired by locations used by international filmmakers along the west coast of Ireland.
The film trail has been devised to allow visitors take in some of Ireland's most stunning Atlantic scenery as they journey along the coastal locations which provided both the backdrops and inspiration for a diverse range of films that shot in Ireland over the last few decades.
The locations include those used for iconic films such as The Quiet Man, Ryan's Daughter and Palme d'Or winner The Wind That Shakes The Barley, to lesser known works like the Ballroom of Romance, and even television series like Father Ted.
While tracing the footsteps of cinematic greats such as Meryl Streep, Fred Astaire and John Wayne as well as home-grown talent like Richard Harris, Gabriel Byrne and Cillian Murphy, visitors learn about the making of these films and TV series, the effect the industry had on these remote, rural Irish communities, all the while getting a taste of the wealth of things to see and do in these areas of great natural beauty.
Commenting on the importance of film to Irish tourism, Ethna Murphy, Fáilte Ireland's Leisure Tourism Manager, states:
"Film is a great way to showcase Ireland's scenic and cultural appeal, and acts as a wide reaching and highly effective platform when it comes to reaching audiences all over the world. The Atlantic Film Trail and new online brochure is designed to encourage lovers of Irish film to come and visit the birthplace of some of these Irish classics, to learn about the people and the stories behind these works and to understand the connection with the local area."
The Atlantic Film Trail brochure can be downloaded from: www.discoverireland.ie/Culture-and-Heritage/Arts-and-Contemporary-Culture.aspx
* Some facts about film in Ireland:
In 2008, 18% of all tourists visited as a result of having viewed Irish Film. €369 million in tourist expenditure can be attributed exclusively to this.
Irish Film has won almost every major film award available including; Academy Awards ®, the Palme D'Or at Cannes, the Golden Bear in Berlin and the Golden Lion in Venice.