Ireland has been the backdrop for some of the biggest films and TV series of the last 20 years. Game of Thrones, Star Wars, The Banshees of Inisherin, and Harry Potter: they all filmed here, using real locations that you can still visit today.
What most of these productions have in common is that they chose Ireland for its existing landscape. Very little was built for the camera. The Dark Hedges, the Skellig islands, Dún Aonghasa on Inishmore, they were already there.
This guide covers where the key scenes were actually shot, what’s visitable, and what to know before you go.
What is Filmed in Ireland: At a Glance
- Ireland is home to some of the world’s most recognised filming locations, across both the Republic and Northern Ireland.
- Game of Thrones filmed extensively along the Antrim Coast: the Dark Hedges, Castle Ward, Dunluce Castle, and the Giant’s Causeway are all visitable.
- Skellig Michael in Co. Kerry doubled as Ahch-To in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
- The Cliffs of Moher appear in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Princess Bride, and several other productions.
- The Banshees of Inisherin was shot on Achill Island (Co. Mayo) and Inishmore in the Aran Islands (Co. Galway).
- Most of these locations can be reached as part of a guided Ireland tour, no hire car required.
Table of Contents
- Why Does Ireland Keep Ending Up on Screen?
- Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Ireland You Can Still Visit
- Skellig Michael: Ireland’s Star Wars Island
- Where Was The Banshees of Inisherin Filmed?
- What Films Were Shot at the Cliffs of Moher?
- More Films and TV Shows Filmed in Ireland
- How to Explore Ireland’s Film Locations on a Small Group Tour
- Plan Your Ireland Film Location Trip
- FAQs: Ireland Filming Locations
Why Does Ireland Keep Ending Up on Screen?
A few things work in Ireland’s favour. The landscape is varied, with coastlines, mountains, moorland, ancient monuments, and much of it looks like nowhere else in Europe. Locations that would require CGI elsewhere can often be found intact here.
There’s also solid infrastructure. Northern Ireland’s Titanic Studios in Belfast is one of the largest film studios in Europe, and Screen Ireland has built the crew base and production incentives that bring major international projects back repeatedly.
For anyone visiting, the practical upside is that most of what you’ve seen on screen is the real thing.
Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Ireland You Can Still Visit
Northern Ireland was the primary filming base for Game of Thrones across all eight seasons, with dozens of locations across Co. Antrim, Co. Down, and the Causeway Coastal Route appearing throughout the series. It’s become one of the strongest reasons people visit via Northern Ireland tours.
The Dark Hedges: The Road That Became the King’s Road
The Dark Hedges on the Bregagh Road in Ballymoney is an avenue of beech trees planted by the Stuart family in the 1700s. The trees have grown into a natural canopy over the road, which is why it was chosen as the King’s Road in Game of Thrones, the route Arya Stark travels while disguised, escaping King’s Landing.
It’s one of the most photographed spots in Ireland, so timing matters. Get there early in the morning before the tour coaches arrive. Midday it’s busy; early morning it’s manageable.
Castle Ward: Where Winterfell Meets County Down
Castle Ward is a National Trust estate near Strangford in Co. Down. Its turreted farm buildings served as the exterior of Winterfell throughout the series, you’ll recognise the courtyard from the opening episodes.
The estate is open to visitors year-round. There are Game of Thrones-themed experiences on site, including archery, and guided tours that cover both the filming history and the estate’s own background. It’s worth more than a quick stop.
The Causeway Coastal Route: Dunluce Castle and the Antrim Coast
The stretch of the Antrim Coast between Ballycastle and Bushmills is Game of Thrones country. Dunluce Castle, a thirteenth-century ruin clinging to a basalt cliff edge above the sea, appeared as Pyke, seat of the Iron Islands. Ballintoy Harbour, a few miles east, doubled as Lordsport Harbour.
The Giant’s Causeway is at the western end of the route, a UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by ancient volcanic activity. It’s appeared in several productions over the years and is one of the most visited natural sites in Northern Ireland, regardless of any screen connection. Our Castles & Coasts Experience covers the Causeway Coastal Route as part of an eight-day itinerary.
Skellig Michael: Ireland’s Star Wars Island
Skellig Michael is a rocky island 12km off the Kerry coast, with a sixth-century Christian monastery built near its summit. In Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), it was used as Ahch-To, the remote planet where Luke Skywalker is in hiding. The stone steps and beehive cells you see in those films are the real ones, unchanged.
One detail from the production: puffins nest on the island in large numbers during summer and kept wandering into the frame during filming. Rather than edit them out, the production team used them as the inspiration for the Porgs.
Visiting takes planning. Only 15 boats are permitted to land each day, carrying 12 passengers each. The landing season runs from May to September and is weather-dependent, so booking ahead is essential. Our adventure tours of Ireland include Kerry itineraries that can be arranged around a Skellig visit.
Where Was The Banshees of Inisherin Filmed?
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) is set on a fictional island, but it was filmed across two real ones.
Achill Island in Co. Mayo handled most of the shooting. Keem Bay is where Brendan Gleeson’s character Colm has his cottage, Corrymore Lake was used for the inland scenes, and the harbour sequences were filmed at Purteen, where the crew built period storefronts over existing fishing buildings. Those storefronts were dismantled after filming, so the harbour you’ll find today is the real one.
The cliff sequences were filmed on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands in Co. Galway, around Dún Aonghasa, a 3,000-year-old stone fort on a cliff edge. You can walk there from Kilronan village.
Achill is accessible by road bridge from the mainland. Inishmore requires a ferry from Rossaveal. Our Full Irish Experience travels through Connemara and the Galway coast, which puts you in reach of both.
What Films Were Shot at the Cliffs of Moher?
The Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare are one of the most visited natural sites in Ireland, and they’ve appeared in more productions than most people realise.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sea cave Horcrux sequence was filmed here, with Lemon Rock off the Kerry coast used as the cave entrance. The cliffs also stood in as the Cliffs of Insanity in The Princess Bride (1987), and appeared in the Netflix film Irish Wish (2024).
The clifftop walk north from the visitor centre to O’Brien’s Tower takes about 30 minutes each way. On a clear day, you can see the Aran Islands across the water.
More Films and TV Shows Filmed in Ireland
Ireland’s filming history runs well beyond the productions above. Here’s a quick reference for other locations worth knowing:
| Production | Location | County |
|---|---|---|
| Normal People (2020) | Trinity College Dublin; Sligo coastline | Dublin / Sligo |
| Vikings / Vikings: Valhalla | Wicklow Mountains, Lough Tay | Wicklow |
| Wednesday, Season 1–2 (Netflix) | Powerscourt Estate, Charleville Castle | Wicklow / Offaly |
| Leap Year (2010) | Connemara, Dingle | Galway / Kerry |
| The Tudors | County Wicklow countryside | Wicklow |
| How to Train Your Dragon (2025) | Belfast Harbour Studios, Northern Ireland coastal locations | Antrim |
The Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin are probably the most-used filming backdrop in Ireland after the Antrim Coast. Ancient woodland, open moorland, and estates like Powerscourt make them flexible for a wide range of productions. They’re a short drive from Dublin and worth including if you’re in the area.
How to Explore Ireland’s Film Locations on a Small Group Tour
The practical challenge of visiting these locations independently is that they’re spread across the island. The Dark Hedges and Skellig Michael are 350 kilometres apart. The Aran Islands require a ferry. Getting to Achill and then across to the Wicklow Mountains in the same trip takes careful planning.
A guided small group tour of Ireland handles the logistics. Our groups are capped at max 16, often fewer, which means our guides can be flexible with stops and take routes the big coaches can’t use. You also travel with someone who knows the local context, not just the filming trivia.
If you want an itinerary shaped around specific locations or interests, our private tours let us build something to fit. If you’re travelling alone, our solo travel programme means you get the full experience without the planning overhead.
See what past travellers have said on our reviews page, or get in touch and we’ll help you work out the right fit.
Plan Your Ireland Film Location Trip
From the Game of Thrones sites along the Antrim Coast to Skellig Michael’s Star Wars monastery, Ireland’s filming locations are spread across the island, and most of them are well worth the visit, regardless of any screen connection.
Our small group tours of Ireland cover many of these areas as standard, with groups capped at a maximum of 16 and local guides who know the context behind the places. Get in touch if you’d like help working out which tour covers what you’re looking for.
FAQs: Ireland Filming Locations
Is Skellig Michael worth visiting even if you’re not a Star Wars fan?
Yes. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a sixth-century monastery that’s genuinely remarkable on its own terms; the history, the remoteness, and the wildlife are all reasons to go independent of any film connection. The Star Wars context is a bonus, not the main event.
Where was The Banshees of Inisherin filmed?
Primarily on Achill Island, Co. Mayo, Keem Bay, Corrymore Lake, Purteen Harbour, and on Inishmore in the Aran Islands, around Dún Aonghasa and the village of Gort na gCapall. The JJ Devine’s pub was a purpose-built set that was dismantled after filming.
Can I visit Ireland’s filming locations without hiring a car?
Many of them are included on guided tours. The Causeway Coastal Route, Wicklow, and the Galway/Connemara region are all covered in various Irish Experience Tours itineraries. Skellig Michael requires a boat from Portmagee or Ballinskelligs; booking is essential and weather-dependent.
What was the most recent major production filmed in Ireland?
How to Train Your Dragon (Universal, 2025) was filmed at Belfast Harbour Studios and across Northern Ireland coastal locations. Netflix’s Wednesday (Seasons 1 and 2) used Powerscourt Estate in Wicklow and Charleville Castle in Offaly for its school sequences.