Ireland to promote filming locations to America

Ireland’s generous filming incentive support and wild rural locations have helped boost its international production profile and the country now wants to attract more North American shoots.

“We have an exciting opportunity to continue to grow the film, TV and animation sectors, ensuring that we have high quality work coming from Ireland which is being watched and enjoyed by local and international audiences,” said Dr Annie Donna, chair of the Irish Film Board (IFB).

“Recent growth in production activity for the sector can be directly attributed to investment from the IFB and substantial changes made to the Irish tax incentive for film and television by the Irish Government, demonstrating a strong return on Government support.”

Authorities also want to expand Ireland’s production industry beyond the capital Dublin on the east coast. Star Wars: Episode VIII will help showcase the scenery of the Wild Atlantic Way and new production facility Troy Studios has been set up in the western city of Limerick, along with a nearby crew training centre.

Ireland faces competition north of the border, where Belfast is the long-term home of HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones, and indeed from the rest of the UK.