SMOTHER, the hit RTÉ drama filmed in North-West Clare comes to a conclusion this Sunday.
Since the opening sequence of Smother in 2021 on RTÉ ONE, the landscape of Lahinch has added to the intrigue of the drama focusing on the fictional Aherne family.
After three series, the show comes to an end this Sunday with scenes from Ennis Courthouse airing in an episode that sees matriarch Val played by Dervla Kirwan on trial.
Spotting the locals and familiar landmarks has been a concurrent game of sorts for Clare viewers with the current season seeing Moher Cottage’s coffee truck and county senior footballer Cillian Rouine making brief cameos.
Speaking to The Clare Echo ahead of the finale, Gemma-Leah Devereux who plays Anna Ahern said of the episode, “it gives everyone everything they wanted”. She added, “the whole series has been fantastic”.
Gemma-Leah admitted Co Clare was “one of my favourite places to film in. It made me want to live in the countryside and be closer to the sea. All of us, the cast and crew wanted to live in Lahinch after spending time there. It has such a rich and rugged landscape, it is definitely one of the favourite places in my heart to have filmed in”.
Director Dathaí Keane from the outset expressed his desire to feature the landscape of Co Clare as a character. Gemma-Leah herself has become a big fan of the county, she plans to return to Lahinch in April and was only in Killaloe a fortnight ago.
Anna’s growth has represented “a huge jump” from season one to three, she believed. The respective series focused on unravelling, self-destruction and opening up a whole new level for Anna, according to Gemma-Leah.
“We always knew it was three and out,” she commented of the format. The current and final series has seen less of an emphasis on Anna as a mother to Callum and Jacob. “She loves the boys, season one and two was all about the boys for Anna and her grief, the boys and Elaine really made her go wild while in season three she seems to have given up the ghost,” Gemma-Leah quipped.
Val’s relationship with her three daughters, Anna, Jenny and Grace has been central to the entire drama. For the character of Grace to be killed at the beginning of the final series did come as a surprise to all the cast, “Everyone was shocked that Grace died,” Gemma-Leah admitted.
There was a near-miss for the other two sisters while driving the roads of Clare in episode five. “I pride myself very much on being a good driver,” she remarked and praised her father for encouraging their family to all be competent behind the wheel.
