IRELAND’s most popular filming location is situated in North Clare, new data has outlined.
Top spot has been achieved by the Cliffs of Moher so far as featuring on-screen in films is concerned. New data has shown it to be the most popular location for film productions in the country, with an index score of 100.
In second place was the Wicklow Mountains with a score of 73.24 followed by Achill Island on 69.01. The research looked at Google search data and Instagram post count to determine the most popular locations.
Over the last decade, the film sector in Ireland has produced numerous critically acclaimed films, television series and 15 Academy Award nominations in the past two years alone. According to Screen Ireland, the total production spend in the Irish economy reached a record high of €500 million in 2021, despite challenges facing the industry due to the pandemic.
Tonybet in a new study analysed the average number of monthly searches for various terms relating to the twenty most popular filming locations. The top twenty were selected based on search data from Google and Instagram.
The monthly searches were combined with the number of Instagram posts featured under the location’s respective hashtag, and an equal weighting was applied to both criteria to create a total index score out of 100.
Coming out on top were the Cliffs of Moher, with an index score of 100 out of 100 – revealing it the most popular according to both Instagram and Google searches. The Cliffs of Moher attracted 724,000 Instagram posts and generated a monthly average of 190,740 Google searches globally.
With a vast and rugged landscape, the Cliffs of Moher have consistently been proven to be one of the top tourist attractions in the country. The scenic spot appeared in films such as The Princess Bride (1987) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).
The Wicklow Mountains occupy much of central Wicklow County and stretch into bordering County Dublin and County Wexford, creating one of the most spectacular views in Ireland. They’ve commonly featured on screen, and can be spotted in P.S. I Love You (2007), Braveheart (1995) and the TV show Vikings.
Top ten filming locations in Ireland –
1: Cliffs of Moher – index score = 100
2: Wicklow Mountains – index score = 73.24
3: Achill Island – index score = 69.01
4: Powerscourt – index score = 68.26
5: Ashford Castle – index score = 67.43
6: Skellig Michael – index score = 60.92
7: Malin Head – index score = 53.95
8: Lough Tay – index score = 53.02
9: Trim Castle – index score = 52.29
10: Inis Mor – index score = 50.41
