700 year old Irish castle voted Europe's favourite filming location

A 700 year old Irish castle has been voted Europe's favourite filming location, beating four other shortlisted countries for the top spot. 

Cahir Castle, which overlooks the River Suir and is managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW), has won the European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN) Location Award 2021. 

The popular Tipperary destination was nominated by Screen Ireland as the location for The Green Knight and won by public vote against Norway (Dune), Spain (The Crown), Croatia (Murina) and Germany (The Queen’s Gambit).

The award was announced at the Berlinale’s European Film Market last night (Tuesday February 15). 

One of Ireland’s largest and best-preserved historic castles, Cahir Castle has captured the imagination of multiple filmmakers over the past decades. In David Lowery’s 2021 film – a fantasy retelling of the famous medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – the 13th-century fortress features as the Camelot of Arthurian legend, a role it has starred in before in the 1981 film Excalibur. 

Receiving the award trophy in Cahir Castle yesterday, Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Patrick O’Donovan, said: “I am delighted and I wish to thank all the people here in Ireland and abroad who answered our call and voted for Cahir Castle to win the EUFCN Location Award 2021. Winning this award is deserved recognition for one of Ireland’s stunning locations as well as for the dedicated OPW team of heritage and conservation experts committed to restoring, preserving and promoting Ireland’s cultural heritage for present and future generations to enjoy. 

"The OPW cares for 780 of Ireland’s most iconic heritage sites. As part of its mission, it is proud to offer access to its sites to filmmakers from all over the world, working closely with film crews to maintain the highest standards of safety, integrity and authenticity." 

OPW site manager at Cahir Castle, Eleanor Morrissey, said, “All of us working in Cahir Castle are immensely honoured and feel proud of this fantastic achievement that acknowledges how special Cahir Castle is not only in Ireland but in Europe. Working on site during the filming of The Green Knight was a wonderful experience which allowed us to see the courtyards dressed for filming, re-creating the appearance and atmosphere of how they may have been in centuries past. 

"The craftsmanship of the medieval masons provided a wonderfully authentic backdrop for this tale of honour, bravery and courage, but Cahir Castle’s own history is no less fascinating and really comes to life in our guided tours and multilingual audio-visual show." 

Senator Garret Ahearn called the win "a massive achievement" for the castle and a testament to everyone from the town. 

He said, "This is a major statement by the film industry that Cahir Castle is leading the way as a location of beauty. I want to congratulate Eleanor Morriseey and all who have worked so hard to support and promote Cahir Castle and of course everyone who voted for Cahir Castle. 

"We have come out of a very difficult two years and tourism plays a vital role to the local economy of cahir and it's surrounding area. This award will be an added advantage, along with St Declan's Way and the Suir BluyWay, to attract visitors to this region. I look forward to seeing the benefit of this over the coming months with large numbers of tourists returning to Cahir."