For international production, Ireland is a world-class location. It’s a key centre for film, television, and animation production due to its highly experienced crew base and well-established studios, as well as its breath-taking landscape and competitive tax credit.

“Ireland has become a capital of filmmaking, establishing itself as one of the world’s most attractive production environments.”

Variety Magazine

Wicklow has a long history of collaborating with production companies. The County continues to serve as the setting for a number of films and television series.

Screen Wicklow is a one-stop-shop for all your production needs. We offer full assistance to film and television projects based in the County.

Our dedicated online resource portal is a comprehensive guide to filming in the Garden County. Scroll down further to access additional resources, links and support information.

Why Wicklow

Wicklow, called "Europe's Hollywood" by Jane Seymour, is home to a slew of well-known film and television locations, from Michael Collins (1996, featuring a crucial scene in Rathdrum Square) to Dancing at Lughnasa (1998) and Camelot (2001). Killruddery House and Gardens (The Tudors, Camelot, Far and Away, and My Left Foot, among others) and Powerscourt are two of the best big house movie locations.

“We are really fortunate to be filming in Wicklow for a lot of reasons, the most notable of which being the range of landscapes available in close proximity to the studios. It is a very accommodating world.”

Michael Hurst, Creator of Vikings

Shot in Wicklow

Wicklow is the backdrop for Netflix’s number one show - Vikings: Valhalla.

Cocaine Bear, Elizabeth Banks’ dark comedy, was filmed in Wicklow. During the summer 2021, Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams visited the County while filming in Greystones and Enniskerry for the upcoming Disney sequel Disenchanted.

Netflix’s teen fantasy drama Fate: The Winx Saga, which will return for its second season to the streaming platform along with screen adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s 2016 novel The Wonder – a psychological thriller set in a small Irish village seven years after the Great Famine ended were shot in County Wicklow recently.

Find out more about recent productions filmed in County Wicklow here.

Why County Wicklow is a fantastic location for filming…

  • The untamed Wicklow Mountains and rugged coastline, secluded cottages and urban streetscapes, stately country homes and modern architecture all combine to provide a spectacular range of variety of locations to choose from.
  • Locations in County Wicklow have seamlessly doubled as many international locations such Scandinavian settlements in Vikings and Vikings: Valhalla (Michael Hirst), gothic Victorian streets in Penny Dreadful (John Logan) and The Man Who Invented Christmas (Bharat Nalluri).
  • Wicklow is home to world-class film studios, including Ardmore Studios and Ashford Studios.
  • Local crew with worldwide recognition and experience.
  • Film, television, and animation are eligible for a tax credit.
  • You have access to a wide range of pre- and post-production services.
  • Dublin City, Dublin Airport, and Dublin Port are all within easy reach (less than 20 kilometres).
  • Wicklow County Council is devoted to welcoming, assisting, and supporting you.

Screen Wicklow launches 5-year film strategy

County Wicklow Screen Sector Development Strategy 2022 – 2026 sets out the recommendations for the county’s objectives and actions supporting the growth of its local film and television production cluster over the next five years. Download the strategy report (2MB, pdf).

Latest News

 

A Vision for Venison Event

Wicklow County Council and Wicklow Naturally partnered to host the inaugural Vision for Venison event at Number 12, Prince of Wales Terrace in Bray. Despite being one of the healthiest, most sustainable and tastiest products produced in County Wicklow, venison consumption remains low.  Many people are unaware of the diverse range of meat cuts and recipe options available with venison. The Vision for Venison event showcased Wicklow chefs demonstrating the versatility and flavour of Venison alongside other Wicklow products.

The event was part of Wicklow County Council’s Climate Action Week and the annual Wicklow Naturally celebration of October Feast.  Venison is a fantastic product from Wicklow that deserves more recognition. Improved deer management and control of a well-balanced,  healthy deer population can help to protect upland habitats vital for climate resilience. It has long been acknowledged that restoring native woodlands in Wicklow is challenging due to damage by deer. When deer populations exceed the land’s capacity to sustain them in the uplands they can also harm peatlands, heaths and natural grasslands - habitats that are crucial for carbon storage and rainfall absorption on the hills.

The event featured discussion panels hosted by food and agriculture journalist Suzanne Campbell. Guest speakers included biodiversity managers and representatives from Wicklow Uplands Council, Wicklow County Council, Irish Deer Commission, food tourism specialists, hunters, farmers, butchers chefs and retailers. The event, held at Number Twelve Bray, saw five Wicklow chefs create a wide variety of dishes in the venue’s demonstration kitchen. The cooking demonstrations were filmed and will be uploaded to the Wicklow Naturally website along with recipes that inspire the use of venison for both special occasions meat and everyday family meals. Wild Irish Game sponsored a full Wicklow deer which was expertly butchered by craft butcher Martin Sikula. The event concluded with a Wicklow Naturally Banquet  - a supper made entirely from Wicklow food and drinks. Irish drinks journalist Oisin Davis conducted a cocktail demonstration and served his ‘Wicklow Wanderer’ cocktail to guests.

Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Paul O Brien “commended Wicklow County Council and Wicklow Naturally on the event saying that “Venison is one of the great products from Wicklow. There is a huge opportunity for greater consumption of venison.  Developing this Wicklow product will contribute to the management of deer in County Wicklow. Numbers of deer are rising in Wicklow and their damage is becoming increasingly apparent.”

At the event, John Cashman, a board member of  Wicklow Naturally, remarked, “Venison offers a sustainable, healthy, and flavourful alternative to common meats. Rich in protein and low in fat, it has the potential to become a signature dish from Wicklow. With an abundance of wild deer in the county, the quality of Wicklow venison is gaining recognition nationwide. "Wicklow Venison" or "Wild Wicklow Venison" has become a mark of excellence. This provides us with a great opportunity to promote both the product and, by extension, the entire county. “

Ashley Glover, President of the Irish Deer Commission, thanked Wicklow Naturally and Wicklow County Council for bringing together hunters, landowners, butchers, chefs and food journalists. He said “We need to see venison on the menu and not just in high-end restaurants. The Irish Deer Commission would support the national rollout of Vision for Venison events to highlight venison in the context of data-driven deer management”

Incorporating venison into meals, whether at home or dining out, can assist with deer management and help protect Wicklow’s uplands while providing tasty, healthy, lean meat with a low carbon footprint. It’s a product that Wicklow and Ireland should celebrate more.”

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Screen Wicklow is ready to help you with your film production as much as possible around the County. Need help? Please get in touch with us by phone or email:

Screen Wicklow
Wicklow County Campus
Clermont House
Rathnew
Co. Wicklow
A67 X566

Phone: (0404) 30800
Email: screenwicklow@wicklowcoco.ie
Main contact: John Powderly