I'm sick of Irish films set in Dublin. I like Dublin mind, it's a grand aul spot but there's far more to the country than it. Just look at Limerick in the above picture. It's beautiful. And it needs to be seen in more than just shitty TV3 crime documentaries or have some wagon complaining about it on the Late Late. Last year we got The Young Offender's which was set in Cork and it was a love letter to the county. I want something like that for here.
In the history of Irish cinema there's been two films set in Limerick. Two. A couple more have been filmed here and in the surrounding country side (A John Ford film called The Rising Of The Moon and a silly ghost story called High Spirits) but only 2 have been set here. One is forgotten drama called Cowboys and Angels that's forgotten for a good reason and the other, well we all remember the other, a rain filled howl of despair called Angela's Ashes that puts me on a downer just typing about it.
Now we have a new film and TV studio in Limerick called Troy studios. The new George RR Martin TV show for Netflix is about to be filmed there soon and no doubt will be a success following on from Game Of Thrones. Now's our chance to see something Limerick born and bred and I'd love someone to take a chance. We have the stuff to do it now.
We've a wealth of resources ready to be onscreen. That massive glorious river. The Georgian section for period dramas. King John's Castle. The beautiful Peoples park. The history everywhere. The sound lovely people ready and willing to be given a chance. Throw a stone west of Limerick and you'll hit a castle or a castle ruin. Shannon airport is only out the road. And we're only an hour from the Atlantic Ocean.
I want to see
A biopic of Paul O'Connell.
Drama on the UL campus.
A disaster film set at Ardnacrusha.
A tragi-comedy set in Donkey Fords.
A Mary I set exam heist film.
The stories of Con Colbert and Sean Heuston and their parts in the 1916 rising.
A ghost story in Curraghchase.
Speed boats ripping along the falls.
A Predator film set in Cratloe Woods.
Adulterous tales from Ted's.
A medieval tale set in the King Johns Castle.
High Powered intrigue in Plassey Park.
Tales of sporting glory in the Gaelic grounds and Garryowen.
A love story set amongst the Diddley Aye in Dolan's warehouse.
A film about the Rubberbandits and how they got started.
The story of the one brave soul in Limerick who hates rugby.
The great Chicken Hut Gravy robbery.
A movie about the 100,000 people who wedged into Thomond Park in 1978.
The true story of Gerry Hannan's crusade against Frank McCourt.
Jokes aside I'd love to see stories from the city I've called home for nearly 20 years. Stories about the hardships people face. The epidemic of suicide that has cast a pall over the river. The brave hardy souls who venture out along the river night after night for help people in trouble. But i want to see the joys too. The little wins. The people bringing their kids up right against the hardship all around them. The sporting glory. The wave of change washing over the city lately. The salt of the earth people. That brilliant take no shite attitude. Anything that would show the wider world how much this lovely city has to offer.
I just want, we just want to see the place be represented positively on screen. It would be great.
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