Cahir ready to welcome more film crews and royal couple

Cahir House Hotel proprietor David Walsh 

Cahir is basking in the glow of its castle being awarded best film location in Europe and its business community is hoping the prestigious EU Film Commissions Network prize will bring more film crews and visitors to the town.
And Cahir is set to reap another welcome tourism boost with reports over the past week that Cahir Castle is one of the places Prince Charles and Camilla intend to visit during their upcoming trip to Ireland next month.
The 13th century castle considered to one of the best conserved strongholds of its type has been a film set for a long list of historical movies from Oscar winning Barry Lyndon in the 1970s and Excalibur in 1981 to the most recently shot blockbusters The Long Duel and The Green Knight.
It was for the latest Arthurian epic, The Green Knight, starring Dev Patel and Alicia Vikander, that Cahir Castle was nominated by Screen Ireland for the EUFCN best film location award and won.
Johnny Cummins, proprietor of Cummins Insurance Brokers in Cahir, said the award was “richly deserved” for the town and its beautiful castle, which he described as a symbol of Cahir.
“Cahir Castle was up against a lot of iconic venues and it’s great news that it’s now getting the recognition it deserves with this prestigious award.
“Community groups like the Tidy Towns and Tipperary County Council have put in huge work and money into that area and it’s paying dividends now. Getting that kind of award is going to enhance the town’s status all over Europe.”
When asked about Prince Charles and Camilla’s upcoming visit to Cahir, he declared; “We will give them a royal welcome. It will be great for Cahir.”
Mr Cummins is looking forward to the “spin-off” of extra tourists the EUFCN Best Film Location Award and the royal couple’s visit will bring to Cahir, and the knock on boost to the town’s tourist attractions and businesses.
And he noted this will be most welcome after the past two years when Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns turned the centre of Cahir into a ghost town at times.
Local Independent Cllr Andy Moloney also praised the huge effort community groups and the county council have put into enhancing the appearance of Cahir town centre and the area around the castle.
And he paid tribute to local businesses, the council and OPW for being so accommodating to visiting film crews on occasions when Cahir Castle and the area around it is turned into a film set.
Local businesses and residents were inconvenienced during filming, particularly with losing car parking, but they recognised the economic benefits of the castle being used as a set, he said.
Cllr Moloney listed Cahir Castle’s many attractions to film makers. Along with being one of the best conserved castles of its type, there were a lot of facilities film crews require situated around it including parking and guest accommodation. Its stunning location on the bank of the River Suir surrounded by scenic woodland walks give film crews a lot to work with.
He hopes the award will encourage more film companies to choose Cahir Castle as a set and revealed he was recently contacted by one such company considering the castle for a romantic film it is planning.
In relation to the visit of Prince Charles and Camilla, Cllr Moloney highlighted Cahir has a connection with the British royal family through three of its historic buildings – St Paul’s Church, Erasmus Smith House and the Swiss Cottage
“They were all designed by John Nash who designed Buckingham Palace. There is possibly more connections.”
Cllr Moloney, whose grandfather fought in the War of Independence, noted there will be always people for and against members of the royal family visiting but there was no doubt it will provide a welcome boost to the local economy.
“We have to look at the economic benefits of such a visit on the town. It’s well worth it. People planning where they will visit in Ireland will come to towns where the royals have visited. It has knock on effects that shouldn’t be overlooked.”
Cahir House Hotel proprietor David Walsh agreed. He said the royal visit will bring brilliant publicity for the town and also bring a lot of people into the town to get a glimpse of two of the world’s most famous people.
He was also delighted at Cahir Castle receiving Europe’s Best Film Location awards and hopes it too will bring more tourists and films to Cahir
“It's a new selling tool for us and the castle. It’s brilliant, unbelieveable.”
Mr Walsh said there was a great buzz around Cahir any time a film crew came to town.
Cahir House Hotel’s close proximity to the castle means it directly benefits when the heritage site is used as a film set.
The Last Duel, a medieval drama starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, was shot at the castle in September 202o and David recalled the film production crew booked out the hotel’s function room for over a week.
“We had all the costumes and the extras changing there.”
He said the hotel also fed the extras and its rooms were booked up by those working on the film. There was also the knock on influx of people to the town to get a glimpse of Matt Damon when he was filming at the castle. Many of these day trippers dropped into the hotel for a meal or coffee.
Movie companies, their actors and crews have also brought a welcome boost when they are in Cahir to Kamel Birem’s Galileo Café on Church Street and Lava Rock Restaurant on Castle Street.
“We would have got film production crew staff coming into us and even if they are busy they send someone in to get a take away,” Kamel told The Nationalist.
He regards Cahir Castle winning the European best film location award as a “great bonus” for the town and its business community. “It's an amazing achievement. We are the best in Europe and any publicity like this is good. I am sure it’s going to attract a lot of people to Cahir.”
He stressed it’s not just the film companies that appreciate Cahir Castle and the town’s scenic assets.
“We have a lot of tourists coming to Lava Rock and Galileo who always mention how beautiful the town is with its walks and river. One time I was on holidays in Spain and I met a man who had visited Cahir and he said to me ‘oh my God you have such an amazing castle’.”

Picture below is Kamel Birem, proprietor of Galileo Cafe and Lava Rock Restaurant in Cahir and Johnny Cummins of Cummins Insurance Brokers in Cahir