The vikings hbo tv drama is a worldwide cult hit that has fueled a huge interest in visiting ireland to see ancient viking sites and where the show is filmed. In august, several scenes were filmed at luggala and on the poulaphouca reservoir in the wicklow mountains. This is another show filmed in ireland and displaying the country to good affect. However, a lot of vikings filming locations are actually in ireland. Scenes featuring the viking longships, for instance, were filmed at the. Ireland in the viking age published in features, issue 2 marchapril 2014, volume 22 above. About 70% of season one was shot in the great outdoors, much on and around lough tay sometimes called guinness lake, as its part of the guinness estate in co. The viking warriors were large in numbers and well armed. Sets and filming locations where vikings series is filmed in ireland, canada, iceland and morocco the kattegat vikings village lake location. History channels vikings is a top hit and its easy to see why. Iftn speaks with morgan osullivan the vikings executive producer and managing director of world 2000 entertainment the wicklow production company behind making the past 4 and currently 5th series of the historical epic drama.
A viking raid as depicted in michael hirsts tv series vikings, filmed on location at silver strand, co. As you can see, much of vikings is filmed in county wicklow in the east of ireland so if you want to discover more about irelands ancient east just click here. It was not until the last seasons, starting from the fourth, that your favorite norsemen become experienced globetrotters. Vikings tv drama gets third series filming on location in. They moved inland along riverways, attacking the monastic settlements they came across.
Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Valhalla will pick up 100 years after the original series ended and will follow the adventures of the most famous vikings who ever lived leif erickson, freydis, harald harada and the norman king william the conqueror. The irish lough masquerading as a scandinavian fjord. Much of the show is shot outdoors in the wicklow mountains. Its not just lough tay pretending to be somewhere its not. The show is filmed in areas around country wicklow which stand in for much of england and. In fact, many locations can be found just south of dublin in wicklow county.
Vikings filming locations the canadianirish production featured much of the irish countryside, showing off the best of the countrys landscapes. Vikings film location tour in wicklow county, ireland. Filmed in ireland, it premiered on march 3, 20, in canada. Loch tay or guinness lake in wicklow county, ireland film location of vikings.
The series began filming in july 2012 at ashford studios, which is a newly built facility in ireland. Vikings, which filmed in ireland for six series, is going into its final season on the history channel in the us. Experts say surnames can give an indication of a possible viking heritage in your family, with surnames ending in son or sen likely to be a big sign. County wicklow, on the east coast of ireland has attracted filmmakers since the time of the black and whites. Us tv show vikings on the hunt for thousands of paid irish. Us tv show vikings on the hunt for thousands of paid irish extras at dublin and wicklow open casting. Though the real vikings originated in scandinavia, the tv series vikings is filmed in ireland for its majestic, scandinavianlike landscapes and film industryfriendly production companies. Many of the scenes where ragnar and his vikings crew set forth to take over new lands are actually filmed on the blessington lakes. World 2000 entertainment produces the drama locally and has extensive experience of historical tv and feature film content. Vikings filming locations in ireland connolly cove. The wicklow mountains are home to many scenes from film and tv but it is vikings on the history channel that has really showcases the amazing location.
Thousands of people across britain and ireland could be descended from the vikings and the clue might be in your surname. Vikings, the history channels entertaining rival to game of thrones, returns to our screens in late february. Like most of the history show, season five has been filmed in locations around ireland including county wicklow due to. The vikings tv drama is an epic show from the history channel that is a joint canadian irish production and filmed in ireland. The show was history channels first scripted series and tells the story of the infamous nordic race. The dublin based tour provider, which also offers a range of other day trips and tailormade private tours all around ireland, specializes in small groups with a maximum of 16 people who get driven around in a van. The arrival of the vikings in ir eland the beginning of the viking age in ireland is traditionally marked by the ominous days in 795, when scandinavian invaders ran the prows of their longships onto the beaches of lambay island off the coast of dublin, where the monastery of st colmcille was plundered, and rathlin island off the coast of co. Like most of the history show, season five has been filmed in locations around ireland including county wicklow due to its endless greenery, mountains and expansive landscapes. The norman invasion of ireland followed a century years later 11691171 when several norman knights landed in wexford, waterford, dublin and other parts of leinster on the east coast of ireland thanks to the very harbours and towns created by the vikings. You would expect the answer to be somewhere in scandinavia.
Written by michael hair and the series, it quickly gained popularity in the 12th or th century due to its unique concept dating method. Most of the filming of vikings takes place in irelands ancient east but for the northumbrian scenes, the crew moved to kerry where they filmed in ballybunion. The vikings invaded ireland for the first time in the 8th century, raiding a monastery on rathlin island on the northeast coast. The river boyne runs through a number of counties including meath and louth but much of the vikings filming occurs near the famous slane castle, known for. This area is known for its lush nordiclooking landscapes and is filled with mountains, glacial lakes and forests. Nuns beach is probably one of the most spectacular beaches on the wild atlantic way. Why history channels vikings is so beloved in ireland. The series began filming in july 2012 at the then newlybuilt ashford studios in ireland. In january 2019, it was announced that the 20episode sixth season, which was ordered on september 12, 2017, ahead of its fifthseason premiere, would be the final season of the series. You can also check out our guide to glendalough, also in county wicklow, by clicking here. Historical drama vikings has been given a third series and will continue to film on location in county wicklow, ireland, with a base at ashford studios outside dublin. A new netflix series following the explosive next chapter of the vikings legend is set to start filming in ireland.
Wicklow has offered its amazing sceneries to movies. See a real viking skeleton at the national museum of ireland 9. Vikings is filmed in a number of places but the majority of the scenes are shot near dublin, ireland. Like vikings, the series will be made at ashford studios in co wicklow.
Shot largely in northern ireland, where filming for season 3 has begun, game of thrones would quite likely have been made here, had the british government not delivered a special seven. Vikings hbo vikings tv show places to travel places to see uk destinations emerald isle filming locations travel list ireland. Where in ireland is vikings filmed emerald heritage. This location was chosen for its scenery and tax advantages.
The original vikings may have come from the far north, but the filming of the popular tv and streaming show vikings 20ongoing has mostly taken place in ireland. Simpson found a viking corpse with a 68 percent chance of dating from 680 to 775again, before historical sources say vikings had even set foot in ireland. In the wall of the church of ireland cathedral in armagh lie the bones of irish hero brian boru, who vanquished the vikings and liberated ireland at the historic battle of clontarf in 1014. Ashford studios, ballyhenry, county wicklow, ireland. Vikings is a historical drama television series created and written by michael hirst for the history channel. Vikings made in ireland, thrones in northern ireland. Here are the top facts about vikings in the history channel as well as some of the reasons why its so loved. The canadianirish production featured much of the irish countryside, showing off the best of the countrys landscapes. Vikings sequel valhalla will be filmed in ireland for netflix. The history channels hit series vikings was inspired by tales of the norsemen of early medieval scandinavia, but when it came to actually filming the series ireland filled in perfectly. Nevertheless, all the seasons of vikings have been filmed almost entirely in the wicklow county of ireland.
Ballyhenry studios, ashford, co wicklow, ireland viking heritage runs deep in ireland viking heritage runs deep in ireland, as a visit to waterford, kilkenny or wexford testifies better still, why not include all three on a driving tour of the sunny south east. Ever since season 1, the fjordstyle mountains of wicklow county not far from dublin in ireland have been used as the main filming location for the fictitious vikings settlement of kattegat. The production is looking for people from all ethnic backgrounds for filming. Visit the stunning lough tay, the filming location for kattegat in vikings 8. The creator and the stars of vikings talk about why ireland is the perfect locale for the series. Vikings is filmed in various locations but the majority of the scenes are shot just outside of dublin in ireland.