Gallery of Game of Thrones Locations in Ireland

Published by Conor Mulvihill on April 15, 2016April 15, 2016

[cs_section id=”” class=” ” style=”margin: 0px; padding: 45px 0px; ” visibility=”” parallax=”false”][cs_row id=”” class=” ” style=”margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; ” visibility=”” inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=””][cs_column id=”” class=”” style=”padding: 0px; ” bg_color=”” fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″][cs_text id=”” class=”” style=”” text_align=””]To commemorate the new series of Game of Thrones we’ve created a gallery of locations in Ireland used for filming of the show. The beautiful diverse landscape of Ireland clearly grabbed the attention of the makers of this show, who were trying to capture unique striking images. This post will not only get you in the mood for the upcoming new episodes of Game of Thrones but it will also increase your interest in Ireland natural environment and wildlife. [/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section id=”” class=” ” style=”margin: 0px; padding: 45px 0px; ” visibility=”” parallax=”false”][cs_row id=”” class=” ” style=”margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; ” visibility=”” inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=””][cs_column id=”” class=”” style=”padding: 0px; ” bg_color=”” fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″][x_slider animation=”slide” slide_time=”7000″ slide_speed=”1000″ slideshow=”false” random=”false” control_nav=”false” prev_next_nav=”true” no_container=”false” ][x_slide]

Dark Hedges, Stranocum, Co Antrim

This amazing street of beech trees was built the Stuart family in 18th century. The purpose was to impress the visitors coming to their home, Gracehill House. Two centuries later this trail is known as the Dark Hedges and it is one of the most visited places in Ireland and the UK.

The beech trees guarding both side of the lane reach up and across to each other, becoming heavily intertwined to create a natural arched tunnel where shadow and light plays through entwined branches.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Kings Road

The Dark Hedges were used for the scene of Arya Stark’s escape from King’s Landing following the beheading of her father, Ned Stark, on the orders of King Joffrey. I don’t think there’s such a thing as a normal childhood on this show.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Ballintoy Harbour, Co Antrim

Ballintoy is located in one of the most scenic parts of the North Antrim Coast between the Giants’s Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The area contains a high amount of sett stones and limestone located on the quayside. The scores of basalt islands act to shelter the harbour from prevailing storms, it can still on occasions get battered. Waves can be seen riding up the armour walling and washing over the footpath .[/x_slide][x_slide]

Lordsport, Pyke, Iron Islands

Ballintoy was used as the location where Theon Greyjoy returns to the Iron Islands and where he first meets his sister Yara, who Theon was initially attracted to until he realized that they were siblings, quite awkward.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Dunluce castle, Co Antrim

Dunluce castle is medieval castle, that now is just a ruins in the Northern Ireland. In the 13th century Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, built the first castle at Dunluce. The castle is perched high on sheer basalt cliffs and approached by a bridge.

The castle is surrounded by extremely steep drops on either side, which may have been an important factor to the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to this place where an early Irish fort once stood. The spectacular Mermaid’s Cave is a huge cavern 25 metres below the castle.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Pyke Castle, Iron Islands

Dunluce castle is used for the filming of Pyke castle the stronghold and seat of House Greyjoy. The castle is the regional capital of the Iron Islands as a whole.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Carncastle or Cairncastle, Co Antrim

This is a small village and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland near the town of Larne and inland from the village of Ballygally.

This area contains peatland terrain. The peatland ecosystem like this are the most efficient carbon sink on the planet. The peat upland will eventually over time form into a bog.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Winterfell

The Antrim Plateau makes up the fantasy land of Winterfell. A private estate in Cairncastle was used in season one for the backdrop of Stark Castle (the castle exterior was created using CGI). Season one used the mountains above Cairncastle for the location of where Ned Stark executed Will, the deserter from the Night’s Watch at Knock Dhu, a basalt escarpment above the town.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Downhill Strand beach, Co. Londonderry

Downhill beach forms part of one of Ireland’s longest beaches an 11km stretch of sand and surf located on the Causeway Coast.

This beach has some of the most scenic coastline in Ireland and there are fantastic views along the cliffs that back the beach. At points along the length of the beach there are sand dunes and even a waterfall. However, the most iconic feature is the Mussenden Temple which sits precariously close to the edge of the 120 ft cliff top overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
Downhill is both an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and is also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

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Dragonstone

Downhill was transformed into Dragonstone for season two of Game of thrones. This was also the location of the burning of the seven gods scene.[/x_slide][x_slide]Cushendun Caves, Co. Antrim

The caves of Cushendun were formed over a period of 400 million years and are the product of extreme weather conditions. They are located near this beautiful coastal village next to the Cave House.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Dragonstone Cave

In Season 2, Cushendun is where Melisandre gives birth to the shadow baby after being brought ashore by Davos Seaworthy. That scene could probably be used in a contraception advert.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Tollymore forest, Co. Down

Tollymore Forest Park is the first State park in Northern Ireland established in 1955. It covers an area of almost 650 hectares at the foot of the mourne mountains. This park is popular for not just hiking and its scenic old growth forest but for its stunning sea views as well.

The Shimna River flows through the park where it is crossed by 16 bridges, the earliest dating to 1726. The river is a spawning ground for salmon and trout and is an Area of Special Scientific Interest due to its geology, flora and fauna. The forest has four walking trails signposted by different coloured arrows, the longest being the “long haul trail” at 8 miles (13 km) long.

The most common trees in the park are ash, beech , birch and oak. Larch, Sitka spruce and willow are also found in reasonable quantities.

The wildlife in this area include fallow deer, red and grey squirrels badgers, foxes , otters, feral Mandarin ducks and Pine Martens which are one of the rarest native mammal species in Ireland.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Northern Westeros

Tollymore was featured several times in Game of Thrones including the show’s very first scene where a Night’s Watch Ranger encounters a sinister White Walker. The forest was later used as the setting where the Stark family finds their Direwolf pups and much later in the series where Theon Greyjoy was chased through these woods by the psychotic Ramsey Snow, lets not mention the torture scenes.[/x_slide][x_slide]

Thanks for viewing the gallery, we hope you enjoyed it.[/x_slide][/x_slider][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section id=”” class=” ” style=”margin: 0px; padding: 45px 0px; ” visibility=”” parallax=”false”][cs_row id=”” class=” ” style=”margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; ” visibility=”” inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=””][cs_column id=”” class=”” style=”padding: 0px; ” bg_color=”” fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″][x_author title=”About the Author” author_id=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section]