Ardmore is the physical heart of the Irish film industry

ARDMORE Studios, which opened its doors as Ireland’s first film studio in May 1958, remains the physical heart of the Irish film industry. Having played host to more than 100 films, the original studios, situated on a 10-acre site, represented an investment of over £500m at the time.

Before the studio’s opening, Ireland was confined to location shooting, representing only a small part of the completed film. Following the launch of Ardmore, international filmmakers began to view Ireland as an attractive filming location.

The first film to take the stage was a screen adaptation of Walter Macken’s acclaimed play Home is the Hero in 1958, directed by the award-winning Fielder Cooke. Macken himself took the title role.