Senior staff in the Office of Public Works had serious misgivings about Skellig Michael being used to film scenes for the latest Star Wars movie, with one island guide querying whether there was a legal avenue to block the production.

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.