North: Narnia film in tourism boost

Tourism chiefs hope the big screen success of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe will attract visitors to Northern Ireland to savour the scenery which inspired CS Lewis, it emerged today.

The man behind the Chronicles of Narnia was born in Belfast and spent his childhood years amongst the picturesque Co Down hills and the rugged Antrim Coast.

Anthony Cranney of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), said: “The release of the film presents the perfect opportunity for Northern Ireland to promote its strong links with CS Lewis.

“The NITB in partnership with Belfast City Council has produced a booklet that will help tourists discover his childhood home of Belfast and the many inspirational landscapes across Northern Ireland that helped him to create the world of Narnia.”

The booklet explores the sights and sounds of Lewis’s Belfast childhood and the new facilities such as Belmont Tower and the Holywood Arches Library, which is home to the CS Lewis centenary statue.

Beyond the city it details the magical landscapes of the Mournes, and the natural beauty of the Antrim Coast and the Giant’s Causeway.

It also looks at how Irish and Norse mythology associated with these sites further inspired Lewis’s work and how Ireland’s Christian Heritage affected the religious element of his works.

The movie has also boosted sales of the Narnia books – the tie-in version of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe sold more than 42,000 copies in the lead-up to the film’s release.

The Chronicles Of Narnia are a Christian allegory, with Aslan representing Christ.

Disney has promoted the film to the religious right in the US, and in the UK, churches have bought tickets in bulk to give out to parishioners.

The world premiere was held at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this month with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in attendance.