Production services in Ireland

Ireland offers breathtaking locations, skilled crews, and reliable equipment – a dream location to shoot at for any international film production. With Swixer’s production services, you can book all the production support you need to bring your creative vision to life.

Filming in Ireland

Ireland is a world-class location for international productions with a highly skilled crew base, three well established large-scale studios, combined with a generous tax credit, and Ireland’s breath-taking scenery make the country a central hub for film, TV and animation production.

“…Or the crew, whether it was our costume people, set builders, in Ireland the local crew we worked with worked miracles building sets cantilevered out over 700-foot cliffs! It was just, professionally I don’t know if I’ll ever have an experience that will quite live up to it again”

Rian Johnson, Director of Star Wars “The Last Jedi

Filming locations in Ireland

Film-Friendly Environment and Support

Ireland is a film friendly country, with a network of local film offices that will assist you with your film production throughout the entire country, as well as the Inward Production team at Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.

Major Film Studios in Ireland

Ireland is home to three major film studios:

• Troy Studios (Limerick)
• Ardmore Studios (Wicklow)
• Ashford Studios (Wicklow, near Dublin)

These studios offer proximity to diverse locations, a rich talent pool, and efficient production capabilities — all within easy reach of Dublin.

Diverse and Historic Landscapes

Ireland’s landscape offers a remarkable variety of natural and historical backdrops:

• Remote areas with features dating back to the Stone Age
• Norman and Anglo-Irish castles
• Georgian towns and Palladian country houses
• Rococo mansions and Gothic cathedrals

This diverse architecture and terrain make Ireland ideal for both historical and fantasy productions.

Stunning Coastlines and Natural Features

Ireland boasts over 1,450 km of coastline, including:

• Rugged Atlantic coasts with scattered islands
• East Coast with sandy beaches near Dublin and Wicklow
• More than 80 lighthouses suitable for both period and modern scenes
• “Famine houses” – evocative stone ruins from the 1800s famine

These coastal elements add depth and atmosphere to any film setting.

Modern Cityscapes and Urban Versatility

Dublin offers a contemporary urban backdrop with:

• Modern architecture and a thriving financial district along the River Liffey
• Headquarters of international tech giants
• The Phoenix Park – Europe’s largest city park (1,750 acres), within walking distance of the city centre
• This makes Dublin a flexible location for productions set in modern cities.

Iconic Nature in the Southwest

The region County Kerry in the southwest hosts:

• Ireland’s first national park, covering over 25,000 acres
• The scenic Killarney lakes
• The only mainland herd of Red Deer
• The most extensive native forest in Ireland
• Views of Ireland’s highest mountain peaks
• This region is perfect for productions seeking lush, dramatic natural environments.

Ireland’s Film Tax Incentive

Ireland offers one of Europe’s most progressive film tax incentives. Section 481 is an investor-based tax incentive which delivers up to 32% of qualifying expenditure.

Projects substantially produced in the regions (outside Dublin/Wicklow and Cork City and County) benefit from or up to 2% uplift subject to specific training related requirements. In 2015 the tax incentive changed from an investor based one to a tax credit and the net benefit to the producer increased from 28% to 32%.

Permits

If intending on filming in a public location you will need to obtain appropriate licences from the relevant local authority or any other authority in control of such spaces. It is recommended that the production company informs An Garda Síochána (Guardians of Peace/Police) on all details of filming on the street or in a public place. This includes any staging of crimes, accidents or use of firearms and special effects if they take place in the public domain.

We recommend using a professional Location Manager on your production when filming in Ireland. They will help you to find and secure locations to be used, obtain all fire, police and other governmental permits, and coordinate the logistics for your production. They will also provide a great source of local knowledge. The Location Guild of Ireland list members for your convenience.

“Ireland’s regional film offices proved an invaluable resource throughout the Star Wars: Episode III –
The Last Jedi shoot. From Donegal to Cork, we were offered crucial on-the-ground assistance with access and permits, along with essential local insight. We received an all-inclusive service, complete with discretion and absolute professionalism.”
Mally Chung, Location Manager, Star Wars: Episode 8 – The Last Jedi

Sustainability

Screen Ireland is committed to sustainability goals and can now offer carbon calculation and Albert certification to productions shooting in Ireland.

Weather

Irish Crews are experts at making the most of Irish weather, from soft rain, shimmering sun, glistening frost to whistling wind, Ireland is famous for four seasons in one day. We have a mild, temperate climate, with warm summers and mild winters. We’ve always lived off the land and the sea, following the rhythms of the seasons and the weather. So, we’re experts at making the most of life, whatever the weather.

“Ireland has the weather, the landscape and the spotty extras that medieval movies need, the country easily delivers the desired sense of mildewed desolation.” Donald Clarke, Irish Times