There was a time not so long ago when the novel "Angela's Ashes" stirred more controversy than pride in the hearts of many Irish contemporaries of author Frank McCourt, who wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir of his childhood in Limerick, Ireland.
McCourt's gritty depiction of the city, its slums and its inhabitants was still being hotly debated in the late 1990s, when I visited Cork during the filming of the movie version of the book.
Now, a dozen or so years later, inhabitants of Limerick have made peace with the novel enough to offer a daily Angela's Ashes Walking Tour. Because the city has changed so much since McCourt's description, the tour sticks to the geographic highlights, including Arthur's Quay, Leamy's School, Parnell Street and, of course, the River Shannon.
In fact, for such a small country, Ireland has formed the scenic backdrop for many famous films over the decades. Thanks to the new Atlantic Film Trail, designed by Tourism Ireland, film buffs can explore the broad sweep of Ireland's film history by arranging an itinerary around movie locations.
"Film is a great way to showcase Ireland's scenic and cultural appeal, acting as a highly effective platform when it comes to reaching [international] audiences," said Ethna Murphy, Tourism Ireland's leisure tourism manager.
Moving from north to south, the trail begins in Glenties in Donegal, the setting of a moody Meryl Streep movie called "Dancing at Lughnasa." In addition to tracing the scenes from the film, visitors can spend a day at Glenveagh National Park, open year-round with free admission.
Cong and 'The Quiet Man'
Farther south and west, on the border of counties May and Galway, lies Cong, the setting of 1952's Oscar-winning "The Quiet Man," directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.
Guided Quiet Man tours take in sites from the movie and provide anecdotes from the filming. There also is a Quiet Man Cottage Museum, which contains a replica of White-o-Mornin' cottage, a setting for key scenes from the movie.
Beaches and beehive huts
The Dingle Peninsula in Ireland's southwest was the setting for several movies, including the 1992 Ron Howard film "Far and Away" with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman and the 1970s David Lean movie "Ryan's Daughter." Visitors to the Dingle Peninsula can explore the area's many beaches and its 12th century beehive huts.
The tiny village of Beal Na Mblath was the setting for "Michael Collins," a Liam Neeson and Julia Roberts film that tells the story of the 1916 Easter Rising hero, who was assassinated there.
This region of West Cork is popular with outdoor enthusiasts looking to ride, fish, golf or hike. Visitors can also embark on whale- and dolphin-watching excursions from this area, which also boasts good restaurants.
Fans of the film can take in the statue of Collins nearby, visit the Michael Collins Centre in Clonakilty or participate in a group tour based around the film and its basis in local history.
For a complete list of the films and their locations, along with maps and other useful travel information, the tourist office created a downloadable Atlantic Film Trail brochure, available through Tourism Ireland. See www.discoverireland.ie.
This report appeared in the June 14 issue of Travel Weekly.