My visit to the locations of Ryan’s Daughter | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Written by: Elizabeth Raffo Setti, Brazil. Written in Portuguese, and translated to English by Paulo Roberto P. Elias | Date: 09.06.2013 |
 Inch
beachEver since I saw "Ryan's Daughter" in a cinema, I have wanted to visit the sets in Ireland The idea has since followed me, but it seemed at times to be an impossible task. I did not know where it was, except that it ought to be in Ireland. By the time I managed to get an Internet research facility I started the site’s search. I don’t remember at which point of this research I was led to in70mm and to the description given by Thomas of his adventure in that place. | More in 70mm reading: Minha visita às locações de “A filha de Ryan” On the trail of "Ryan's Daughter" & "Far and Away" Memories of Ryan's Daughter "Far and Away" - Mikael Salomon introduction Internet link: YouTube |
 Up
the hill to "Kirrary". Click the image to see enlargement So I wasn’t mad I supposed. There is someone else who pursued this dream and made it” Not only once, but twice! At this point my project had started, but I could find no one to join me in the quest. My own husband thought of it as absurd. He would agree as to the beauty of the scenery, but no will to travel to such a far distance. Every single year I would invite someone of my acquaintance but nobody was game. This year, however, I had a strong reason in store: my wedding anniversary. I said to my husband that it would be his gift. And indeed he was ashamed to the point of not granting it. And that’s how I made this trip of my dreams. Needless to say, it was quite worth it. | |
 Minard
CastleAs far as I was concerned, I would get a flight directly to the place, i.e., Dunquin, Ireland, but that was not feasible. So, we decided to go to London and from London to Cork, where we would rent a car at the airport. We started our adventure through Inch beach. We left early from Cork heading to Inch. If it wasn’t for a flat tire on the way, we would be there sooner. At Inch the weather was very cold, the wind was quite strong. I faced the wind and the cold figuring it how it would be with the movie’s score written by Maurice Jarre. | |
 The
school houseAfter some snapshots there we passed through Minard Castle. Thanks to Google’s street view facility it was possible to trace our route previously. There were more people gazing at the “tower” which was the place where Rose and the Major meet in the film. It was thrilling to see the tower come up as our car approached it. The colour of the landscape was fantastic. I got in and climbed it. My husband was then shooting pictures. Next we continued to Slea Head Drive (route 559), which took us to the Coummenole beach. I was pleased with the sun’s absence because I wanted to see Coummenole exactly as it was shot in the movie: wet. | |
 The
dramatic west coast of Ireland. The school house is seen almost on the edge
of the cliff. Click the image to see enlargement We went on via Slea Head Drive up to Dunquin where we boarded at An Portán’s. After checking in we left to the teacher’s home. I did not want to waste a single minute. We headed to Blaskets Centre, following the cliff edges. I had a notion of a shorter way, but that was later used in our way out of it. No problems there, since the next day we used a still better route to the teacher’s house. A lovely pathway! So good indeed that I would travel through it if I ever needed to. Next morning I climbed the hill where the film’s village was built. The day was already beautiful at dawn, and the landscape growing behind me as we went along, a breath-taking journey. Herds of sheep helped to decorate the pathway. I enjoyed every minute of it up to the hill’s top. | |
 Coummenole
beachBy then my husband admitted that it was wonderful. His best day so far. After climbing down we went to Clogher Head, where the village for "Far and Away" was built. The path to Clogher is shown mainly at the end of "Ryan’s Daughter", when the father and Michael were walking in that direction after the bus left with Rose and Charles. I went back to the school house through the best way I had found. Going down to the sea side, we reached the place where the military camp was built and afterwards turning left. It was a longer drive by car. Later on we visited the bee hives and back to Coummenole, now a sunny place. I took some more pictures. The beach had already gotten another feeling: a summer one. I saw people with very few clothing, probably not aware that they were maculating a period scenery. Our last stop: Cliffs of Moher. We spent the afternoon there, but my heart was still in Dunquin. | |
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