Even if you’ve never set foot on
Kippure Estate, you’ve no doubt seen glimpses of our 240-acre property up on the big screen. Mel Gibson himself, garbed in traditional tartan and kilt, directed and performed scenes of Braveheart (1994) within our natural lands. Kippure’s owners Tim and Della Kyne can point out the very tree where William Wallace (played by Gibson) hitched his horse.
Set amidst the Garden of Ireland within County Wicklow, you would never guess our ancient woodlands, rolling hills, river banks and awe-inspiring mountain views are only a 45-minute drive from Dublin. Perhaps this is why Kippure Estate and areas nearby have set the scene for numerous Hollywood productions. Just before our site became a haven for outdoor teambuilding experiences, weddings and retreats, it was also a key location for scenes from The Devil’s Own (1997) starring Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford and Dancing at Lughnasa (1998) starring Meryl Streep and Michael Gambon.
According to Discover Ireland, County Wicklow has been the setting for hundreds of films beginning from the time of black and white up until present day. In fact, there are three scenic drives throughout the county (the Braveheart, Excalibur and Michael Collins drives) that bring you back to those cherished cinematic scenes while allowing you to experience an enchanting countryside.
The 80 km Braveheart loop aptly starts and finishes in the village of Hollywood and passes by Kippure Estate. Along the drive you will see lakes, mountains, peat bogs, waterfalls, valleys, towns and the mystically pristine Coronation Plantation – sights associated with The General (1998), P.S. I Love You (2007), Reign of Fire (2001), Veronica Guerin (2002), King Arthur (2003), This is My Father (1998) and additional locations for Braveheart and Dancing Lughnasa. One section of the drive, close to Kippure Estate, is particularly intriguing: On Military Road at the Sally Gap, there is a mountainous landscape of the most desolate kind that formed the backdrop for Zardoz (1974), How Harry Became a Tree (2000) and Excalibur (1981). In more recent years, County Wicklow has hosted numerous film crews including those for The Tudors (2006-2009), Haywire (2010) starring Ewan McGregor and Camelot (2010). In addition to Hollywood and Irish companies taking advantage of County Wicklow’s wondrous cinematic potential, filmmakers from all over the world are starting to look at the area as a potential set for their next feature. For example, in January of this year, Tourism Ireland hosted business representatives and journalists from India and part of their itinerary involved exploring County Wicklow as a potential site for Bollywood films.
We would love for you to stay with us at Kippure Estate and experience first hand our natural surroundings ideal for the most creative cinematographer’s eye.
