County Cavan in Ireland has served as a filming location for several Irish films. The most notable connections involve rural village settings and border-region atmospheres in independent or mid-scale productions from the 1990s onward.
- Redhills village (near Belturbet, north County Cavan): This small, picturesque rural village stood in for a provincial Irish community in the 1950s in The Playboys (1992), a romantic drama starring Robin Wright and Aidan Quinn. It featured prominently as the scandalised hometown where the lead character has a child out of wedlock and defies local norms; the same village was also used for The Run of the Country (1995), a coming-of-age story set near the Irish border, highlighting quiet lanes, houses, and countryside.
- Various locations around Cavan town and west Cavan (including Swanlinbar and areas near Lough Oughter): These served for scenes in Redemption of a Rogue (2020), a dark comedy-drama about a troubled man returning home. The film’s gritty, rural Ulster-border feel drew on local pubs, roads, and landscapes in west Cavan to capture isolation and redemption themes.
- Fictional Tyrellin (represented by County Cavan settings): The opening and early backstory of Breakfast on Pluto (2005), directed by Neil Jordan and starring Cillian Murphy, are set in a small fictional town called Tyrellin in County Cavan during the 1950s. While not tied to one specific landmark, the county’s rural parishes and parochial houses inspired the depiction of the protagonist’s birthplace and abandonment scene.
Other productions like the documentary-style His & Hers (2009) and lesser-known titles such as Korea (1995) or Anton have used parts of the county for authentic Irish rural or border backdrops, but they are not widely celebrated as major cinematic landmarks. Cavan’s film heritage leans more toward intimate, character-driven Irish stories rather than globally famous epics. Redhills remains the standout spot for visitors interested in movie connections.
Movie locations in the county
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County Cavan:
Ireland’s county Cavan is a haven of lakes and rolling hills, with the Shannon-Erne Waterway offering tranquil boating and fishing opportunities. The Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff explores local history, while the Marble Arch Caves, part of a UNESCO Geopark, showcase stunning underground formations. Other attractions include the Killykeen Forest Park’s walking trails. Cavan is Ireland’s 19th largest county by size (1,891 sq km) and eighth smallest by population (81,704). Population peaked at 243,158 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 52,618 in 1971. In terms of hospitality, Cavan is Ireland’s 20th most visited tourist county with around 111,000 international visitors per year.
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