County Longford in Ireland, a quiet Midlands county with lakes, small towns, and rural landscapes, has been used for filming in a few independent Irish productions, particularly those drawing on authentic small-town and GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) culture. It lacks major blockbuster or internationally famous landmarks compared to coastal or western counties, with most connections tied to local or critically appreciated films.
- Granard town: This market town, with its main streets, shops, houses, GAA pitches, and surrounding countryside, served as the primary filming location for Lakelands (2022), a drama directed by Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney. The film, about a GAA player’s life after a career-ending injury and his return to his rural community, was shot extensively in Granard (around 75% of the production), using local farms, pitches, homes, and streets to capture authentic Midlands Irish life, community ties, and personal redemption; it also featured Lough Gowna and Longford town for additional scenes.
- Granard surrounding areas: The town and nearby countryside provided the real-life setting and filming backdrop for Eat the Peach (1986), a comedy-drama directed by Peter Ormrod. Inspired by true events involving two local motorcycle enthusiasts who built a Wall of Death (a vertical motorcycle stunt track) in the late 1970s, the film used Granard’s streets, rural spots, and community feel to depict economic hardship in 1980s Ireland, Elvis-inspired dreams, and quirky enterprise; while some scenes were relocated for production, the story’s roots and spirit are firmly in Granard.
Other productions with Longford ties are limited and often minor or recent, such as short films like Brown Bread (2025, filmed entirely in the county for a modern emigration story) or incidental uses in lesser-known titles. There are occasional mentions of props or signs (e.g., in Michael Collins 1996, a fictional Granard sign appeared, though the film was not shot there). County Longford’s film heritage centres on understated, character-driven Irish stories rather than global spectacles, with Granard as the standout and most associated spot for visitors interested in these authentic, low-key cinematic connections. Unlike counties with dramatic natural features or clustered sets, Longford offers quiet rural authenticity in its small-town settings.
County Longford:
Ireland’s county Longford offers a peaceful blend of history and countryside, with the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre showcasing an ancient Iron Age road. The county’s St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford town provides architectural beauty, while the River Inny offers opportunities for kayaking and fishing. Other attractions include the rolling farmlands and historic Ardagh village. Longford is Ireland’s fourth smallest county by size and second smallest by population (46,751). Population peaked at 115,491 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 28,250 in 1971. In terms of hospitality, Longford is Ireland’s 32nd most visited and Ireland’s least visited tourist county with around 22,000 international visitors per year.
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