WHEN HOLLYWOOD CAME TO HOLLYWOOD

DOCUMENTARY TO RECALL FILMING OF ‘DANCING AT LUGHNASA’ SCENES

A film crew were in Hollywood recently to interview locals who had taken part in Dancing at Lughnasa when scenes from that film were shot in the village back in 1998.

The team from Seabed Productions are working on a series of documentaries to be screened later this year on TG4.

The series called Hollywood in Éirinn will focus on the impact on local communities when their area was chosen as the location for a major film production. Because of the name, the programme featuring Hollywood, Co Wicklow, is expected to generate interest at home and abroad.

Locals still recall the excitement in the area when Dancing at Lughnasa was being shot in the village. They recall in particular the iconic photograph of film star Meryl Streep taken with local publican, the late Jim Tutty. It was an occasion when two Hollywood greats – one global, the other local – were photographed together.

Hollywood in Éirinn will be directed by Darina Clancy and presented by actor Seamus Moran.

Seamus became well known as beleaguered Bistro owner Mike Gleeson in RTE’s Fair City. For twelve years in that series he suffered the wrath of a string of strong women. Since then he has featured in a number of major TV productions.

Among the local people Seamus interviewed on their visit to Hollywood were Teresa Nugent, Johnny O’Keeffe, Ita Roddy, Dick Burke and Johnny Glennon.

Seamus Moran (centre), who will present the series of documentaries, with Hollywood locals Johnny Glennon and Dick Burke.

The meeting of two Hollywood legends, Meryl Streep with the late Jim Tutty.