SPICE GIRLS AND MICHAEL COLLINS RECALLED
RATHDRUM resident Vincent Pierce had an accidental brush with fame when he featured in the Spice Girl’s video for ‘Stop’ in 1998.
‘I thought they had finished filming and then a cameraman asked me to pick up a bike on the ground. I didn’t realise I was in the video until the kids saw it,’ explained Vincent, who runs Laurence Pierce Wools. ‘My agent was furious!’
Though this was certainly Vincent’s first dose of Spice, his involvement in filming in Rathdrum stems from long before. Growing up with his family at the now closed Woolpack Bar and Hotel, Vincent vividly recalls some of the film stars staying both in his home and in trailers in the garden.
‘ The first film I remember being made here starred Robert Mitchum and Rita Hayworth. Rita stayed in our house at the time. I was in boarding school so I didn’t really get to see her but I did get to see some of the filming being done,’ he explained.
‘A Love Divided was also filmed here. And I remember Rocket to the Moon. We had a mobile in our back yard where Burt Iveses stayed. I only saw him once or
ora twice though. We weren’t on a first name basis.’
The 1999 film Durango wasas also a who memorablesaid it broughtone for much Vincent,nh excitement to the town.
‘ They were down around the e wool store setting fire to things. s. It was like the wild west! It was as very interesting to watch it all, l, that’s for sure.’
And of course, who could forget Michael Collins? Parts of the film were shot in Rathdrum square in 1995, while several of the scenes with Julia Roberts were shot inside the Woolpack pub when it was transformed into Kitty Kiernan’s home. Though he didn’t have his time to shine on the screen, Vincent spent plenty of time behind the e camera and even recorded some e of the scenes on his handheld d camcorder.
‘I met Neil Jordan in the pubb and used to joke with him that I was going to have it in the cinemas as before him!’ laughed Vincent.