Smugglers aplenty take over Harbour
Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle filming the comedy thriller 'The Guard' at Wicklow Harbour.
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WICKLOW HARBOUR has been over-run by gun toting smugglers who are only too eager to pull the trigger without any heed for the safety of the public.
Yes – shooting of the Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle starring movie 'The Guard' took over the harbour this week. Explosions ring out day and night, while heavily armed thugs can be seen involved in shootouts with law enforcement agencies – though thankfully only when the cameras are rolling.
'The Guard' is a comedy thriller set in the West of Ireland. Unorthodox small-town Irish policeman Gleeson unites wilt strait-laced FBI agent Cheadle to take on a cocaine smuggling ring. Liam Cunnigham, Pat Shortt, Fionnuala Flanagan, Mark Strong, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan and Katarina Cas also star in the film.
Shooting began last week and soon drew a crowd of onlookers keen to see if they could spot any of the stars, even if the cold weather meant they soon had to disperse and hastily make their way back to the warmth of their homes.
The scene, being shot in Wicklow Harbour over a six-day period is of a police raid on a smugglers boat.
'Due to the nature of the scenes we will be firing blank munitions on the pier. These scenes will take place over the next six days. For Health and Safety reasons the pier will remain closed to the public on filming days,' says John-Paul Le Bon, Locations Department on behalf of Ely Films Ltd.
He adds, 'We are working closely with Wicklow Town Council, Wicklow Port Company and An Garda Siochana to assist us with filming scenes in the area. We are very much aware that this is primarily a residential area and we will endeavour to make sure that any disturbance is kept to a minimum.'
Large film lights mounted on mobile cranes positioned at Castle Street car park, north Pier, Packet Pier and a private residence have also lit the Harbour up at night in a way never seen before in Wicklow.
- Myles BUCHANAN
