Hollywood, County Wicklow, Ireland

Fame at last! First I make the Irish Times. Now I’ve made it to Hollywood!

Oh. Her Ladyship has just knocked me off my pedestal by pointing out that this is the Irish Hollywood. Hollywood, County Wicklow.

Hollyw… whoops! Must be windy around here.

Hang on a sec, though. This Hollywood is apparently the original one. It is documented as being over 800 years old, so it pre-dates its famous American cousin by centuries. Furthermore, the story goes that the home of the American film industry was named after this tiny Irish village. A blacksmith by the name of Matthew Guirke emigrated from here to the US in 1850. He later supposedly founded a homestead in California and named it after his native place. The rest, as we all know, is history.

What some people may not know is that the Irish name, Cillín Chaoimhín, means ‘Kevin’s little church’. Back in the 6^th century, St. Kevin came to Hollywood in search of solitude, but was pestered so much by an admirer (by the name of Kathleen) that he headed for the hills, settling in the even more remote Glendalough. I remember seeing his bed there, a small cave in the rock face alongside the Upper Lake, when we were last in the Wicklow mountains. That must be one of the earliest examples of a man cave. The things a guy has to do to get some peace and quiet!

I was bracing myself for getting grief from Her Ladyship for that last comment, but I am in luck. She is totally star-struck at the moment. It turns out that Hollywood came to Hollywood. And on numerous occasions. Meryl Streep starred in ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ which was filmed in this village, for example. Scenes from ‘Michael Collins’, starring Liam Neeson and Julia Roberts were also filmed around here, along with many other films, TV series and adverts. It seems that when a charming Irish village is required, Hollywood, County Wicklow fits the bill perfectly.

Was ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ filmed here too? Oh, apparently not. That is just a fiddler on the roof … of the Céilí House. There are plenty of other quaint spots here, including Tutty’s Pub, The Hollywood Inn, a former stage coach stop dating from 1790, and the Horseshoe Cottage, which, surprise, surprise, was a former blacksmith’s forge. At times you really could be forgiven for thinking you are on a Hollywood (Ca.) film set.

But then look again at its ancient history and traditions, historic churches and cemeteries, its pilgrim paths. The lush green landscape, the gleaming white lambs, the golden furze bushes.

Traces of Tinselstown there may well be, but Hollywood, County Wicklow is as Irish as you can get.