Editorial: Another film crew comes to Northern Ireland to make drama

​The improvement in life in Northern Ireland since the long years of terrorism has been gradual but relentless.

​For the hundreds of thousands of people old enough to have lived through the Troubles and its aftermath, it is easy to forget how big the change is because it has happened so slowly.

But the change is mammoth.

It was apparent yesterday, in the marathon, which has become almost an annual carnival in Belfast, with the better part of 20,000 participants, and many more spectators and well wishers (with plenty of good causes benefiting too).

It is apparent at this time of year in the annual arrival of cruise ships too, with Northern Ireland now on the itinerary of luxury vessels that cruise these seas off mainland Europe.

And it is evident in the amount of filming that is taking place in NI too.

Game of Thrones is the most famous of the productions to have been based in Ulster, and we are still getting huge interest from its fans, who want to see the key locations.

There have been multiple police dramas: Bloodlands, Blue Lights and Hope Street. These play to audiences across the UK and beyond.

And today we report on a convoy of trucks that drove into the Co Down town of Dromore last week and set up camp for several days to film a three-part series – called ‘Ellis’ – starring three-time Olivier Award winner Sharon D Clarke.

Northern Ireland is a great place to live, a good place to do business, an attractive and friendly place to visit – and a location that film crews and indeed their audiences seem to like too.

There is a lot of promise in our wee country – something that is easily forgotten amidst real political and economic challenges.