World War 2 TV drama films in Glenarm

Glenarm has been transformed into a World War 2 village as part of a new BBC One television drama written by the creators of Ballykissangel and The Darling Buds of May.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Apr 2016, 13:12 BST
Updated 7th Apr 2016, 16:56 BST
Glenarm resident Alan Nesbitt poses in front of World War 2 army vehicles used during filming of TV drama 'My Mother and Other Strangers." INLT-15-700-conGlenarm resident Alan Nesbitt poses in front of World War 2 army vehicles used during filming of TV drama 'My Mother and Other Strangers." INLT-15-700-con
Glenarm resident Alan Nesbitt poses in front of World War 2 army vehicles used during filming of TV drama 'My Mother and Other Strangers." INLT-15-700-con

My Mother and Other Strangers, starring Hattie Morahan and Rose Coyne, is currently filming in the Altmore Street area of the coastal village.

Pictures taken by local residents show several troop transport vehicles parked in the village, while shop fronts have been dressed to reflect the facades of the forties.

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The upcoming drama focuses on the Coyne family and their neighbours as they struggle to maintain a normal life after a huge United States Army Air Force airfield with 4,000 service men and women lands in the middle of their rural Northern Ireland parish in 1943.

Glenarm native Mona Hyndman told the Times that local residents were delighted to welcome the drama’s cast and crew to the village.

“There are quite a few army units and people dressed up in World War Two uniforms in the village at the moment,” she revealed.

“It’s as if we had stepped back in time.

“The shop windows have been done up as they would have been at the time with fancy goods.

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“Steenson’s has been turned into a library, while the derelict shops are now jewellery, hardware and fancy goods shops.

“During breaks in filming and in the evening you can walk through the set and see what they have done.

“Everyone is so excited, it’s a wonderful thing to bring to the village.”

Mona says that filming on the project began yesterday (Wednesday), and believes that the drama could boost the village’s economic prospects.

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“It’s great to see people coming into the village, it gives it a buzz and the film crew will bring their custom to local businesses,” she continued.

“It gives an economic boost and hopefully people will be able to see that Glenarm is a lovely little village and they will come to visit it.

“There is quite a lot of filming going on at the minute; Nickelodeon were filming inside Glenarm Castle recently and we have also had Game of Thrones and A Christmas Star filming in the local area.

“People never expected this to happen but it has become a very popular filming location.”

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Mona believes that it is Glenarm’s unspoilt nature which attracts film crews to the village and surrounding areas.

“Glenarm is one of the oldest villages in Ireland and it hasn’t lost its uniqueness,” she explained.

“It still has its charm, it hasn’t been modernised and is very quaint.

“I hope more of these sort of productions will start coming into the village; the people here are very welcoming of it and it’s created a great buzz around the place.”

Related topics:BBC OneNorthern Ireland