Taffin

Mark Taffin (Pierce Brosnan) waits for his meeting whilst admiring the scenery on the beach at Wicklow town in County Wicklow, Ireland.

Pat Cleary shows that there is sturdier shore protection constructed as the years have rolled by

Taffin crosses the promenade and into his 'office'. This ruined building (and the land around it) has since been demolished and is now the site of Wicklow County Council.

Pat Cleary points out that a gap in the fence made this view possible. He also mentions the Council's car park is part of the extensive redevelopment here on the other side of the promenade.

Brosnan goes to see a local restaurant owner and prepare for a fight scene featuring Irish music in the background! The pub is The Brock Inn found on North Road, Broghan, Broughan, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Pat Cleary got up early on a Sunday morning to head over to this North Dublin location. Even before 10am Pat found the majority of the car park behind was full of early morning golfers! Pat also notes that outdoor seating has since been added and that this hostelry is a favourite stop-off for people heading to watch Gaelic Games at Croke Park.

Having taken the car as debt payment, Pierce heads to the Philip Healy pub located on Bridge Street in Wicklow town, County Wicklow, Ireland.

Pat Cleary comes up with a pretty much perfect 'now' shot for this location. Interesting to note the building and colour changes.

Pierce gets a lift back home to his mothers and dropped off on ground that has since been redeveloped. The car is turning off from The Murrough road in Wicklow Town, Ireland.

What a difference a few decades make! Pat Cleary also adds ‘Ready for lift off, a nice job done by Wicklow County Council’.

As Taffin gets out of the car, he enters his mothers house. Again this is on land that has been redeveloped since filming took place back in the late 1980's.

Three lads come to get help from Taffin. But instead of being hired, he gives them some advice for dealing with the owner of Ballymoran Motor Sales.

Pat Cleary has done some excellent detective work for this and shot #8. Here we are in Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow, Ireland on the N11. "Ballymoran Motor Sales" looks to have been originally located across the road from Capture 8. The road is now a wide dual carriageway.

Taffin watches from across the road as his advice pays off and the lads have success in getting their van.

Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow on the N11. With the construction of a wide dual carriageway and footbridge this zoomed shot is the best angle Pat Cleary could get.

Money collected from the bar, Taffin gives Charlotte (Alison Doody) a lift home to what seems to be Trafalgar Road in Greystones, County Wicklow. They also shot inside the property, including a shot from the upstairs bedroom looking across the street down Marine Terrace.

Alan Bourke provides a great ‘now’ shot!

In the morning, Taffin goes to see his brother Mo (Patrick Bergin) in the harbour of Wicklow Port, County Wicklow in Ireland.

Top 'Taffin' contributor Pat Cleary provides this shot. It's the view from the top tier of the pier beside the lighthouse at the end of it. Looks like the original left handrail is still there but the other one has since been replaced.

Mo gives Mark some mackerel for their mother and discusses other issues in Wicklow Port, Ireland.

Pat Cleary also notes that there is a different barrier here, too.

Brosnan then visits Brady's Hardware. This is currently (and maybe always was) called 'Bradys of Greystones' and is located on Rathdown Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow in Ireland. The house in the background (which is Trenarren Court located on Church Road) is the key identifier for this location as the foreground area has been redeveloped since filming.

Pat Cleary provides a great 'now' shot and showed real patience in waiting for gaps in the traffic during a busy lunchtime in order to get a clear location image! Also Pat points out that the Ormonde Cinema is just up the road. Although currently closed down, this location will be familiar to fans of Father Ted as it was featured in the classic episode 'The Passion of St. Tibulus'. It was also once rented by singer Michael Jackson so he could spend the afternoon with his kids and out of sight of the press.

Taffin heads elsewhere driving up South Quay street in Wicklow...

Again Pat Cleary grabs a great now shot on the streets of Wicklow!

...and turning onto Bridge Street. Both these roads look quite different today.

Pat Cleary's new shot also shows the increased pedestrian pavements width since Taffin was made.

The sports field - the center of all the controversy. This pitch is seems to be the one attached to Dominican College in Wicklow, Ireland.

Pat Cleary provides a new set of good 'now' shots, including this one where Pat notes that a smaller all-weather hockey pitch is now a bit further to the left and the new road leads to a housing estate.

The potential land developers arrive to look at the possibilities of the land in their possession. The car drives off from Castle Street and onto the stretch of grass near Black Castle, with Wicklow Port in the background.

Pat Cleary also noticed that there has been a very efficient paint job on those silos!

Unknown to them, Taffin is keeping an eye from the monument near by. He knows the community needs him to get involved.

Although Pat Cleary makes a great new shot here, it's interesting to note how fairly little has changed at this location. Pat even managed to catch a boat in the harbour on the left - good timing!

Pierce is stood by the anchors, that are just up the hill from Wicklow Sailing Club.

Anchors Away! (shot by Pat Cleary)

He goes to the local cattle market to gently pursued Councillor Gibson (Jonathan Ryan) that he should consider not destroying the sports field for development. George White consulted his uncle Gilby White, who worked at Ardmore as an animal wrangler around the time of filming, and he told him that this is his local cattle mart, the now lost Ashford Cattle Mart, in County Wicklow. The market, which closed in 2001, can also be seen in 'Country Dance'.

Taffin visits a very grumpy Mr Henderson, who he says owns the Graylings Meadow, the alternative option for building instead of the sport field. Mr Henderson replies with a shotgun. This house location is currently unidentified.

Having witnessed a corrupt Councillor Gibson talking to Me Henderson, Taffin decides to pay the Councillor a home visit to indulge in some blackmail. Alan Bourke has correctly identified the house location as being at Ballyguile, Corporation Lands, Wicklow Town.

Website visitor Alan Bourke provides a ‘now’ shot which, as Alan pointed out, is as near as you can get without trespassing. Alan also mentioned that as the house is now surrounded by other private properties, the only way you could replicate the shot from the film is by standing on the neighbours wall. But you can see the sloping roof and the steps to the garden as per the film capture.

After Taffin and Co. blow up Mr Henderson's outside toilet and confirming that he won't be back tomorrow to sell subscriptions to Readers Digest (!), the unpleasant Councillor Gibson pays a visit to Martin's (Jeremy Child's) house at to see the new construction plans and to meet another associate. Site visitor Alan Bourke recognised this location as being a country house called ‘Knocklinn’ which is off Ballyman Road, Old Connaught, County Dublin. He points out that it is now in a dilapidated state. As the house is on extensive private lands, Alan is hoping to get permission to take a more recent ‘now’ shot.

Pat Cleary got the best angle shot taken from Ballyman Road about 220 yards away. This is a good shot in place of a current lack of permission to get close up.

After being removed from the council meeting for voicing an important question about there being no public debate about the proposed chemical factory construction, Mr O'Rourke (Ray McAnally) is walking along the Main Street in Wicklow, Co. Wicklow.

Pat Cleary noted that the Butchers shop is still there, but is closed early on Sunday.

And then he is confronted by the non-union man Mr Conway (Jim Bartley) in the alleyway on Main Street in Wicklow. The alley is next to Dowling's butcher shop.

Pat Cleary encountered no rough stuff when he revisited this location!

Then Mr Conway turns and walks off down Main Street in Wicklow.

Not to be put off his cause, Mr O'Rourke pays Taffin a visit and then gives a talk to a campaign crowd in Wicklow town centre car park, just behind Wicklow Tourist Information. They hear Mr O'Rourke just prior to marching on the town square.

Mr Conway (Jim Bartley) who threatened Mr O'Rourke previously drives down Bridge Street in Wicklow and sees the marchers getting ready...

Not only a great 'now' shot but also Pat Cleary points out that this road has now become totally pedestrianised.

...only to then block them in on Bridge street. This store front is currently (as of 2018) the shared location of Sheridan Colohan Insurance Brokers & Wicklow Tourist Information.

When Pat Cleary visited this location early on a Sunday morning, he noticed that although the passageway is still there, the entrance is shuttered and closed early on Sundays.

Refusing to move his vehicle, he locks his car and walks over to the phone box, with Main Street in the background.

Pat Cleary points out that as part of the redesign of the area new steps have been constructed. No need for telephone boxes these days!!

Some of the marchers clamber over the car and try to ask nicely, but get rebuffed. Main Street meets Abbey Street in the background.

Taffin location expert Pat Cleary notes that this street is somewhat more colourful nowadays.

But Mr Conway is taken by surprise when his car has been removed by Mark Taffin! The protesters start their march as Taffin has moved the car further down Bridge Street in Wicklow town, Ireland.

As with shot #27, Pat Cleary also shows here that this road is now for people and not cars!

Conway attempts to have words with Taffin. Main Street is in the background.

Pat Cleary shows that this is more or less the same and it's nice to see the pretty flower beds being maintained.

And after some strong words from Taffin, a policeman takes an interest in the seemingly abandoned vehicle.

Pat Cleary continues his fantastic collection of Taffin 'now' shots and shows how this street is fairly similar to when the film was shot, save for some new paint on the buildings. The road has also been shrunk.

Taffin looks on as Conway attempts to rescue his car. Unlike many films, this movie shot all of this sequence in the same area, meaning even many of the reverse angles are actually how they look in reality. Some films have reverse angles that can be miles away from what you see in a previous shot!

After leaving their local pub, Taffin and friends walk down Bridge Street in Wicklow town centre.

Pat Cleary once again provides a perfectly framed 'now' shot of Bridge Street.

They head round to the car park which is located just off Church Street. But as they attempt to drive away, they are confronted once more.

Pat Cleary notes that this is the now widened entrance/exit area from Church Street to Wicklow Town car park (exit lane further to the left).

Charlotte drives an injured but victorious Taffin along Main Street in Wicklow. The turning for Hillside Road is on the right.

Pat Cleary points out that the original yellow fronted ‘Hopkins and Sons’ store now just carries the name ‘Hopkins’ with a bright new frontage.

The building of the chemical plant is beginning and the local residents look on with disdain as the construction vehicles roll in to town along Abbey Street.

On this Sunday morning, Pat Cleary found it much quieter!

...and head up along Main Street.

Pat Cleary says he found it tricky to get the exactly right angle.

The procession continues to rumble along Main Street (this shot is slightly further back along Main Street than the previous shot).

Pat Cleary was able to get these wonderfully quiet and empty streets because, as the clock confirms, he was about with his camera at 8.24am!

Taffin's friend Ed (Gerard McSorley) and brother Mo go to visit Taffin with concern about Taffin getting involved with the chemical plant. Charlotte also weighs in, asking him if it's some kind of crappy macho prerogative. Her discussion enables Brosnan (a.k.a. Bron-Hom) to utter the most famous line from the film...! ("Then Maybe You Shouldn't Be Living Here!") This location is currently unidentified.

Sabotage is the name of the game, as O'Rourke and co decide to take matters into their own hands with Wicklow Bay in the background, along with Broad Lough in the middle ground.

Picture taker Pat Cleary points out that the College and new pitch come into view with the East Wicklow Mountains in the distance.

A violent confrontation in the mens room leads O'Rourke to try once again to get Taffin involved. They talk to him at the harbour. Pat Cleary points out that this is the same pier and lighthouse where the final shoot-out in 2011's 'The Guard' took place.

Prolific contributor Pat provides this comparison.

Wicklow Harbour is where Taffin hears the further pleas for help.

Another view from the end of the pier (shot by Pat Cleary)

Councillor Gibson, Charles and Mr Martin discuss the ongoing events whilst playing golf at Wicklow Golf Club, just next to Dunbur Road. The small castle ruin that you can see in the middle ground on the centre of the shot is right next to the harbour from the previous image.

Pat Cleary points out here that the ruins of the Black Castle jutting out in the centre and the tips of the two Sugar Loafs sweeping down to Bray Head make for a spectacular view. The Golf Club welcomes visitors.

Following Mr Conway's (Jim Bartley) failed attempt to use his men to get at Taffin, he himself attempts to talk to him outside of the club. Website visitor Alan Bourke finally solves this location and so also the following two shots. He notes that this is what was originally Killincarrig House, and was the Woodlands Hotel at the time of filming. Specifically, it's Cabana's nightclub of 1980s Greystones renown, which was part of the hotel. It burned down in the early 1990s and the entire area is now the Woodlands housing estate and Greystones United FC.

But Mark Taffin has other ideas by ramming his car. Alan Bourke added info for this location on the previous shot, this shot and the next shot. This is what was originally Killincarrig House, and was the Woodlands Hotel at the time of filming.

Taffin then drives off down a road at speed. This shot, along with the two previous shots were all finally solved by Alan Bourke, who points out that this area was originally Killincarrig House, and was the Woodlands Hotel at the time of filming. It burned down in the early 1990s and the entire area is now the Woodlands housing estate and Greystones United FC.

and speeds onto a main road.

Alan Bourke comes up with another great location identification and a ‘now’ shot. He adds that Taffin’s car is exiting from what is now Charlesland Road at Greystones Medical Centre and left onto Mill Road, heading towards the location of captures 50 and 51. I've only driven along here a million times in the last 20 years but it's changed a bit, including junction realignment!

Conway follows close behind. Pat Cleary finally solves one of the hardest and longest running location mysteries for this film! The chasing car has just entered this road from another road to the left. The location is Killincarrig, Greystones, Co. Wicklow where the Mill Road meets Kilcoole Road. (R761 meets R762).

Pat Cleary also points out that part of the reason why this bit of road was so hard to solve is that it looks quite different. There was slight road re-alignment here and a small roundabout has been constructed. Greystones town, beach and harbour are a few minutes down the road to the left .

Picking up speed from a left turn and heading down the R762. Pat Cleary has become the Taffin mastermind for solving this and the previous location!

Pat Cleary also mentions the colourful foliage along both edges of the road, but sadly he didn't have a step ladder to get a shot from the exact spot he wanted. Still great to have this location finally identified!

Being in a rural area, a tractor gets in the way along a currently unidentified road.

After the confrontation, Taffin talks with Charlotte on the headland just next to Wicklow harbour.

There seemed to be perfect weather on the day Pat Cleary took his excellent 'now' shots and also noticed that these days there are lots more pleasure craft in the harbour.

Charlotte sets a trap by claiming Martin tried to attack her in his car (a 1956 Bentley S1). We are once again on Bridge Street, Wicklow, Ireland.

Pat Clearly provides a wider view of the pedestrianised section of Bridge Street. Also a lick of paint on some of the buildings certainly brightens the place up a bit.

This plan thus gets him involved with the police.

Additional steps have been added (infro and picture from Pat Cleary).

Taffin's friend Ed (Gerard McSorley) poses as Taffin to mask the real Taffin's entering of Mr Martin's house. The house location is a country house called ‘Knocklinn’ which is off Ballyman Road, Old Connaught, County Dublin. This location was solved by website visitor Alan Bourke.

The plan seems to have worked, as the locals celebrate the exit of the building vehicles at the field. Wicklow Bay is in the background on the right.

Pat Cleary mentions that this is almost a reverse shot of Capture 66 where Pierce Brosnan is seen standing on Parnell footbridge in the the centre background.

Charlotte asks Taffin why he isn't happy that they've stopped the building. They are sat with the Black Castle in the background. Following the arrival of the Norman’s in 1169, Earl Strongbow was granted the lands along the Irish East Coast. He in turn granted those lands to Baron Maurice Fitzgerald on condition that he build castles for protection. You can also glimpse the castle location in the background of a previous shot when the 'bad guys' are playing golf.

A wonderful now capture by Taffin expert Pat Cleary! Nice to see most of the natural environment here has been maintained.

Then the couple notice a fire on the horizon over Wicklow town.

A wonderfully clear and beautiful 'now' shot from Pat Cleary. The skyline is much nicer without all the movie smoke!

Upon checking out the scene of the fire (which is at Mr Martin's house which site visitor Alan Bourke correctly identified as being a country house called ‘Knocklinn’ which is off Ballyman Road, Old Connaught, County Dublin), Taffin is worried that he will get the blame.

Pat Cleary also managed this zoomed shot from Ballyman Road which clearly shows the dilapidated condition of this once fine country house. Pat mentions that both this and shot 22 are from a distance due to a present lack of permission to enter the private land of the property.

O'Rourke and Liam (Frank Kelly - Jack from father Ted) also wonder if they are indirectly responsible because they also suspect Taffin did it. Reel Streets site visitor Alan Bourke recognised this location as being a country house called ‘Knocklinn’ which is off Ballyman Road, Old Connaught, County Dublin.

Mo picks Taffin up at the police station after Mark has been questioned by police. The police station location is on Church Street in Wicklow. Literally across the road from the location in capture 26 where Mr O'Rourke speaks to protesters just prior to marching on the town square.

Mysterious guy Deacon (Ronan Wilmot), who actually started the fire, picks up his payment money at a railway station. This is Heuston Station on St John's Road West in Dublin. The station also appears in 'The First Great Train Robbery' and 'I See a Dark Stranger'. PW

Taken from a different position to avoid the seemingly stationary passengers loitering where I wanted to stand. PW

Meanwhile things get worse for Taffin as he returns to his base to find his belongings being cleared out. This location has since been demolished and is now the home of Wicklow County Council.

Taffin, Mo and Ed (Gerard McSorley) cross the road (The Murrough) before Taffin tells them that he needs to be on his own for a while.

As Pat Cleary shows here, residential streets don't tend to change anywhere near as much as town centres.

Now alone, he pauses on Parnell Bridge to consider his options. In the background you can see the River Vartry with Bridge Street bridge in the distance, which also features in 'The Blue Max'. This shot is just down the road from Taffin's 'base' in the previous shot and most of this film seems to actually match the real-life location geography of the towns.

Pat Cleary provides another excellent 'now' shot and also notes that there's a notice on the bridge requesting parents not to allow their children stick their heads through the gaps!

Deciding to get out of town, Taffin pulls into a garage located at Whitegate, Glebemount, Bollarney South, Wicklow, Ireland. This location still has a garage on the site, but the Ford Garage is now a Tesco Superstore (as of 2018).

Pat Cleary has been so lucky with the weather as he got this shot showing the old entrance to the Abbey Garage.

He ends up getting more than just petrol. The Abbey Service Garage building in the background is still there but is currently 'Barry Transport Logistics & Warehousing'.

Pat Cleary clearly shows that the iconic Abbey Garage building has been demolished.

Pulling a gun on Conway, Taffin hatches a plan while being held hostage with a garrot. They drive out of the garage forecourt and on to Station Road.

Pat Cleary also shows that Station Road has been extensively redeveloped.

They drive up a currently unidentified road. This might be very near to where they filmed Taffin's base in Wicklow, possibly somewhere along The Murrough, maybe where Multimetals Recycling Ltd is now located.

Taffin location enthusiast Pat Cleary provides the updated ‘now’ shot for this location and also exposes a bit of movie magic as he points out that although in the previous shot the two cars were on the main roads from the filling station, they are now approaching from the dead end of the Industrial Park road that runs along the Murrough. This road and Industrial Park has since been extended bending slightly right to follow the railway line. The old buildings where the explosion appears in Capture 74 are in to the left and behind.

Noticing some erratic driving behind him, Deacon stops.

Taffin location fan Pat Cleary points out that shot numbers 71, 72 and 73 will be impossible as there is no access available and, as far as he could see, those buildings are demolished anyway. There are one or two of the dilapidated buildings still there. He provided this shot to demonstrate his findings.

He gets out to go and see if there is anything wrong with their captive.

Taffin location fan Pat Cleary points out that shot numbers 71, 72 and 73 will be impossible as there is no access available and, as far as he could see, those buildings are demolished anyway. There are one or two of the dilapidated buildings still there. He provided this shot to demonstrate his findings.

Deacon (Ronan Wilmot) is fooled at the critical moment.

Taffin location fan Pat Cleary points out that shot numbers 71, 72 and 73 will be impossible as there is no access available and, as far as he could see, those buildings are demolished anyway. There are one or two of the dilapidated buildings still there. He provided this shot to demonstrate his findings.

The two bad guys dealt with, Taffin sets fire to the car. The initial fire is seen from a currently unidentified location, but Wicklow town is in the background. This means this location is likely a bit further up The Murrough from Taffin's base location.

Site visitor Pat Cleary sent this ‘now’ shot and points out that he couldn't get access to the exact place where the Man/Dog have stopped. A very large timber plant area and the sewage plant were in the way. In the end the only shot he could get was from much further on but with the high mounds of the sewage plant blocking the view.

Taffin tricks Dave (Dave Duffy) into thinking he's Deacon and meets him on Bull Island beach. The two chimneys you can see over Brosnan's shoulders belong to the Poolbeg Power Station. This is right next to the city of Dublin.

Pat Cleary points out that the tall chimneys at the Poolbeg Power Station (which closed in 2010) are now redundant. As of 2021 their fate is still being debated.

Looking the other way over Dave Duffy's shoulders, you can see The Ben of Howth. This is a hilly area on Howth Head, a peninsula northeast of Dublin City in Ireland. Dave's characters car is a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL.

Pat Cleary captures a hazy view of Howth.

A moody panarama over Bull Island Beach as Dave doesn't do what Taffin wants and it ends badly. Bull Island beach is part of a nature reserve.

Pat Cleary notes that the Great Sugar Loaf to the extreme left was not visible in the hazy morning sunshine when he visited.

Charlotte arrives at the Busáras Central Bus Station at 22 Store Street on North Dock, Dublin, Ireland and heads for the airport bus. But Taffin is about to surprise her and reminds her to "be cool". In the background stands The Custom House, a neoclassical building used as a government office, designed by James Gandon and completed in 1791. Other views of the building can be seen in 'The Big Gamble', 'Girl with Green Eyes', ‘The Quare Fellow’, 'Ulysses', 'Tim Driscoll's Donkey', ‘Flight of the Doves’ and ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’.

A similar view from the Busáras now. PW