Awfully Big Adventure, An

Liverpool, England: 1941 . . . , Firemen fight a blaze at the height of a bombing raid as Stella Bradshaw stands laughing and clapping.

Liverpool: 1947. Following her elocution lesson with Mrs. Ackerly, Stella returns home to the Aber Guest House where she lives with her Uncle Vernon and Aunt Lily. 17 Belvedere Place, Mountjoy, Dublin 1. (SD)

Pat Cleary arrived on an empty street . . . then had to wait for people walking dogs, a resident gaining entry to the basement flat and a man stopping to tie his shoelaces on the top step.

Leaving the house after hearing her Uncle and Aunt talking about her, Stella Bradshaw (Georgina Cates) makes a telephone call to her Mother. Henrietta Street, Dublin 1, beside number 3, on the corner of Henrietta Lane. (SD)

Vernon Bradshaw (Alun Armstrong) holds an umbrella over his niece as she gets into a taxi to go to an audition at the local theatre. Belvedere Place, Mountjoy, Dublin 1, with number 16 on the left. (SD)

The location now, captured by Pat Cleary on a rain free morning.

Inside the Playhouse Stella performs her audition in front of Meredith Potter, the repertory troupe's director, and his stage manager Bunny. Looking along Dame Street, Dublin 2 with the Olympia Theatre in the right distance.

Pat Cleary explains that although this long street has seen much reconstruction over the years, this stretch remains untouched.

Leaving the tea rooms where they have taken Stella, Meredith Potter (Hugh Grant) and Bunny (Peter Firth) part company with the impressionable young woman. The corner of Castle Street and Dame Street.

With a stream of tourists to and from the adjacent Dublin Castle a little extra patience was required by Pat at this location.

After Stella starts working as a errand runner for Meredith, Vernon discusses his worries about her with his mate Mr. Harcourt. 19 Mountpleasant Place, Ranelagh, Dublin 6. (SD)

Pat Cleary found a shop for the antiques enthusiasts.

Following rehearsals, Stella makes another telephone call as a Man rummages through a dustbin. The prop phone box and workman's hut stand just along Green Street from the Old Courthouse next to St. Michan's Park in Dublin 7.

Vernon and Lily Bradshaw (Rita Tushingham) wait outside the Playhouse after watching Stella perform a small part as Ptolemy in Caesar and Cleopatra. The Olympia Theatre at the corner of Dame Street and Sycamore Street.

Pat Cleary took this comparison from the footpath for safety purposes.

The couple glance down an alley towards the stage door. The stage door stands on Sycamore Street 7.

Ye olde lamp remains in situ in Pat Cleary's shot but the sign is now on the stage door itself. Pat adds that "In the early 70s I met one of my film music heroes, Elmer Bernstein, inside this stage door after his concert."

A ship's hooter sounds as the cast arrive at the theatre for the rehearsal of Peter Pan to find Meredith nursing a hangover. Looking across the River Mersey towards the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building and the former offices of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board in Liverpool 3, known as the Three Graces.

Standing at a snack bar, Geoffrey (Alan Cox) asks Stella what she's so miserable about. Green Street in the Smithfield area of Dublin.

Stella asks what he was doing the other night when he was swearing at Meredith. In front of St. Michan's Park on Green Street.

The two walk as they continue talking. The corner of Green Street and Little Britain Street, Dublin 7.

Geoffrey tells Stella that Mr. Potter has other things to think about when she explains that he doesn't seem to notice her. In the background stands St. Michan’s church on Halston Street, Dublin's oldest parish church.

Called to return and play Captain Hook when Richard St. Ives breaks his leg after a fall on stage, P. L. O'Hara (Alan Rickman) makes his way to his lodgings. Henrietta Street, Dublin 1 with numbers 6 and 5 in the background.

Pat Cleary found that nothing appears to have changed here. Opening the heavy rusty gate and going down the steps was not an option.

O'Hara looks down to the door of the dreary digs. The basement of number 12 Henrietta Street. Other views of the Georgian street appear in a number of film and television productions including 'Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace', 'Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx' and 'The Man Who Invented Christmas'.

For Pat Cleary to describe this basement as unkempt would be an understatement.

Following rehearsals, the gifted Thespian rides his Norton through Liverpool.

Terraces of houses pass by. Hanbury Lane, The Liberties, Dublin 8, with number 4 on the right. (SD)

Other than no parking spaces available, Pat Cleary found that nothing appears to have changed on the street that runs parallel to the street in the next screen capture.

O'Hara glances from side to side as he rides. Griffith Terrace, Earl Street South, The Liberties, Dublin 8, with number 8 on the left. (SD)

Pat Cleary found no parking spaces available here either but newer buildings have sprung up on the right.

Approaching a corner . . . South Dock Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4, with number 57 on the right. (SD)

Aside from the position of the downpipe, Pat Cleary found that little has changed here.

. . . brakes are applied for the turn. North Circular Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, with number 271 on the left. (SD)

Another street, more homes. Rathdown Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, with number 22 on the right. (SD)

The actor heads for the docks. Pat Cleary found the junction of Guild Street in the North Wall area of Dublin 1 which runs north from the River Liffey and Sheriff Street Upper.

Pat explains that "This Docklands area has been hugely re-developed over the years. Nothing remains except the old bascule Spencer Bridge spanning the Royal Canal to the left of shot which is awaiting restoration. The head of Luke Kelly, far left, of "The Dubliners" fame keeps a close eye on the large Dublin Convention Centre building."

O'Hara rides beneath the cranes before dismounting from his bike and running along the quayside to face the sea where he calls out the name of the lover who bore his child.

Riding back, O'Hara pauses near a line of Men carrying suitcases and Women with babies queuing to board a ship when the painful memory of his lover leaving is stirred up.

Taking her home from the party after the first performance of Peter Pan, O'Hara lets Stella get off when she calls for him to stop the bike. Aided by Stephen Dean's identification for the next capture, Pat Cleary found Cumberland Street South, Dublin 2.

A daylight shot from Pat showing Pearse railway station crossing the low bridge in the background.

After a cup of tea and a few moments in bed together at O'Hara's lodgings, Stella leaves and walks towards a telephone kiosk to call her Mother. Cumberland Street South with St. Andrew's Parish Church to the left of the telephone kiosk. (SD)

A wider view from ground level by Pat Cleary.

On another night, O'Hara calls to Stella as she makes her way home alone.

Meredith calls at the Bradshaw's house to invite them to support his troupe when they play a football match against the cast of Treasure Island.

On New Years Day a bus takes the players to the match.

Vernon arrives at the football ground as the game gets under way. The main entrance to the Carlisle Grounds, home of Bray Wanderers FC identified by Pat Cleary. This location was also used in 'Michael Collins'.

Pat provides this comparison as proof.

The cast from Treasure Island take control of the ball. Carlisle Grounds in Bray, County Wicklow, home to Bray Wanderers Football Club.

Pat Cleary found morning training in progress. The ground is currently being used as the unit base for a German streaming series set in Ireland, 'Irish Crime'. A unit caravan is just visible to the far left.

Vernon cheers the repertory players on. Properties on Quinsborough Road stand in the background.

Stella walks out of the ground and heads for the nearby graveyard. Mount Argus Road, Harold's Cross, Dublin 6, facing Mount Jerome Cemetery from the alley beside number 32. (SD)

Following Stephen Dean's identification, Pat Cleary went to take a look at the location where, possibly an optical illusion, the graveyard wall appears to be slightly higher.

Geoffrey becomes increasingly frustrated with Meredith's attitude towards him. Bray Wanderers ground with properties at the corner of Quinsborough Road and Adelade Road in the background.

Referee Meredith calls Geoffrey's goal offside. Carlisle Grounds in Bray, County Wicklow.

A view towards the other end of the ground with training action in full flow as recorded by Pat Cleary.

Bunny supports Meredith after Geoffrey headbutts him in the face. Facing buildings at the corner of Quinsborough Road and Seymour Road in Bray.

Meredith holds onto Vernon as the pair walk from the pitch. Mount Argus Road, Harold's Cross, Dublin, facing Mount Jerome Cemetery, just past the bend in the road. (SD)

Pat Cleary wonders if the double yellow lines rule may not apply on Sunday mornings.

Peering over the wall of the graveyard, Stella watches the players return to the bus. Mount Argus Road, Harold's Cross, viewed from Mount Jerome Cemetery. (SD)

On tippy-toes and with camera held high over the wall, Pat Cleary avoiding stepping on graves for this shot. The rebuild to residential has greatly enhanced this section of the road.

O'Hara rides along the quayside after speaking with Vernon and Lily and realising that Stella's mother Renee was his lover.

Dropping his bike on the quay, the broken man makes his way across moored ships and barges.

As the motorcycle engine continues to run, O'Hara runs towards the seaward end of the dock. Dublin Port with the chimneys of Poolbeg Power Station in the right distance. Although the film is set in the 1940s, construction of the power station was started in 1965.

O'Hara screams out the name he called his lover . . . Stella Maris, Stella of the Sea. Dublin Port looking towards the mouth of the River Liffey as it finds the Irish Sea.

Returning to the quay, O'Hara heads back across the moored boats.

Slipping on a wet gangway, O'Hara falls into the dock, knocking himself out before hitting the water.

The Norton's engine stutters and cuts out as its owners body sinks towards the mud.

At the Playhouse the show goes on with Meredith Potter playing Captain Hook. Facing the Olympia Theatre on Dame Street, Dublin 7.

Following recent new sponsorship, Pat Cleary advises that the theatre's name is currently "3Olympia" although Dubliners will always refer to it as "D'Olympia".

As O'Hara's body is dragged from the water, Cleaners dust, polish and sweep the theatre. To end the story, an interior view of the Olympia Theatre's auditorium, which also features in 'The Man Who Invented Christmas'.