This Other Eden

A Five minute Prologue, set during the War Of Independence, commences with Brendan Devereux (Niall MacGinnis) and Commandant Jack Carberry (Gerry Sullivan) leaving in their Model T Ford for an arranged meeting with a 'Black and Tan' Officer. Unidentified location.

Ahead of them is a lorry load of ‘Black and Tans’ who pull off the road and disperse amongst the trees and bushes. Unidentified location.

They pull up in the road at the appointed 9 o’clock but Devereux….”doesn’t like it”.

Jack walks purposefully down the road. Unknown location

He is soon machine gunned to the ground. Unidentified location

The film itself commences as we approach 'Kilgarrig House', its purchase forming part of the story to follow. Hollywood House, Ballydowling (NR.BY), Wicklow, Ireland

Fergus Fay spent the afternoon in Glenealy and caught up on outstanding comparative shots. Here, both Fergus and ReelStreets extend sincere thanks to the O'Reilly-Hyland family for allowing him to take photographs in the grounds of Hollywood House.

The postman (Philip O’Flynn) stops to light a cigarette………. Unidentified location

……. by the commemorative stone in memory of ‘Commandant Jack Carberry who died for Ireland 1921’……

…..and then heads off down the lane…….

……..and into town. The southern approach to Wicklow Town. Dunbur Road with St. Dominick’s going off the left.

Not even a lone cyclist for the comparison shot.

He draws up at The Central Hotel. ‘The Bayview’ hotel, Main Street, Wicklow.

A taxi pulls up at Kingsbridge (renamed Heuston in 1966) station where we see…….

It was so quiet that Fergus could risk standing in the road.

Maire McRoarty (Audry Dalton) daughter of McRoarty (Geoffrey Golden), owner of the Hotel, getting out on her way to the films town ‘Ballymorgan’.

The car in the capture would not have been hiding that array of colour.

Soon followed by another taxi from where Crispin Brown (Leslie Phillips) gets out.

Crispin is told to hurry up as the train starts to leave the station. Unknown station, it certainly doesn’t appear to be Kingsbridge. No indeed, Pat Cleary identifies it as the seaside town station of Bray, County Wicklow on the Dublin to Rosslare line. He even narrows it down to Platform 2 taken from the footbridge looking South. He hasn't received a 1d for every time he has crossed that bridge and we can't financially reward him either, other than with a very grateful 'Thank You'.

McRoarty calls at the newspaper offices, that he also owns, to meet with the editor/printer Brendan Devereux, when a lorry screeches to a halt outside. Looking across Main Street, Chapelizod towards Maiden’s Row.

On the arrival of the statue to the town Clannery (Harry Brogan) rushes into the newspaper offices. 29 Main Street, Chapelizod. As Pat Cleary says " it looks like "The Ballymorgan Eagle" was redeveloped as a private residence" as it would appear to be now.

During the afternoon Conor Heaphy (Norman Rodway) starts his journey home from college. Pat Cleary attributes the station identification to his brother Paul who tells us that this is the long closed Glenealy, Co. Wicklow station which had a single platform and a passing loop.

Fergus incorporated the station that closed in 1964 into his visit to Glenealy and found that the building was now a business premises, where, thanks to John Kinsella, he was permitted to take the required photographs from what was the platform. Not surprisingly he found that the signal box, ornate iron standards, together with the second track had all gone. Both Fergus and ReelStreets record our sincere thanks to John's ready agreement.

Meanwhile Maire and Crispin enjoy morning coffee on the train to Ballymorgan. Jonathan Horswell advises that Rory Wilson contacted him with a suggestion that this is "somewhere just north of Rathdrum", which is on the line that passes through Glenealy. Pat Cleary has sent a Google Earth View that confirms Rory's suggestion. It is indeed just North of Rathdrum Station, the railway bridge is the Rathdrum Viaduct over the River Avonmore.

Their journey continues with the train about to pull into…. Pat Cleary has established the location as the approach though the hills alongside the Avoca River into the long-closed station at Woodenbridge, South of Avoca (aka "Ballykissangel") on the Dublin to Rosslare line which is single track only from Bray, Co. Wicklow. It would seem likely that the previous capture is on the same line nearby.

….where Conor is waiting. As Capture 18, the long closed Glenealy, Co. Wicklow station which had a single platform and a passing loop found by Paul Cleary.

Again, with thanks to John Kinsella, Fergus captured scene as it is today.

Crispin sees them embrace, their journey continues. As Capture 18, the long closed Glenealy, Co. Wicklow station which had a single platform and a passing loop found by Paul Cleary.

On arrival at ‘Ballymorgan’ station they are transported to town. Unidentified location.

After a Council meeting concerning the sale of Kilgarrig House, McRoarty invites the members back for a drink. ‘The Bayview’, 6 The Mall, Wicklow, Co. Wicklow. Now closed

A conveniently parked car to aid the comparative shot.

The Jarvey (Derry Power) points out Kilgarrig House as they pass. Hollywood House, Ballydowling (NR.BY), Wicklow, Ireland

Appreciation once again to the O'Reilly-Hyland family for granting Fergus access, he clearly did not give them sufficient notice to have horses set the scene.

They reach town. The Mall, Wiklow, looking south

Mr McNeely (Paul Farrell) shows Crispin around the house and tells him that the nuns are particularly interested to buy the house. Hollywood House, Ballydowling (NR.BY), Wicklow, Ireland

With thanks to to the O'Reilly-Hyland family once more. Fergus from behind the camera was the only viewer on this occasion.

With that, they drive back to town. Hollywood House, Ballydowling (NR.BY), Wicklow, Ireland.

The parched summer of 2026 even extended to Ireland.

Maire and Conor visit Canon Moyle. St. Rita’s, Dublin Road, Loughlinstown. What Three Words: Toothpicks.shearing.sequencing

The Jarvey passes the Canon’s house, making wrong assumptions, and enters town. Looking east across Main Street, Chapelizod from circa No 41. The property behind the cart remains, just, but the wall barely visible to the right remains in tact.

Pulling up at ‘O’Flaherty’s’ for drink, he spreads the news that he had seen Maire and Conor at the Canon’s house. 18 Main Street, Chapelizod, that now is little more than a shell.

Shortly to be followed by Maire and Conor. Main Street, Chapelizod.

They overhear that Conor turning up for the unveiling of the memorial was inappropriate, with that he storms out and down the road to call on his Guardian, Brenda Devereux to tell him that he wants to be a priest. He learns that he is in fact Jack Carberry’s son. Main Street, Chapelizod looking north from about No 26

It would seem that the telephone kiosk arrived after the film was shot.

The day of the unveiling arrives. Martin’s Row, Chapelizod as viewed from 34 Main Street.

The children’s band supports the celebrations. St Laurence’s Church, Chapelizod as viewed from the passageway to the right of 34 Main Street.

The future of No 34, a circa 1740 Georgian house, remains in doubt despite much action for its restoration and retention.

The towns crowd follows. As Capture 34, Martin’s Row, Chapelizod as viewed from 34 Main Street but slightly different angle.

The statue awaits unveiling and the dignitaries assemble. Main St. looking north west.

Unfortunately no other option but a ground level shot.

The unveiling causes ‘shock horror’ amongst the crowd and particularly to Crispin. Looking across Main Street towards the footway that now sits between ‘Chapelizod Pharmacy’ and ‘Spar’ groceries.

Conor walks the streets as darkness falls. 25 Main Street, Chapelizod, Dublin.

No disconsolate person passing today.

To see McRoarty and Devereux leave the newspaper offices. 28 – 30 Main Street, Chapelizod

Conor keeps out of sight. 27 Main Street, Chapelizod

Under cover of darkness the statue is blown up and the town is awoken, except those in the bars! 30 – 28 Main Street, Chapelizod form the background.

Anger is aroused that ‘the Englishman’ [Crispin] is to blame and a crowd grows in search for him. ‘The Bayview’ hotel, The Mall, Wicklow to the left viewing west.

Sgt. Crilly (Eddie Golden) addresses the crowd. ‘The Bayview’, 6 The Mall, Wicklow, Co. Wicklow. Now closed.

Crispin addresses the crowd from the safety of the balcony. ‘The Bayview’, 6 The Mall, Wicklow, Co. Wicklow.

Events hit the national press and a team led by McPherson (Bill Foley) to take photographs and gain the full story. View across Main Street towards the other side of the island and Maiden’s Row.

Maire and Crispin walk towards their new home. Hollywood House, Ballydowling (NR.BY), Wicklow, Ireland