Parked Locations

One of my favourite films is Parked by Darragh Byrne and starring Colm Meaney and Colin Morgan.

Fred Daly returns to Ireland with nowhere to live but his car. Then dope-smoking 21-year-old Cathal parks beside him, and brightens up his lonely world. Encouraged by Cathal, Fred meets attractive music teacher Jules. Growing closer, these three outsiders are set on a course that will change their lives forever.

On a recent trip to Ireland, I grabbed the opportunity to visit the various Dublin filming locations. Armed with directions printed out from the wonderful Merlin Locations we drove off the ferry and towards the main filming location, which is the car park off Pigeon House road and next to the dominating chimneys of the Poolbeg Generation Station.

Car park location from Google Maps and courtesy of Merlin Locations.

Poolbeg Generation Station taken from the ferry as we arrived in Dublin port.

We negated the toll bridge and headed into the industrial area looking rather conspicuous in our large white motorhome. We found Pigeon House road but also found the first of our many adversaries throughout the holiday—the height barrier! We were still a mile away from the location but couldn’t proceed any further and with nowhere to leave the motorhome we reluctantly gave up and vowed to return sometime in the car!

This is the car park (with another height barrier!) courtesy of Merlin Locations and Aggy.

These photos are courtesy of Merlin Locations and Aggy.

NORTH BULL ISLAND

We headed towards North Bull Island where the bridge and bathing shelters locations are situated.

Google map of Bull Bridge and the bathing shelters courtesy of Merlin Locations.

As we drove down Clontarf road and past the palm trees that the main characters walked past in the film, I heard my husband mutter under his breath. Wooden planked Bull Bridge which Fred and Cathal walked down and which I, with many, presumed was a pier had a height barrier! Cursing overzealous local councillors, we shoved the motorhome in a side street and walked towards North Bull Island.

Shot from Parked.

Bull Bridge.

Bull Bridge.

It’s a fair walk from the bridge to the bathing shelter but the views of the Irish sea and the striking silhouette of the power station make it worthwhile. If you’re in a car you can park on the beach right next to the bathing shelter.

Poolbeg Generation Station.

The third bathing shelter along is the one they used in the film.

Official shot from Parked.

Shot from Parked.

The bathing shelter.

KILAKEE ROAD

The next location was the lookout point on Kilakee road in the hills above Dublin.

The Captivating Colin Morgan.

‘Have you ever seen a leaf fall off a tree? I mean, have you ever seen the actual moment when a leaf breaks from its branch? … It’s a beautiful thing.’

Using Julie Bozza’s excellent directions we found the car park opposite the lookout (with a height barrier) so parked the motorhome rather precariously on loose scree.

Shot from Parked.

Lookout location is the between the middle two trees and the parking area in front of them.

This is Julie’s shot of the car park on Kilakee road with the lookout behind her.

 

After an exciting afternoon we went on to have a wonderful two week holiday in beautiful Ireland.