Sir, – To those who believe that allowing the filming to take place on Skellig Michael delivers a "free global advert for the sublime landscapes of Kerry" (September 3rd), I would like to note that the "Star Wars franchise has nothing to do with film-making; the movies are merely two-hour commercials for the products sold globally under the Star Wars marketing system, which is where the bulk of the profit is made. The difference is that we are expected to pay to look at its commercials. Disney Lucasfilm has no interest in advertising Kerry landscapes or anything other than their own products.
The Star Wars franchise is aimed at a global audience of children and childish adults. This audience is highly unlikely to come out of the cinema and run to the travel agent to purchase a ticket to Ireland, followed by a long charabanc trip to a distant rainy peninsula in the Atlantic.
Even if they did, this assumes that they know that a few minutes out of a two-hour film were shot in Skellig Michael, in Ireland (a country that most of them will have never heard of).
Even if they did know this much, this assumes that the Irish Film Board has remembered to include a clause in the contract with Disney Lucasfilm ensuring that a credit notes the location. Even if it has ensured that a credit is included at the end of the movie, it will be in very small type at the end of a long and extremely boring list, long after the driver of the catering truck in Hong Kong or the assistant plasterer’s mate in Pinewood.
As we all know, cinemas rapidly empty as soon as the credits come up, and only those with friends who worked on the film, and the people cleaning up the popcorn mess, stay to the very end. – Yours, etc,
CHRIS O’DELL,
Ballydehob,
Co Cork.
Sir, – The Skelligs have and will continue to stand the test of time, despite being bombarded for centuries with the worst that nature has to offer. A couple of days of filming (and that is all it is) is not going to change that. The OPW was present throughout the filming and ensured (as was their remit) that the place was treated with the respect and sensitivity it deserves. No doubt it would not have agreed to this return trip, if it had been treated otherwise!
Incidentally, on the several occasions that I have been out to the Skelligs most of the visitors were not Irish, although you would think to read Fintan O'Toole ( ("Beyond belief – why grant Disney's Skelligs wish for Star Wars?", Opinion & Analysis)) that we Irish all make regular trips there to connect with ourselves and that somehow Disney is conspiring to destroy it for us. I visit this area regularly and, almost without exception, the locals I have talked to think it is all fairly exciting, as well as great for local businesses and an opportunity to showcase this amazing place to the world. The fact that it will feature in a Star Wars movie has endless potential in terms of badly needed tourism, and I think we can trust those responsible to maintain and protect this place as this potential evolves. They've done a pretty good job so far. – Yours, etc,
KATE LENEGHAN,
Rostrevor,
Co Down.