Tourism Ireland has marked the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement with a “director’s cut” of one of its most iconic ads that features the track “Dreams” by The Cranberries’ album “Everybody Else is Doing it, So Why Can’t We,” which is also celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The tourism body is marking the anniversary by sharing a never-before-seen, four minute-long director’s cut of the ad from 1996, made famous by its stunning aerial shots of the island of Ireland and its soundtrack.
This ad holds a special place in the history of Ireland’s tourism advertising. Launched in 1996, it was the first ever TV ad to market the island of Ireland as a whole, featuring sweeping shots of stunning locations like the Giant’s Causeway, the Skelligs and the Cliffs of Moher – all set to the inimitable voice of The Cranberries’ lead singer, the late Dolores O’Riordan.
The shoot for the ad took place over 22 days and involved 120 crew members. It was directed by Sharon Maguire – who went on to find global fame as the director of the 2001 blockbuster Bridget Jones’ Diary.
The ad was seen on TV screens across the globe during a critical era for the island of Ireland – in the lead-up to the signing of the Belfast Agreement of Good Friday 1998.
According to Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland: “We are marking the 25th anniversary of this iconic Irish album and honouring the memory of one of Ireland’s greatest musicians by sharing this rarely seen version of our ad from the 1990s. The film marries the wonderful vocals of the late Dolores O’Riordan with spectacular footage of the island of Ireland. We would like to pay tribute today to this incredible artist, whose music brought images of her native Ireland so vividly to life for people everywhere around the world.”
