George R.R. Martin will be attending a special Q&A event at the home of Game of Thrones in Ireland

Paul Moore

Heaven for fans of the show.

As the assembled members of House Stark bowed to great the travelling Baratheon party in the opening episode of Game of Thrones, Castle Ward in Co. Down would forever be immortalised in the show’s history.

As the show’s budget grew, the producers moved Winterfell away from the beautiful location near Strangford but the location’s importance to the show is massive.

Granted, Titanic Studios and various other locations around Northern Ireland have doubled as Westeros, but there’s only one seat of power in The North.

Not only is Castle Ward the spiritual home of House Stark but the property has also provided the backdrop for plenty of other scenes in the show too, most notably The Twins.

A visit to the location is essential for fans of the show – we thoroughly recommend a visit to the real life locations – and there’s no better time than 21 August at 7:30pm because George R.R. Martin will be visiting too.

The author will be partaking in a Q&A that’s followed by a medieval feast in the old farmyard aka Winterfell.

The official event listing states that “fans will get a chance to put their theories to George R.R. Martin, the famed writer of the A Series of Ice and Fire novels which Game of Thrones is based on. Join an intimate audience as George shares his experiences creating the world of Westeros and beyond with broadcaster and Thrones mega-fan Ed Finn in the surroundings of Castle Ward’s theatre.”

After the Q&A takes place, those in attendance will be able to immerse themselves in the world of Game of Thrones and before you ask, the answer is yes. You’ll get to be a real Northerner by wearing the cloaks of House Stark.

Speaking about the event, Visitor Experience Manager Clodagh Miskelly is delighted to welcome the author back to Winterfell.

“When Castle Ward was host to the HBO filming, we could never have dreamed that it would become the phenomenon it is now. George was part of the team on site making sure his vision was created so we’re overjoyed to be bringing him back to the place where it all began,” she said.

Tickets for the event are priced at £85 and more information about purchasing can be found here.

Aside from this trip, Martin will also be in attendance at Dublin’s IFI for an upcoming screening of Fred M Wilcox’s Forbidden Planet on Saturday, 17 August.

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