THE AUTHOR of the books behind the global sensation Game of Thrones (GOT) has said a spin-off show that was filmed in Fermanagh recently will be “spectacular.” 

In June the Marble Arch Caves was closed for a number of weeks as the large film crew took over the caves and the adjacent Cladagh Glen forest walk in what was a massive filming operation. 

George RR Martin, who wrote the ‘Song of Fire and Ice’ series of novels the hit TV show was based on, recently visited Ireland where he got a sneak peak at how the new series was developing. In a post about the three planned GOT prequels, he said the one filmed in Fermanagh had now finished filming. 

“Jane Goldman’s as yet untitled show, which I am still not supposed to call The Long Night, is one of those,” said Mr Martin said on his blog. “The pilot on that one wrapped up a month ago and has been in post-production. I am expecting to see her first cut soon. 

“Last month in Belfast, I got a behind-the-scenes look at some of her sets, and they were spectacular.” 

It is understood the show will be a GOT prequel, set thousands of years before the events of the original show. It will explore the origin of GOT favourites such as the White Walkers. 

Fermanagh has already had a small taste of the massive influx of tourists GOT filming has brought to the North in recent years, with fans coming to the county to see Pollnagollum Cave in Belmore Forest, which was used to shoot a scene in the original series, as well as the GOT door at Blakes of the Hollow. 

It’s expected the new show will attract even more visitors, and already word of Fermanagh’s beauty is spreading among the GOT fandom. The site wintersicoming.net, for example, has published a lengthy post letting fans around the world know about our stunning local landscape.