Game of Thrones is HBO’s flagship programme and many of the show’s most important scenes are filmed across Northern Ireland.

According to one Co Armagh farmer, the show has saved his farm.

Kenny Gracey runs Forthill Farms which hired animals to the makers of the series at different stages during filming.

"It has been a great asset and a great saviour for our farm. Any of the background animals, the chickens, the goats, the geese, the dogs for instance or the deer; I'm supplying those,” he said.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal on Monday, Gacey said that he has been involved with the production of the show since the first series. He said that it is not just the big Game of Thrones production that he is involved in too.

“Right from day one, I was involved with providing stock and such like. It has been a great benefit to the farm and the business here ... we helped with animals for 17 other productions last year alone,” he said.

The farm

Forthill Farms is a free-range farm which runs cattle breeds such as Belted Galloway and Longhorn as well as saddleback and old spot pigs.

The farm has 50 suckler cows with replacements kept on, everything else is brought on for finishing. Kenny and his wife Jennifer have the animals processed in a local abattoir and brought to the farm shop for selling. The farm has been open for almost a decade.

“We’d kill a beast a week and probably two or three pigs a week.

“It’s hard to compete with the larger retailers when it comes to selling meat. Even filling stations have a meat corner that’s well-stocked. People like the ease of buying meat from retailers. I can’t compete with that and I wouldn’t try. You have to be different,” he said.

Game of Thrones returns to television screens for its seventh season in the summer.

Read more

Game of Thrones gone farming