ARTEMIS FOWL author Eoin Colfer has said that he will be doing everything he can to lobby the team behind the production of the feature length movie based on his book to come to Wexford for the shoot.

Eoin, who is currently holidaying with his family in France, said that he was still a bit dazed by the announcement and that while he would be sceptical until he saw the film in the cinema, development was now at a serious stage with a great team of Hollywood heavy-hitters involved.

But Eoin says that he would like to see the film production maintain its Irish and Wexford roots: “The dream would be to have it made in Ireland with Irish actors in it. Saoirse Ronan would be the dream cast for Holly. I met her last year and I just thought she looked perfect for that part.”

The former primary school teacher also said that he would be championing Wexford as a possible filming location: “I’ll be doing my best to put Wexford out there. I think the ideal Fowl Manor would be Loftus Hall, it was the place I imagined when writing the books and it just has everything.

“I’ll be sending a lot of images and videos of Wexford locations to the team and hopefully they will see fit to come here. It would be great to have them filming down around The Hook near my home place.”

Eoin is the latest in a list of Wexford writers to have their work adapted for the screen, follwoing in the footsteps of John Banville and Colm Toibín: “It’s interesting that they’re all happening together. It’s a great time for Wexford,” said Eoin.