Friendly visit Jen jets in for holiday shoot
HOLLYWOOD stars Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson paid a flying visit to Ireland this week to shoot their latest movie.
The pair were in Connemara filming holiday scenes for the upcoming big screen adaptation of 'Marley and Me', a best-selling autobiography by American journalist John Grogan which portrays a family over the lifetime of their dog, the eponymous Marley.
Wilson, Aniston and crew stayed in the plush Ballynahinch Castle hotel during the shoot, which took in several locations around Connemara, including Roundstone in Co Galway.
They spent only two nights -- Wednesday and Thursday -- at the castle, with the entire cast and crew taking up 20 €600 rooms over two floors of the castle's luxury wing.
Aniston flew into Shannon Airport by private jet on Wednesday evening and was accompanied by three friends and a minder.
She was then flown by helicopter to her hotel and it is understood that she also left by helicopter yesterday morning.
Hotel staff vowed to keep a tight lid on the visit until their famous guests left, even though word of the filming had filtered out locally.
Ballynahinch Castle manager Patrick O'Flaherty said that Aniston enjoyed her first sight of Ireland.
"When she was leaving, I asked her what she thought and she said it was the 'most wonderful place'," Mr O'Flaherty said yesterday.
"She particularly enjoyed the helicopter ride from Shannon because it was a clear day."
He added that Aniston felt comfortable walking around unaccompanied -- a big change from her usual arrangement where her minders watch her every step.
"She was quite happy to sit in the bar before dinner and walk in the grounds. I think it's a west of Ireland thing -- we're not shy but we're not going to bother you," Mr O'Flaherty said.
- Fiach Kelly
