Obituary: Where is the Hulu Show Filmed?

Created by Ray Lawlor, Hulu’s ‘Obituary’ is an Irish crime comedy-drama series that focuses on a 24-year-old obituary writer named Elvira Clancy who begins to find her job unfulfilling, despite loving what she does. Soon, when the newspaper she works for doesn’t do well, she gets taken down from payroll to getting paid per obituary overnight. Things go from bad to worse when she accidentally murders someone in town and comes to a realization that she enjoys doing so.

Giving in to her bloodlust nature, Elvira continues to get rid of unpleasant residents of the town using unique methods while also making them seem like mere accidents. However, her routine is disrupted by the arrival of a suspicious new crime correspondent, for whom she develops a liking. Starring Siobhan Cullen, Michael Smiley, Ronan Raftery, Danielle Galligan, and David Ganly, the crime show unfolds in a quiet seaside town that plays the role of an additional character, making the viewers wonder about the actual filming locations of ‘Obituary.’

Obituary is Shot in County Donegal

‘Obituary’ is filmed in Ireland, particularly in County Donegal. According to reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the crime series got underway in January 2023 and wrapped up in about a couple of months, in March of the same year. So, allow us to take you through all the specific sites that feature in the Hulu production!

County Donegal, Ireland

Most of the pivotal sequences for ‘Obituary’ are lensed in County Donegal, which is located in the northwestern portion of Ireland. The production team mainly sets up camp in and around the towns of Ballyshannon, Bundoran, and Murvagh. When it comes to Ballyshannon, the filming unit redesigns several streets and neighborhoods for shooting important portions of the crime series. For instance, they recorded key scenes on location around Castle Street, Lawne Park, and The Diamond, all in Ballyshannon.

Moreover, the cast and crew members were spotted taping prominent sequences for ‘Obituary’ in St. Anne’s Church of Ireland and Dicey Reilly’s Pub, Off-Licence, Microbrewery & Beer Garden on Market Street in Townparks, Ballyshannon. Near Ballyshannon is another town called Bundoran, the most southerly town in County Donegal, which serves as yet another prominent production location for the Siobhán Cullen starrer. In particular, you can spot Rougey Cliff Walk on Tullan Strand Road in Drumacrin, Bundoran in various scenes.

Talking about the location scouting process with Donegal Live in September 2023, Executive Producer Paddy Hayes explained, “We scouted up and down the West coast of Ireland looking for a suitable location and we settled on the Bundoran/ Ballyshannon region.” He further elaborated on the same, “We needed a seaside vibe, but also a place that was big enough for a serial killing obituarist to hide – so the combination of the two towns really worked for us. I am really proud to be showcasing this corner of Donegal on RTÉ One, but also screening it worldwide on platforms such as Hulu in the USA.”

Siobhán Cullen, who portrays Elvira Clancy in ‘Obituary,’ showed her excitement in a social media post, writing, “…I can’t wait for people to see all the hard work of some of the best cast, crew and creatives I’ve had the privilege to work with.” Besides ‘Obituary,’ the locales of County Donegal have been featured in a number of film and TV projects over the years. Some of the notable ones include ‘Banshee Blacktop, an Irish Ghost Story,’ ‘Dead Long Enough,’ ‘The Secret of Roan Inish,’ ‘Normal People,’ and ‘Derry Girls.’