Hollywood superstar Matt Damon has revealed he has made a deal with his kids to return to Ireland and gravel the country in a caravan.
The Ocean’s Eleven actor spent a month in Dalkey, Dublin in March 2020 as he filmed The Last Duel directed by Ridley Scott.
He and his family were forced to stay where they were as the first covid lockdown was put in place and they quickly adapted to the Irish culture and lifestyle.
Damon is returning to Dalkey this week for its Book Festival, although only via a digital link from his US home.
However, he has revealed that he and his family intend to return to Ireland when it is safe to do so.
Damon said: “One of my daughters said to me just the other day, just out of the blue, she goes, ‘you know, I could live in Ireland.’
“We did make a deal both times we left Ireland saying we’ll come back and finish the movie and then we’ll get to travel. We had a plan to take a caravan all around the country.
“We had all these plans and then the second time it was straight into lockdown again and then we had to leave again. So, we made a bargain with the kids that when this all ends, we’re going back and we’re going to do our trip.”
During his last stay in Dalkey, Damon was adopted as an honorary local after spending his time in the local cafes and restaurants and mingling with the locals.
He is delighted to have been so warmly accepted into the fold and joked that being an honorary Dalkey man is on he is determined to keep.
He said: “Hopefully, I don’t screw it up. I was so surprised by all of it. Listen, if any of us Hollywood types knew that, you’d see everybody turning up with those Supervalu bags wandering around trying to get their picture taken.
“It wasn’t even like a paparazzi shot or anything, because there weren’t any of those. It was just someone who I grabbed a picture with and I was holding the bag . . . I mean when you’re living there, that’s where you shop.”
It certainly is Matt, and we look forward to welcoming you to these shores again in the future.