'Game of Thrones' might be fantasy, but its economic impact on Northern Ireland is very, very real.
Winter is coming to Westeros and Essos, but the forecast in Northern Ireland is looking bright.
As far as historians are aware, Northern Ireland has never had to contend with dragons, white walkers, or seasons that last for years on end (unless ... maybe that explains why it's always raining there?).
But Northern Ireland has seen its fair share of conflict and turmoil, to the point where a major period of the 20th century in Ireland (from 1968-1998) is actually known as "The Troubles." And, unfortunately, that kind of prolonged unrest can leave a devastating mark on the economy.
However, things are looking up, thanks in part to a little book-series-turned-hit-TV-show called "Game of Thrones."
A "Game of Thrones" fan takes a selfie beside a plaque at Ballintoy Harbour, which appeared as the Iron Islands on the show. Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images.
The fictional fight for the Iron Throne has brought a real economic boom to Northern Ireland.
In the last five years, "Game of Thrones" alone has brought in approximately £110 million (~$170 million) to the Northern Ireland economy.
The HBO show is responsible for creating around 900 full-time jobs and 5,700 part-time jobs in the area, which includes catering, hospitality, and other accommodation services in addition to the film crews, production assistants, and other local artisans that work directly on the show.
Lauren Wethers, a goldsmith at Steensons Jewellers in Glenarm, puts finishing touches on a Dire Wolf sterling silver brooch. Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images.
That's not a bad return on investment, considering the £12.45 million (~$19 million) spent in subsidies and incentives to bring the show there in the first place. (The producers had originally planned to film in Scotland, where they shot the pilot episode.)
The government agency Northern Ireland Screen has also invested heavily in Northern Ireland's budding film industry, including £14 million (~$22 million) for building new movie studios in Belfast, where the actual RMS Titanic was built and where "Game of Thrones" now films.
The Dark Hedges in Ballymoney — known to fans of the show as Kings Avenue — has become a popular spot for tourists visiting the area. Photo by Christopher McQuillan/Getty Images.
The positive impact of the show extends well beyond the production itself. Just ask the people who live there.
Ingrid Houwers, a professional taxidermist and silversmith, provides furs and animal jewelry for "Game of Thrones."
Her business is booming thanks to the attention and publicity she's gotten as a result of the show. (And because, apparently, "Look! I got my dead cat stuffed by the woman who does taxidermy for 'Game of Thrones'!" is a bragging point for some.)
Ingrid Houwers and her array of pretty dead things. Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images.
Ronan Hill is a sound mixer on "Game of Thrones" and I'm sure you can imagine how the Emmy displayed in his Northern Irish home will make it even easier for him to get jobs in the future. He's also up for another award this year. (The show has 24 total Emmy nominations this year alone.)
The success of artists like Houwers and Hill also affects the tourist industry — and of course, more people visiting Northern Ireland means jobs for people in Northern Ireland. Just look at how the tourism rate in New Zealand has doubled (making it the country's second largest industry) in the 15 years since the first "Lord of the Rings" film was released.
This influx of tourism is a regular economic stimulus for people like William Fells, a sword and archery instructor who plays Jon Snow on tours of Castle Ward, the real-life Winterfell, and for Damian Carr, an actor and sword expert who has appeared as an extra on the hit show.
When Carr first started working at Game of Thrones tours, the tours were only running once a week. But five years later, they're a full-time and fully-booked business.
Audley's Castle, which appears as Robb Stark's camp on the show. Photo by Chris McQuillan/Getty Images.
Northern Ireland isn't the only international filming location for the show, but it's easy to see the positive influence the show has had there.
From Winterfell to Belfast, the production of "Game of Thrones" has helped to enhance the local culture and community, in part by making it so locals can afford to live there and contribute to their own economy. Not to mention that those well-paid random Hollywood jobs can be enough to subsidize a local resident's income during slower seasons.
So while I can't alleviate your concerns about George R.R. Martin killing off your favorite character (again), I can assure you that, at least in Northern Ireland, things behind-the-scenes are looking better than ever.
Just, uh, if you visit, be sure to tip your tour guide.
William Kells interacts with tourists at Castle Ward, also known as Winterfell. Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."