A CRASH course on Game of Thrones, and I quickly moved from being a casual viewer to being as knowledgeable, and obsessed as the most avid fan. Based on the books by George RR Martin, Game of Thrones has taken the whole fantasy genre and dragged it kicking and screaming into the mainstream, leaving this much-maligned subculture blinking in the light and wondering what to do next.

If you still haven’t seen it — and it returns next month — it’s an epic saga that dispenses with tired fantasy tropes like elves, mystical hammers and magic potions. Instead, think an expansive power-struggle between the warring houses of an island, not dissimilar to medieval Britain, and featuring a tangled web of political intrigue and back stabbing that could easily rival the history of the Roman Empire. With quite a lot of nudity thrown in for good measure.

I realised the full extent of the show’s incredible impact on a train journey from Dublin to Belfast. The entire two hours were spent discussing plot lines, character arcs and — The Red Wedding. Nothing unusual there if we’d been a group of friends having a drink — but this was 7am and I was with a bunch of bleary-eyed, seasoned hacks on our way to meet some of the cast and crew from the famous show. The excitement was palpable, almost like being on a school trip.

You’re unlikely to find a more luxurious production anywhere else on television. Shot on location in Northern Ireland, Iceland and Croatia, it looks as impressive as any feature film. On top of that, it features some of the most epic battles ever created for a television programme.

Die-hard fans desperate for a fix after the season finale in June headed to Titanic Belfast, where the hotly-anticipated HBO Game of Thrones Exhibition visited on the last stop of a five city tour. The exhibition was designed to transport viewers into the breathtaking and enchanted world of Westeros, and featured over 70 original artefacts including props and costumes as well as interactive elements. Tickets were snapped up well in advance — Belfast was the only city in Ireland and the UK to host the exhibition — and over 18,000 fans came from as far afield as Australia, the Philippines and the USA.

I got to witness, close up, the superb craftsmanship that makes the medieval world of the show seem so authentic, overseen by the show’s head costume designer, Michele Clapton. The mannequins were dressed to ensure accuracy in the presentation of the extraordinarily detailed garments and iconic artefacts such as model dragons, weaponry (King Joffrey’s crossbow, daggers and swords); armour (helmets, shields and full suits of armour worn by key characters in the show); crowns; jewellery; books and much more. But the highlight was definitely getting my photo taken as I sat majestically (I thought), on a replica of the Iron Throne itself — made of hundreds of swords and fit for any king or queen.

To launch the official opening of the Exhibition, a star studded reception was held at Crumlin Road Gaol. The red carpet was buzzing with cast stars Maisie Williams (Arya Stark); Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark); John Bradley (Samwell Tarley); Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth) and Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrio). Even the reception afterwards had a themed menu — roast pig on a pit and goblets of what looked like mead — and live drummers and fire performers.

Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), told us that he knew the show would be a hit from the minute he read the script for this hugely detailed and complicated family drama, “but I’d no idea it was going to be such a phenomenon. Nobody can plan for that. You could never predict that people would take the show into their hearts and take ownership of it as they have done.

“I’m sure there are people south of the border who are going mad that HBO chose to film up here — but I don’t have a problem with it. It’s an hour and a half on the train for me to Westeros, so I’m delighted with myself.

“The level of devotion by the fans is a bit odd. For example, in Brazil the production took 250 of the fans who had been busiest on Facebook and invited them to a preview of the Exhibition. Then 25 of them were driven to our hotel, without being told where they were going. When they got there, they were greeted by myself and Alfie. There were tears, screaming — I even had to grab one girl to stop her from fainting! I felt like Mick jagger — for about thirty seconds.”

Hundreds of talented local people are involved in creating this mini-universe and finding locations is a mammoth task.

“We started prepping in February, to shoot in July,” explains Naomi Liston from the locations department.

“The locals give us a lot of support — farmers with tractors, local communities — everyone. They all get on board to help us achieve the impossible and get 30-ton trucks up hills and over mountains.”

The series is known for its incredible attention to detail, which is what helps to make the world of Westeros so authentic. “There’s an incredible level of detail needed in every area,” agrees Donna Hughes, wardrobe supervisor of the Emmy Award-winning costume department. “There are 85 people working in costume and logistics are 80% of the job. HD shows up everything — so we go to the lengths to make the clothes look more worn, for example, we use everything from razor blades and cheese graters to nail clippers to give the clothes that lived in look.”

Chris Moore from the Props Department adds that it takes hours to create each set: “There are eight members on our core props team, with as many as 100 working on creating the realistic environments.”

“Everything you see in the show is lethal,” Fergus McNulty remarks, about his Armoury Department, “every sword is different and it could take anything from one day to two weeks to create a single piece.

“Accidents? Of course not! Not on our watch.”

Any role on Game of Thrones, even those of the extras, are much sought after.

So much so that a number of individuals have taken holiday leave from their jobs, to spend it on set as extras.

“I’m a huge fan of the show and being an extra has been brilliant — there is a lot of waiting around but I loved it,” says Megan McCrea, who is just starting a career in the industry.

“There is a great vibe around the place and its great to get some direct experience of being on a period set like this.

” The costumes are incredible — even for the extras — the amount of detail is insane.”

THE LOCATIONS

A map of the Game of Thrones filming locations in Northern Ireland (courtesy of Budget.ie)

Stormlands, Larrybane, Carrick a Rede, Co Antrim

Located along the stunning North Coast close to Carrick-Rede Rope Bridge, this area is exceptional in its natural beauty. Larrybane headland, which once stretched out towards Sheep Island and had a promontory fort dating to 800AD, had large caves underneath which served as homes to boat builders and a safe resting place from winter storms. Featured scenes include Season 2, episode 3 — At Renly Baratheon’s camp, with Margaery Tyrell of House Tyrell.

Iron Islands, Ballintoy Harbour, Antrim

Ballintoy is situated in one of the most picturesque parts of North Antrim between the Giants Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and looks out to Rathlin Island and beyond to Scotland. This stunning seaside location has been used for exterior Pyke shots and as the Iron Islands.

On the King’s road, north of King’s Landing, Dark Hedges, Co Antrim

This beautiful avenue of beech trees has been used as the location for the Kingsroad in the hit show. It was planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century and intended as a compelling landscape feature to impress visitors as they approached the entrance to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House. Two centuries later, the Dark Hedges have become one of the most photographed natural phenomena in Northern Ireland.

* The Riverlands, Inch Abbey on the River Quoile, Co Down

Located on the north bank of the Quoile River, Inch Abbey was founded by John de Courcy in atonement for his destruction of Erenagah Abbey. The buildings are mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries. The historic site is used as the locations of the Twins in the Riverlands. With so many epic locations to visit on your Game of Thrones journey why not book a break in Northern Ireland — the real Westeros. See discovernorthernireland.com or ireland.com