Lifford man Eddie Gallen had an ‘out of this world’ assignment when the Star Wars film crew came to Donegal last year, and it’s only now that he can share his secret.
The scaffolding specialist has revealed that being asked to build the famous Star Wars Millennium Falcon at Malin Head was a challenging but hugely rewarding career highlight.
Gallen opened up about the job to the Press Association this week, saying it all came as ‘a bit of a shock’.
He described meeting the crew at Malin Head with no idea of the work that lay ahead, due to the extreme secrecy that surrounded the production.
He thought he was only supposed to provide access platforms and prop supports until a contract landed in his hands to say he was to build the famous spaceship.
RTE.ie reports Gallen’s family’s reaction to the project: “It was a bit of shock. I went back home and my wife and two boys were standing in the kitchen and they said ‘how did you get on today?#8217;, as you would when you arrive home, and I said ‘not bad, I have to start building the Millennium Falcon’.
“They all just stood and stared and said ‘what?#8217; and I said ‘yes, I have to build it down on Malin Head’,” he said.
The 12x12m structure was delivered in parts from England before a challenging assembly at the windy cliffs of Malin. Gallen says he remained at the site to ensure the cast and crew were safe when scenes from the blockbuster were filmed. Despite the excitement that surrounded the project, he had to keep the news that the Millennium Falcon had landed in Malin Head and very closely-guarded secret until the films’ release.
Mark Hamill sent a special message to the Irish people who assisted with the filming of Star Wars before the premiere in Letterkenny.
Gallen was one of the many local people who were invited to a special premiere screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Century Cinemas Letterkenny this month. Seeing his work on the big screen, he said, “sent shivers up my spine”.
Featured photo by Northwest Newspix
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