The ancient mountain kingdom where fantasy comes to life | CNN

The dense forests, twisting rivers and granite peaks of Northern Ireland’s Mourne Mountains have lived many lives and assumed many names. They’re Westeros in “Game of Thrones.” They’re “Krypton” in the Superman prequel. They’re also Transylvania in “Dracula Untold”, Sherwood in the upcoming “Death of Robin Hood” and the Forgotten Realms in “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” As part of the Mourne Gullion Strangford global geopark, this mountain region in Ireland’s northeast achieved UNESCO recognition in 2023, but relatively small numbers of international visitors come to explore. However, the lyrically named Kingdom of Mourne — it was never a sovereign state — has been inspiring imaginations globally for more than 75 years. This sea-lapped landscape of 220 square miles was the real-life inspiration for “The Chronicles of Narnia,” the enduring 1950s novels by Belfast-born writer C.S. Lewis that are soon to be revived once again. They’ll get their fourth film adaptation in “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” later this year. While Gerwig’s “Narnia” is being filmed in England, Northern Ire