Film and TV's ultimate hard man is winging his way to Ireland. That's right, Ray Winstone will be coming to the Emerald Isle this summer to shoot Sky 1 HD's now family drama Moonfleet.

The 18th Century adventure drama will film exclusively here in Ireland during June and July, thanks to an association between Company Pictures and Dublin-based Element Pictures, who will produce the project together.

Wintstone will lead the cast, which will also include Aneurin Barnard (We’ll Take Manhattan, The White Queen) Dublin-born Lorcan Cranitch (Silent Witness, Cracker), Anthony Ofoegbu (Spooks, The Bill) Sophie Cookson and Ben Chaplin (Mad Dogs, Dorian Gray). Omid Djalili (Gladiator) and Martin Trenaman (The Inbetweeners) will also appear.

Moonfleet is a two-part adaptation John Meade Falkner's novel, set in the small Dorset village of the same name. Young John Trenchard (Barnard) is desperate to join the local band of smugglers led by Elzevir Block (Winstone), and ogether they embark on an adventure full of action, friendship and humour, and hunt for a fabled lost diamond. Their journey takes them from 18th Century Dorset, to the Jewel quarter of The Hague and on to a gripping, final sea voyage.

Expect to see plenty of Ray and co around the country throughout June and July, as the Sky 1 HD series is set to film in Howth, Drimnagh Castle, parts of central Dublin, including The Kings Inns, Celbridge and County Wicklow, with Silver Strand now confirmed as the location for Moonfleet Bay.

"This announcement again confirms Sky’s commitment to Ireland and to producing great original content here" Sky Ireland Managing Director, JD Buckley said. "Following on from the successful premiere of Moone Boy Series 2 at the Sky Cat Laughs Festival in Kilkenny last weekend, we are delighted to welcome the talented MOONFLEET cast to Ireland this summer. We also know Element Pictures very well and it’s great to see them involved in another quality Sky 1 HD production."

And sure isn't Ray delighted to be visiting us too? "I’m incredibly excited to be working with Sky - I can’t wait to start filming in Ireland and it’s a real honour to be bringing such an epic adventure story to life", he said.

Between this and having the likes of Sam Claflin and Lily Collins floating about town for Love Rosie, we'll have no end of 'slebs flocking in this summer: They must be bringing the weather with them.