Matt Damon brightens the morning of Dubliners, as he heads for a run, in the chic neighbourhood of Dalkey

LOCALS of the chic Dublin suburb of Dalkey, were shocked on Tuesday morning, to see Hollywood star Matt Damon out for a morning run. The actor was spotted jogging on Killiney Hill, close to the homes of U2 front-man Bono, as well as film director Neil Jordan. Dalkey, often referred to as the Beverly Hills of Ireland, is a small village south of the capital, where celebrity sightings are very much the norm. However, as the entire country has gone into lockdown, one resident told EWN: “I thought I was hallucinating, as I drove to the supermarket. I had to slow down, to make sure I was right, that it was Matt Damon out for a run. And it was.”

The Oscar winner, 49, came to Ireland a week before the Covid-19 travel restrictions were put in place, as he was set to begin filming a new Ridley Scott directed movie, The Last Duel, later this month. The project has since been put on ‘indefinite hiatus,’ until the current situation is resolved. The 20th Century Studios period drama was set to film at locations across Ireland, including, Wicklow, Meath and Tipperary. The producers had recently advertised looking for ‘lots of film extras’ to take part in the epic.

The US-born star, famed for his roles in Contagion, The Talented Mr Ripley, as well as Goodwill Hunting, has decided to make Dublin his home for the foreseeable future. According to reports, he has also been spotted around the village by locals, agreeing to pose for photos, while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Unlike Spain, Irish citizens are permitted to exercise within a two-kilometre distance of their homes.