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Saturday, November 21, 2009

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John Wayne's Ireland: 'The Quiet Man' Sites Of Cong

By Sally O'Neal

Many Americans caught their first glimpses of the Irish countryside in director John Ford's romantic comedy epic, "The Quiet Man." The 1952 film, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, was a lush and rollicking tribute to the land of Ford's ancestors. Much of the film was shot on location in the County Mayo village of Cong, which was called "Innisfree" in the movie. Today's visitors to Cong and the nearby Ashford Castle estate can see many of the sites of the original film.

Sally O'Neal

A Bit About The Film
For those who haven't seen "The Quiet Man," or haven't seen it in a long time, a bit of description is in order. The movie opens with Irish-American boxer Sean "Trooper" Thornton (played by Wayne) arriving by steam train to a small outpost in rural Ireland. We learn that Thornton was born in this area and has returned to reclaim the humble cottage, called "White o' Mornin', in which he was raised. Along the way toward his goal, he meets, tames, and weds the rebellious town beauty, Mary Kate Danagher (played by O'Hara) after significant difficulties with her kinfolk and other misunderstandings and triumphs with the local townspeople.

Love At First Sight
For those who remember the film, it's hard to forget the scene in which Wayne's character first lays eyes on O'Hara's character. Mary Kate, her red hair flowing and crimson skirt billowing, is tending sheep on a grassy hillside. Her barefoot, brazen presence is so stunning that our hero believes her to be a sort of mirage at first. Today, the hillside across which Mary Kate and her sheep frolicked is part of the fairway of the 5th hole at Ashford Castle's golf course. It's a worthy spot to visit, with breathtaking views of Ireland's largest lake, Loch Corrib, and the castle itself, parts of which date back to the 12th Century.

Pat Cohan's bar.

'Pat Cohan's Bar'
Many key scenes in the movie take place in "Pat Cohan's Bar," which at the time of filming was not a bar at all, but the exterior of a local Cong restaurant that was painted thus, but the facility is a bar today, you can bet your Euros. The interior shots of the bar were filmed in Hollywood, but the pub is a tourist attraction nonetheless. I was a little disappointed at the cheerful, whitewashed interior and frankly modern, almost suburban décor (as compared to the dark, oaken-timbered, jumbled interiors of so many traditional Irish pubs). But the proprietress was a pleasant sort, and the Irish coffee was as good as any I had in western Ireland.

Thatched cottage and tour headquarters.

'Quiet Man Cottage Museum'
Designed as a replica of the "White o' Mornin'" cottage so prized by Wayne's character Thornton in the film, the thatched roof "Quiet Man Cottage Museum" is situated in the village of Cong just a few blocks from Pat Cohan's Bar. While the cottage you visit today was not actually part of the movie, it sits across from the river that figured prominently in the movie and is a launching place for organized Quiet Man tours. Tours take about 30 minutes. On the other hand, a trip to the gift shop a block away (across from the Abbey) provides you with sufficient information for a satisfying self-guided walking tour of the main sites from the film.

For those who are true fans of the film, however, a visit to the museum makes sense, as it is also a place to see faithful reproductions of the circa-1920s furnishings Mary Kate/O'Hara tended in the movie: the four-poster bed, the tables and chairs, and the emerald green half door.

Squire Danagher's House
The hero Sean Thornton's nemesis in the movie is one Squire "Red Will" Danagher, played by Victor McLaglen. Danagher is the over possessive brother of Mary Kate and has his eyes on the same piece of property Thornton aims to purchase.

Detail of Quiet Man House on Ashford Castle grounds.

While several properties in town bear the "Danagher" moniker, including a hotel just across the street from Pat Cohan's Bar, the house used as Squire Danagher's in the movie is on the grounds of the Ashford Castle estate. It's not hard to find, just past the equestrian center as you walk away from the Castle proper, in a copse of trees. On the glass above the door is etched "Squire Danagher's Home"; a small metal plaque to the right reads "Quiet Man House 1951."

I highly recommend watching (or re-watching) this classic film before visiting western Ireland in general, and Cong in particular. The plot is standard, overblown romantic comedy fare, but charming all the same. And the scenes of the Irish countryside will whet your appetite for the adventures ahead.

Sally O'Neal -- an Irish lass by heritage -- visited Cong in May of 2009. She writes weekly for sportsmansguide.com.

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