The cottage made famous in ‘The Quiet Man’ lies in rack and ruin despite best efforts by the Irish government and local tourist authorities to buy it from the California-based owner.
Jimmy Deenihan, the Irish Minister of Arts and Culture has written urgently to Gregory Ebbit, the California based Canadian who bought the property in 1985 but who has let it go to ruin.
The cottage known as “White O Morn” was where John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara filmed so many scenes for the 1952 classic ‘The Quiet Man.'
The Irish government want to restore the cottage and make it a major tourist atraction in time for 2013 when ‘the Gathering’ a massive get together of Irish clans from all over the world takes place.
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Even still tourists show up at the ruined cottage every year and pick up stones from the cottage to bring back as souvenirs.
Mike Ward, a local businessman has made major efforts to get the cottage rebuilt as a tourist attraction.
Ward told the Sunday Independent: "Mr Ebbitt has so far refused to engage with us on this. The story is that he was in Connemara on holiday with his wife in the mid-Eighties and spotted the For Sale sign outside the cottage and bought it. He said at the time he was going to restore the whole thing, do it up and open it up to the public. Since then, more than 25 years ago, nothing has been done.
"Offers have been made, considerably over and above the market value, but without success. Even offers to fully fund the restoration of the cottage, while leaving it within the possession and ownership of the owner, have been rejected," he said.
Local politician Michelle Mulherrin said: "For millions of Irish Americans in particular, the thatched cottage from the Quiet Man film is a symbol of Ireland. It should be a tourism and heritage icon, but unfortunately it is in a state which is nothing short of embarrassing. The roof is gone and the site is effectively an overgrown ruin.
"The scene of John Wayne kissing Maureen O'Hara at the door of the cottage is one of the most iconic in the history of film and regularly features in montages of great Hollywood scenes, including at the Oscars ceremony.
"Many fans of the film who visit Cong find the cottage a massive letdown and express amazement that it has been allowed to fall into such disrepair. If we are serious about attracting visitors to our shores, we need to provide them with an experience that they will cherish," she said.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Mise | Mar 07, 2012, 06:30 PM EST
I work in a local tourist office 5 mins from the cottage, I cannot count the times visitors come and ask me for directions to the ruin, it would benifit the visitors who have such a 'grá' for this film and local area of Maam north Connemara(which is where the cottage actually is not Cong as mentioned below) so much if the cottage was renovated and open to visitors, it would also be a perfect place for a a visitors information point..
noracoyne | Dec 24, 2011, 06:13 PM EST
I wish i was as authentic as ciaradexy.Poor guy.Has no idea why there are 5th generation and longer.If you brush up on your history you will realize why their is so many of us around the world,things like "on the run",no work,starvation and all that sadness.
ciaradexy | Dec 19, 2011, 12:50 PM EST
No one cares except 5th generation yanks! Get over it!
ciaradexy | Dec 19, 2011, 12:46 PM EST
bobduggins-guy is Canadian.
bobduggins | Dec 18, 2011, 09:32 AM EST
Guy is from California and probably supported Obama, what else would you expect. Not enough to tear our country down but wants to wreck everyone else's!!
newnation | Dec 15, 2011, 12:44 PM EST
Come on George, who's going to apologise to you with the nonsense you make your daily duty to spew upon the world..
GeorgeDillon | Dec 13, 2011, 02:58 PM EST
Illiterate IrelandNorth:: I'm waiting for you to retract the nonsense you posted below. You're a liar.
SeamusMartin | Dec 13, 2011, 10:54 AM EST
Mother of God... I cannot believe the innane rantings about fixing up such an iconic place. Went to Cong; was very disappointed with the condition of the cottage. Declare it condemned and now property of the Irish Republic... then fix it up and make money on it from tourists. It's so simple. The wacko, the Canadian living in America, should loose his owner's rights, since he was to fix it up and didn't. Now the shrews amongst us can get back to their yapping.
mayoman | Dec 12, 2011, 06:01 PM EST
Who would have a thought that a crumbling cottage in Cong would provoke so much rancor and rage here on Irish Central?
GeorgeDillon | Dec 12, 2011, 04:06 PM EST
IrelandNorth: You really shouldn't comment on a movie you've never seen. What stupid fantasy about The Quiet Man leads you to say it portrays the Irish as a drunken, brawling race of rural illiterates? Just which character in The Quiet Man is illiterate? Answer that, or admit you're a liar. And be more careful about what you post--why post dishonest garbage? Stick to topics you know something about. Care to mention one? It sure ain't The Quiet Man!
GeorgeDillon | Dec 12, 2011, 04:02 PM EST
jamieLM --What grade level are you for English reading? You say I used the phrase ""retarded lemming". I didn't. It's a particularly inane phrase, and I don't use inane phrases. I suspect you're equally inane, since you lack the ability to read simple posts with understanding. Perhaps you'll apologize to me for your stupid accusation.
Brnmar1 | Dec 12, 2011, 03:46 PM EST
Nationalise it.
susanmcg | Dec 12, 2011, 03:01 PM EST
@jamieLM Indeed!!!
susanmcg | Dec 12, 2011, 11:29 AM EST
There is a person responding here that does not represent my views as an American - (4th generation Irish). Most like me although go back a long way, are in awe of the "brilliant" country that has been fought forever for by the people who live there. I have visited and traveled, not by tour bus, drove, and lived, obviously to talk about it and loved the countrysides more than the cities but it's all important to me and have nothing but love and respect for everything and everyone there. I wouldn't step foot on the soil of England and cannot wait to return and find joy in the places that can never be found here as in Gaelic Mollie's piece. Everyone on the south shore of Boston loves you!!!!!!!! Our opinions are important but in the end being cool to each other is much better. My husband died 2 months ago of brain cancer at 51 and all everyone can think of was that he was a good peaceful man. He knew what most don't until it's too late. He spoke his mind quietly and we all learned something at the same time. Peace, as my son would say
CorknDown | Dec 12, 2011, 11:08 AM EST
It gets harder every day to preserve the past because the preservation groups are privately funded and often can't match the big businesses money and political clout.
CorknDown | Dec 12, 2011, 10:27 AM EST
And as long as I'm on my soap box giving everyone a nickel's worth of free advice...get out of the EU before it's too late and give Ireland back to Irish control.
CorknDown | Dec 12, 2011, 10:19 AM EST
And by the way GeorgeDillon- this happens every day here in New York. The Disney Corporation took over our Times Square, demolished many beautiful historic buildings and kept just the facades of others to create a gaudy playground for tourists. They have done the same on upper Broadway where the big stores put all of the little merchants out of business, and they are now doing it in uptown Harlem where big stores and apartment buildings are being raising the property values so the locals can no longer afford to live there. It's about politics, you see, and the politicians who come to do good and end up doing very well while historians and preservationists are called crackpots and Luddites!
CorknDown | Dec 12, 2011, 10:07 AM EST
Weighing in from America...apparently many people outside of the US don't really know how things work here. If the historic house and land were seized sold by the government it would be purchased by a big corporation, razed before landmark status could be enacted, then a big store built on the site and filled with products made in China. They will then call that progress and tell us how lucky we are that they came along to improve the neighborhood so that we are no longer mired in the past
newnation | Dec 12, 2011, 08:30 AM EST
ah marym232, did you not read the article? the house is now owned by some american moron, most likely a relation of georgedillon who has let it run in to disrepair, get your facts straight! The whole thing is just american fantasy anyway...
iceire57 | Dec 12, 2011, 08:14 AM EST
Being of dual citizenship myself and speaking as a NY Irish Yank I concur with condeming the cottage,give it back to ireland and let them do wot they will with it,tis on irish soil and the state should get it back and to hades with the yankie owner!
IrelandNorth | Dec 12, 2011, 07:49 AM EST
Hey guys! It's not that significant. I hardly think many modern Irish will regret the loss of this. For a film whic portrayed the Irish as a drunken, brawling race of rural illiterates, I personally won't mourne the passing of such Hollywood racial stereotyping. "Faith and begorragh", me arse.
MaryM232 | Dec 11, 2011, 11:07 PM EST
GeorgeDillon, I for one have to say that I most heartifly concur with your point of view, and I know that were my much loved Irish grandparents alive today, they'd be standing with you. As someone who grew up feeling a sense of love and connection to Ireland, I was appalled, some years back, when I saw for myself, how cavalierly today's Irish treat what was precious to previous generations. To all those seeking to give grief to George, perhaps if you all pulled your heads out of your collective backsides, and stopped looking for someone to come along and save Ireland, and started doing the hard work it takes to save it. Start electing men and women of principle, cease encouraging the parasite mindset that the Irish have embraced for too long, and actually thinking of ways to improve your country, rather than what you can swindle out of others, things might change for the better.
missgena | Dec 11, 2011, 09:37 PM EST
So sad! What is the realistic price and whom would anyone contact?
Selketre | Dec 11, 2011, 09:23 PM EST
If the Property is in ruins, condemn it as the "right of eminent domain", and take it back! If the owner is from California he'll get that-I grew up there, and when California wants property that's how the State does it. They give you what they think it's worth in $$, and there is no haggeling. If Ireland doesn't have an law of Eminent Domain, you need one. If he really wanted the property, he should have at least kept it up. At this point, he'd be smart to donate the property to Ireland and write it off on taxes. I hope you get it back- as an American with a Great love of the Irish-I love that movie!! Good Luck!!
firinne | Dec 11, 2011, 06:32 PM EST
George Dillion, you have ridiculed and condemned the Irish so often that one has to wonder why in heaven’s name you would have sought to gain your dual citizenship in Ireland? If you truly believe all of that hubris that you churn out daily, I would suggest that for your own good, that you renounce your citizenship and chose instead a different country perhaps where your brand of hatred would be more appreciated, perhaps England comes to mind. Slan
Patsy35 | Dec 11, 2011, 05:23 PM EST
I was in Cong in September. I think it everything should be done to save the cottage. The movie is my husbands favorite and we watch it every St. Patrick's Day. The town is lovely and the cottage would be a great tourist attraction. We enjoyed out visit there as did all the 40 other people with us. "Save the Cottage"
newnation | Dec 11, 2011, 05:05 PM EST
He sure is mamaginnty, just another dumb american dropping in thinking they know how to do everything, run on back home, stop calling yourself irish, your not! 5 generations ago doesn't count for anything..focus on your own retarded excuse for a country and we might consider listening to something you say if that ever happens..
newnation | Dec 11, 2011, 04:51 PM EST
GeorgeDillion: might be a good idea for you to try focus your attention for one second if you possible can and put together a sensible sentence, so am i a rich capitalist pig who owns the streets of Dublin now or a backwater hole-surfer? Keep your thesaurus handy you'll need it for your non-factual, nonsensical all out attack's on other people with out knowing anything. ANYTHING! but I guess that's just your uncontrollable americanism coming through, Attack now, clean up later..Dumber than a retarded lemming
GeorgeDillon | Dec 11, 2011, 04:28 PM EST
newnation: "In California..." Don't act the imbecile. The nearest you've ever been to California was to see some Hollywood movie in some flea-pit cinema over by Belmullet. You slob, it's ignorant dopes like you who have made a mess of Dublin. Why don't you stick to the old boreen where you grew up, you know nothing about urban living.
mamaginnty | Dec 11, 2011, 04:26 PM EST
Could be that ould git GoergefrigginDillon bought it to spite us Irish, would not surprise me, he is such a cowardly excuse for a man, supposedly of Irish decent, which I sincerely hope is not the case.
GeorgeDillon | Dec 11, 2011, 04:25 PM EST
newnation: What an utter oaf you are. As it happens, I am an Irish citizen, one whose ancestors were Dubliners, which is more than I can say for you, you stupid dope. But even if I wasn't I'd still have a right to condemn the worthless Irish for the pig-sty they have made of what should be one of the great streets of Europe. Your inane reference to Paris merely shows you've never been beyond Kiltimagh. Indeed that's one of the (countless) problems in Ireland--the ruling class and the property capitalists tend to be fresh in off the bog. They have no concept of what a great city should look like. Right now, between the pastiche hoardings at one end and the thousands of foreign migrants milling around at the other end, Dublin is a Dump. Stick to your one-horse peasant village in Mayo, you philistine fool. (Look up that word, you won't know what it means).
newnation | Dec 11, 2011, 03:06 PM EST
No I don't think it's fine but being an Irish person, gives me the right to have an opinion. Not a meddling, interfering, annoying twat of an American like yourself! Every other capital city in the world has those façades you wannabe know it all. They put them up when building work is happening but I dunno if you have the intelligence to notice that Ireland is in crisis at the minute(thanks in no small part to your country) and building isn't high on the priority list, especially just for the pleasure of the like of yourself! have you heard of history either? it's a thing we have here in Europe and you may like to learn if you can conjure more than two of your brain cells too work for a moment that almost all of Paris was flattened and rebuild hence the Champs Elysée's existence, go create some culture for yourself before you attempt to dictate what people should do to there own country and don't forget now to get that thumb out...
newnation | Dec 11, 2011, 02:54 PM EST
In California, it would be condemned as unsafe and taken from him, then auctioned off through the govt. Does he pay property taxes on it like we do here? Weird that you're allowed to just leave a property to rot.
cillowen | Dec 11, 2011, 02:47 PM EST
this poster's suggestion is the answer to the unyelding controlling creep's reluctance to do the right thing. "If it were here in the states they could probably do a blighted area condemnation and then turn it over to a historical preservation group"
cillowen | Dec 11, 2011, 02:02 PM EST
There was the story awhile back about some gobshites wanting to erect statues to the Black& Tans. Well, put the statues in front of the cottage, you know where I am going with this, You have a shrine, memorial, historical monument, tourist attraction,and a History Lesson of what the Tans did. All for the price of a couple of uniformed dummies.Leave the cottage as is. I'm sure Britian has no shortage of unifofmrd dummies they could loan us.
GeorgeDillon | Dec 11, 2011, 01:55 PM EST
brennanirish: Read my response to newirish. Looks like you are another of the lickspittle Irish who don't give a damn if the heritage of their capital city is demolished by gangster capitalists. So consider the reply to newnation a reply to you. Spineless moron.
GeorgeDillon | Dec 11, 2011, 01:52 PM EST
newnation: So you think it's fine that Irish property barons (they're all gangsters) can obliterate large sections of the center of Dublin and put up stupid facades to hide their destruction? What other capital city would accept this, you moron? Do you think DC would allow this to happen on Pennsylvania Avenue? Or Paris on the Champs d'Elysee? Why do you hate Dublin so much, you creep? Spineless Irish like you are disgusting.
garbo55 | Dec 11, 2011, 01:27 PM EST
I think Ireland Officials should do what American officials would do, take it by way of Eminent Domain.In other words take it from him for the better of the Irish people.
fromGort | Dec 11, 2011, 01:12 PM EST
If it were here in the states they could probably do a blighted area condemnation and then turn it over to a historical preservation group.
newnation | Dec 11, 2011, 12:54 PM EST
GeorgeDillion: your a spineless moron, pull your oversized thumb out of your ass and do something useful rather than attacking a nation over what you most likely know nothing about going by the tone of your commments!
SeamusMor | Dec 11, 2011, 12:38 PM EST
faberm1 makes the best point.
brennanirish | Dec 11, 2011, 12:17 PM EST
GeorgeDillon. Instead of using every article as an opportunity for your invective, how about publishing your manifesto on saving Ireland? I am sure you have it all figured out and it would make a great read. You clearly know every minutae of whats wrong with Ireland......a man of your obvious skill, certainly must know how to save her. I will anxiously await remarks from the next St. Patrick of Irleand, George Dillon....and yes, George, we all know he was from Rome...
skerryc | Dec 11, 2011, 11:24 AM EST
Crying shame!!!! I'm so disgusted to think that the owner would allow a piece of history and a beautiful cottage rot away like this. Can Ireland's court get involve???
bobduggins | Dec 11, 2011, 10:49 AM EST
It would seem that the Republic of Ireland would be able to get this resolved even over the objections of the owner!!!
faberm1 | Dec 11, 2011, 10:33 AM EST
I to wondered as I read whether or not the Republic of Ireland has the Right of Imminent Domain, as we do in our US Constitution. It would be a very easy exercise in the United States. If there is an equivalent of the US Dept of the Interior, it should buy the property immediately and make this happen.
ffmedic626 | Dec 11, 2011, 10:21 AM EST
Ireland should take it by eminen domain in the interest of Irish tourism, heritage, etc... and since there is no obvious interest by mr. ebbit to do what is right and what he said he would do.
DANNYD1 | Dec 11, 2011, 10:08 AM EST
Take it by right of emminent domane for the betterment of the masses.ded
GeorgeDillon | Dec 11, 2011, 09:53 AM EST
There's another scandal in Ireland, one that doesn't receive sufficient attention. That is that a large part of Dublin's O'Connell Street is only a Hollywood-style facade. If you walk north from the GPO a large part of what is on your left hand side is only a pastiche--there are no buildings behind the facade. They were knocked down by Ireland's vulture capitalists. To Dublin's shame, it has been like that for some 30 years now. And the damage extends to the scene of the rearguard action fought after the GPO was evacuated in 1916. The capitalist gangsters want to knock down what remains. What other city would allow its principal street and its heritage to be defaced in this way? None. The Irish--they're spineless and don't deserve to be a free country.
crowsnest | Dec 11, 2011, 09:52 AM EST
As an Irish-Canadian I am ashamed "Gregory Ebbit, the California based Canadian" is being such an ignorant twit
Fionnuisce | Dec 11, 2011, 09:52 AM EST
Is this the replica near Peacock's at Maam Cross or the real cottage, the location of which is unknown to me. I saw the replica for the second time in 15 yrs this September. It was disheartening to see how that has been let go. I heard there was a fire some years back, and some students came down from the North to make repairs as best as they could with what funds they could gather. It's a sorry site. Please, if the real cottage can be saved, I hope you -Mr. Ebbitt- will reconsider making repairs or selling it to someone who WILL (ME!! or one of the countless other ME'S out here!), or allow the Irish to restore it. Perhaps if he chooses to care not for it, the repairs should be made and then he should be taxed by the government for the improvements. I agree regarding eminent domain, but I don't know if the State exercises that principle.
colkelley | Dec 11, 2011, 09:28 AM EST
Look to me like the gent bought it out of hate rather than love and is deliberately letting it go to ruin. The Irish government should exercise eminent domain and allow AMERICAN contributions to fund the restoration.
Springfield9 | Dec 11, 2011, 09:27 AM EST
Does he pay the taxes? If not, problem solved.
KatherineZ | Dec 11, 2011, 08:40 AM EST
that is such a shame! is there someway to get a petition going & finding where this person lives & shame him into doing something? some people (tsk tsk & shakes head)...hmmm makes one wonder at times...