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'Quiet Man’ beauty Maureen O’Hara returns to Cong village

90-year-old actress will launch the inaugural ‘Quiet Man’ Festival

By
CATHY HAYES,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Saturday, August 13, 2011, 7:48 AM
Updated Saturday, August 13, 2011, 7:48 AM

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Maureen O' Hara


Irish Hollywood legend Maureen O’Hara is making plans to return to the village of Cong, County Mayo, 60 years after she filmed “The Quiet Man” alongside John Wayne in the same location. On August 26, she will launch the first ‘Quiet Man’ Festival.

O’Hara played the iconic role of Mary Kate Danaher in the 1950s smash-hit movie and this year marks the movie’s 60th anniversary.

Over the last 60 years Maureen O’Hara’s iconic movie has brought millions of tourists to the village of Cong and its environs eager to see where the movie was shot.

READ MORE:


Visit Maureen O’Hara’s profile page for more stories, her bio and photos

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Fittingly, O’Hara will stay at Ashford Castle later this month, just as she did 60 years ago.

O’Hara will be celebrating her 91st birthday on August 17 but this hasn’t slowed the Hollywood star down. As she works tirelessly to promote her own Irishness and the film industry in Ireland.

Speaking about the “Quiet Man” some years ago she said that out of all other movie this one had won a special place in her heart. She said, “I have often said that The Quiet Man is my personal favourite of all the pictures I have made. It is the one I am most proud of, and I tend to be very protective of it. I loved Mary Kate Danaher. I loved the hell and fire in her.

“As I readied to begin playing her, I believed that my most important scene in the picture was when Mary Kate is in the field herding the sheep and Seán Thornton sees her for the very first time. It’s a moment captured in time, and it’s love at first sight. I felt very strongly that if the audience believed it was love at first sight, then we would have lightning in a bottle. But if they didn’t, we would have just another lovely romantic comedy on our hands. The scene comes off beautifully.”

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29 Comments

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themurphia | Aug 16, 2011, 11:56 AM EDT
I've dug out my old VCR of the said fillum I am looking forward to watchimg it again having read more about the making of the phictuir...Also to look at it as an Irish version of a Shakespearean comedy...Can't wait... KerryLKing...with you on the smell of the turf

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KerryLKing | Aug 16, 2011, 11:37 AM EDT
Well, I planned that last trip all wrong. Was just over there in March/April, but should've done August for this grand occassion. I just never visit when it's "tourist season"....too crowded & don't get the turf/peat fires that time of year. For anyone going....enjoy you lucky ones!!

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joanellen | Aug 16, 2011, 08:38 AM EDT
I adore the movie. It is my all time favorite. I watch it at least three to four times a year. Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne, how could you possibly go wrong! I hope to one day visit as I am part Irish.

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themurphia | Aug 15, 2011, 12:35 PM EDT
Aaaaghhh 'screen' not screne...scream!

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themurphia | Aug 15, 2011, 12:33 PM EDT
JTravis:I hope it was something unutterably filthy...I suspect it must have been but to know after all these years would probably be a bit of an anticlimax so to speak..!The off screne scenes are almost as fascinating as the film itself...a bit like Ryan's daughter...and the unrequited love between Sarah Miles and Robert Mitchum...(swoon)...!

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JTravis | Aug 15, 2011, 11:43 AM EDT
@carrickcourt - John Wayne isn't supposed to have an Irish accent in this movie. He's an American come home. What does Maureen O'Hara whisper in Wayne's ear at the very end of the movie??

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BillyFitz | Aug 15, 2011, 10:18 AM EDT
Mary Kate Danaher: Could you use a little water in your whiskey? Michaleen Flynn: When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey; and when I drink water, I drink water.

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duffykelly | Aug 14, 2011, 05:12 PM EDT
The actors were all great, but Barry Fitz, com'on I've been spouting his lines for years. I saw Maueen walk up 5th avenue a few times and she will always be Mary Kate Danaher to me!

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peterson | Aug 14, 2011, 01:48 PM EDT
You are outvoted nic !!

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nicgearailt | Aug 14, 2011, 11:46 AM EDT
Afraid I never really liked that film...could not stand John Wayne..it was all so contrived..lacked authenticity...sorry to all the fans of the movie...Maureen O Hara or whatever her real name is..is an amazing lady..still going strong...

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irishbob | Aug 14, 2011, 09:45 AM EDT
When you watch a film like The Quiet Man, it’s hard to believe that Ms O’Hara and Wayne only made 4 or 5 films together. They are good it seems like they should have been together in every one. I wish she could have been his last one. It would have fitting. How could murphy66 say McLaglen was better than all of them? He wasn’t even Irish for God’s sake. Pittsburghkid was upset because the Duke did not talk like he was from Pittsburgh. Who cares? It’s the Duke and herself we’re talking about. Even at 91, she’s a knockout, right? Here’s to many more birthdays for a true Irish lady.

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themurphia | Aug 14, 2011, 08:16 AM EDT
It's such a shame the original cottage was vandalised by the local idiots...The new one is rather 'Disneyfied'... and a poor imitation of the original...rather reminds me of those replica holiday villages...Other than in this film I am not a fan of the 'Duke'...however the role and on screen relationship with O'Hara was very believable... the Irish version of 'The Taming of the Shrew'... misogynistic but realistic of the time...I expect there were many 'Mary Kate's' around at the time...I knew one very well indeed...women traded for land and chattels... Nonetheless I love the story in particular the heroine's fiery character...in all senses of the word...As for the O'Hara's looks well it would be an impertinence to praise them like you know who...!

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midsummer | Aug 13, 2011, 11:37 PM EDT
I just love Maureen O'Hara. I am now 62 and have followed her career all my life. She always seemed so much like my mother, who had fiery red hair and came from County Armagh as a war bride after WWII. I have visited Ireland twice when I was a child. I love Ireland, I love being Irish, and I love my mother and Maureen O'Hara. My birthday is the 19th of August, two days after "Herself". I knew she was a "LEO". Thank You and God Bless You, Dear Lady.

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jacersagain | Aug 13, 2011, 11:22 PM EDT
‘Twas me ma who talked and talked and talked all about Maureen O’Hara. That made me as a kid jealously notice there was somebody else in the world called Maureen apart from my 5-yr old childhood sweetheart up the road. There were bubble gum packets back then which had portrait pictures of Hollywood stars like John Wayne, Tyrone Power, Jane Mansfield w/ loadsa udders including of course our own Maureen. I remember being stunned by her beauty in the bubble gum pic above all o’ them. I saw a few of Maureen’s movies but her performance in ‘The Quiet Man’ stood out most of all for me - I distinctly remember that scene Maureen mentions in the article above where she’s herding the sheep and that flash of her eyes and twirl of her red hair as she saw Mr. Philly Boxer Thornton; a fabulous moment – a bit like what one feels when you look across a crowded room and notice someone special... except that movie scene was in a wide open Galway field... How could she NOT notice that silly Wayning boxstar? He had no competition, lucky fella. >>> I wish Maureen a wonderful day in Cong... I’m sure she’ll be fascinated with the replica movie house there, complete with ‘Quiet Man’ kitchen, living room, clothes, bedroom and, erm, that flinging scene bed!

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darbysgirl | Aug 13, 2011, 08:08 PM EDT
Lovely lady. The Quiet Man is my all time favorite movie. When my mother Kathleen Maureen Ryan was a young woman she looked just like Maureen O'Hara! Wish I could be there to see her Miss O'Hara!

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