A bidding war has erupted for The Quiet Man bar in County Mayo – with one prospective bar emerging from as far away as Florida.

Four serious bidders have emerged after Pat Cohan’s bar, straight from the set of the iconic movie, went to market last month.

The asking price of $400,000 for the bar, made famous by the movie starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, may now be surpassed.

The Irish Independent reports that the decision to put the pub on the market has caused worldwide interest.

Auctioneer Vincent Walsh told the paper: “There was huge interest. We’re now down to about four serious bidders and we are confident of the sale going through in the next couple of months.”

Walsh revealed that the top bidders include three individuals from the UK and one potential buyer from Florida.

He added: “The gentleman from Florida has been over twice now to view the place and the UK interest is just as strong. There is one individual from London who has also shown a lot of interest.
“All buyers are eager to continue running the rural pub.”

The bar was originally a shop but Quiet Man director John Ford turned into a typical Irish pub for the 1952 movie.

It only gained a bar licence in 2008 after many years as a family-run shop in an area which attracts thousands of tourists from both sides of the Atlantic every year.

A right-of-way issue will have to be resolved before the sale goes through however.

Walsh added: “I could see it taking eight weeks to correct. There is no dispute involved but it has to be legally corrected.”