The Quiet Man Museum in Mayo honoured as European Film Culture Treasure
European Film Academy to officially recognise the iconic Mayo attraction on 75th anniversary of filming of The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man Museum in Cong, Mayo, is set to receive one of the highest honours in European cinema heritage after being officially designated a “Treasure of European Film Culture” by the European Film Academy.
The historic recognition will be formally marked during a special inauguration ceremony at the museum on Friday, June 12, at 4:30pm, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the filming of The Quiet Man in Cong.
The recognition places The Quiet Man Museum among an elite group of internationally significant film locations recognised by the European Film Academy since 2015 for their cultural and cinematic importance. The museum now joins celebrated landmarks such as Austria’s Felsenreitschule theatre, featured in The Sound of Music, and Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain, immortalised in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita.
The ceremony will feature the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by renowned film producer David Collins of Samson Films on behalf of the European Film Academy, alongside Mayo Councillor Damien Ryan.
A special highlight of the event will be the attendance of four remaining Cong residents who were directly involved in the 1951 production of John Ford’s classic film. Brendan Farragher, John Joe Mullins, Seamus Morrin and Eileen Lydon will provide a living connection to one of Ireland’s most beloved cinematic productions.
The recognition has also received praise from former President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, who congratulated the museum founders, Gerry, Margaret, and Lisa Collins, for their decades-long commitment to preserving and promoting the legacy of The Quiet Man.
In a statement, Mr Higgins described the honour as recognition of the film’s enduring place in both Irish and international culture.
“This singular honour is a recognition of the cinematic legacy of The Quiet Man, a film that has long held a cherished place in the Irish and international imagination in captivating generations with its rich evocation of landscape, language and longing,” he said.
“It is a tribute, too, to your own enduring stewardship of memory, place, and cultural inheritance. Your museum [...] serves as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling.”
The Quiet Man Museum, which features a replica of the famous White-o’-Morn Cottage along with original artefacts and memorabilia from the film, has become a major tourist attraction in the west of Ireland, welcoming thousands of visitors from around the world each year.
Released in 1952, The Quiet Man starred John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara and Barry Fitzgerald and won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography. The film continues to attract visitors to Cong and the wider Mayo region, particularly among members of the Irish diaspora.