Pictured at the ceremony in Cong were Declan Cosgrove, Lisa Collins, Gerry Collins and Margaret Collins, founders of The Quiet Man Museum and Guided Tours of The Quiet Man Film Locations, Cong. PHOTO: TRISH FORDE

A truly special occasion for The Quiet Man Museum of Mayo

"To think now that it is up there with the theatre location in The Sound of Music and the Trevi Fountain in Rome is amazing."

Patrick Hennelly

Published: Mon 15 Jun 2026, 12:59 PM

June 12, 2026, was a truly special occasion for all associated with The Quiet Man Museum in Cong, as it was officially inaugurated as a Treasure of European Film Culture by the European Film Academy.

Lila Smyth, Gerry Collins, Margaret Collins, Mary Conroy, Fintan Gorman, Carmel Lydon, Lisa Collins. PHOTOS: TRISH FORDE

The prestigious inauguration coincided with the 75th anniversary of the filming of The Quiet Man, which was filmed across various locations in Cong.

Lisa Collins, John Joe Mullins, Margaret Collins, Professor Des MacHale, a leading expert on The Quiet Man, Anne MacHale, Gerry Collins Photo by Picasa

The European Film Academy has been curating Treasures of European Film Culture since 2015, and The Quiet Man Museum joins an elite international roster which includes Austria’s Felsenreitschule theatre from The Sound of Music (and where the Von Trapp family perform before their daring escape) and Rome’s Trevi Fountain (immortalised in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita).

Brendan Farragher, who played the child in The Quiet Man running through the fields to Mass as the church bells tolled.

The Quiet Man Museum in Cong was founded by Gerry and Margaret Collins in the mid 1990s.

Their daughter Lisa also works at the museum and she said that it is an honour to receive such worldwide recognition.

Gerry Collins, Margaret Collins, Lisa Collins and Frank Thornton.

“It is amazing really and as I child I would have watched The Quiet Man and The Sound of Music films.

"To think now that The Quiet Man Museum is up there with the theatre location in The Sound of Music and the Trevi Fountain in Rome is amazing. We are so honoured and delighted with this accolade.

Pictured at the ceremony were Lisa Collins, David O’Malley of South West Mayo LEADER Company, Sabrina Trench, CEO of South West Mayo LEADER Company, Mary Hynes, Frank Thornton, Rev. Rachel, Rev. Diane Matchett, Vincent Campbell, Margaret Collins, Agnes Geraghty and Gerry Collins.

“They (European Film Academy) contacted us in January 2025, and we felt that with this year marking the 75th anniversary of the filming that it would be great to hold the inauguration to coincide with this milestone anniversary.

"They started filming for The Quite Man in June 1951 and it is nice that both of these events are celebrated at the same time. It is a nice thing to do, and we are really privileged that four of the local villagers who were in the film were in attendance.”

Lisa Collins, Gerry Collins, Margaret Collins, Annie Coyne, Kevin Coyne, Helen O’Dowd, Mark O’Dowd, Margaret Clayton and John Clayton.

There have been many wonderful stories about the filming of The Quiet Man and Lisa explained how by pure chance her neighbour was used as an extra.

“My good neighbour, Brendan Farragher, who lives in Lisloughrey, told me that he was serving Mass one morning during filming and when they were on the way back to school they saw all of this commotion at the Market Cross in Cong and they could see all of the cameras, the people and the great excitement.

Gerry Collins, Lisa Collins, Caroline Togher, Mary Lydon, Sinead Seoighe, tourism officer from the Joyce Country & Western Lakes UNESCO Global Geopark, Marie Molloy, Margaret Collins, Sarah McVann of Failte Ireland and John Murphy. .

"Brendan and his friends pulled in to see what was going on, and they were approached by one of the crew and they were asked if they would like to be in the film. They couldn’t believe their luck and they said, ‘of course we would.’

"They were brought down through my great-uncle Padraig’s garden and they were told to stay under the bridge at Corcoran’s field, and that when they were told to run, they had to run at top speed towards the Church of Ireland.

"You can only imagine their sheer delight one year later when the movie was released and that their full scene was kept for the film where you can see three children running towards the church.

“The funny thing is that Brendan’s parents didn’t believe him when he got home and told them that he was going to be in a movie!

"The film was released in June 1952 and director John Ford had a special screening in the Ashford Castle cinema for all of the local people.

"The cinematographer had a tough job during the screening as some of the local people asked him on numerous occasions to rewind some of the scenes as they wanted to see themselves again in the movie!

"In the big fight scene in particular you can see nearly all of the local people in the village.

"Cong has never been the same since the filming of The Quiet Man.”