The Quiet Man Museum offers an on-set experience with exact replicas of all the key furnishings and artifacts from the movie including Sean Thornton’s big bed, Mary Kate’s cottage piano, china, pewter, cradle and the tandem bicycle, as well as costumes made by the same company – O’Maille’s of Galway – who made them for John Ford in 1951. Quiet Man enthusiasts can dress up in costume for photos. The Quiet Man Museum houses the original fishing rod used by Father Lonergan and Michaeleen Og’s horse Napoleon’s original harness and a first edition of the Maurice Walsh collection of short stories, Green Rushes, on which the screenplay for The Quiet Man was based. The Museum also showcases the largest collection of Irish newspaper articles from the time the movie was filmed, which were sourced through a painstaking trawl of the microfiche files in local libraries. This first hand account allows enthusiasts to read exactly what it was like when Hollywood took over the village of Cong in 1951.

5 minutes from the picture postcard seaside village of Kinvara (and the most photographed castle in Ireland) Burren Nature Sanctuary is an immersive experience into Burren biodiversity. Discover the unique and rare botany with a 15 minute introductory talk and explore the organic farm and integral habitats with the beautiful full colour guide book. Find the Art installation discovery points in 5 languages and meet the farm pets and rescue animals. Relax in the artisan cafe with local hand made gifts and artwork to browse. A wonderful day out in magical surroundings. Leave armed with the knowlege to navigate and understand The Burren region.

A ‘Session’ (in Gaelic ‘Seisún’, pronounced ‘sesh-oon’), is a traditional Irish gathering of musicians, dancers, poets and storytellers. It is always an informal, lively and colourful event. A group of artists in Renvyle have put a new twist on the old concept and added drama to their ‘Seisún’. Under the guidance of Ireland’s largest group dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music, this show makes the most of Irish music, dance and storytelling to present a moving account of how the Great Famine had a devastating effect on the West of Ireland. The second half of the show requires some audience participation and you will be invited to learn and join in Irish folk dances. If you can play a tune or sing a song, in the spirit of a true Seisún, you will be welcome to take the floor. Seisún is performed every Tuesday night throughout July and August in the Teach Ceoil (House of Music) in Renvyle in Connemara, county Galway.

Ireland’s history comes alive as this theatre company takes a crucial element of Ireland history and explores it in one of seven ‘plays for voices’ Available on request. Pax Max 15