Tag: John Ford

#OTD in 1964 – Death of novelist Maurice Walsh, author of the original story of The Quiet Man.

18/02/2023.Reading time 1 minute.

Maurice Walsh was born in Ballydonoghue, near Listowel, Co Kerry, and is best known for the short story The Quiet Man which was later made into an Oscar-winning movie directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. He was one of Ireland’s best-selling authors in the 1930s. John Walsh’s main interests were […]

Read More

#OTD in 1961 – Death of stage, film and television actor, Barry Fitzgerald, in Dublin.

14/01/2023.Reading time 6 minutes.

Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in Walworth Road, Portobello, Dublin. He was the older brother of actor, Arthur Shields. As a child he played with the younger siblings of James Joyce who he called ‘a young man with a beard and very clever.’ He went to Skerry’s College, Dublin, before going on to […]

Read More

#OTD in 2015 – Death of actress and singer, Maureen O’Hara, born Maureen FitzSimons in Ranelagh, Co Dublin.

24/10/2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Ar deis Dé go raibh a hanam. The famously red-headed O’Hara was known for playing fiercely passionate but sensible heroines, and often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne. She was one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. In her memoir ‘Tis Herself: An Autobiography, she writes, […]

Read More

#OTD in 1903 – Frank O’Connor, (pseudonym of Michael O’Donovan), short-story writer and author of poetic translations from Irish is born in Cork.

17/09/2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Frank O’Connor’s memoir ‘An Only Child’ is an evocative work detailing his upbringing in poverty in his native Cork. He fought in the Irish War of Independence and supported the Anti-Treaty side in 1922 for which he was interned for a period of time. O’Connor served as a director of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in […]

Read More

#OTD in 1973 – Death of legendary film Director John Ford.

31/08/2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Film site IMDb states: John Ford is, arguably, The Great American Director.” Although born John Martin Feeney, he never forgot his Irish roots. John Ford’s homage ‘The Quiet Man’ to his ancestral was hardly an accurate depiction of Ireland. However, the 1952 movie is probably the best tourist commercial ever for Ireland. Filmed in Co […]

Read More

#OTD in 1964 – Death of novelist Maurice Walsh, author of the original story of The Quiet Man.

18/02/2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Maurice Walsh was born in Ballydonoghue, near Listowel, Co Kerry, and is best known for the short story The Quiet Man which was later made into an Oscar-winning movie directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. He was one of Ireland’s best-selling authors in the 1930s. John Walsh’s main interests were […]

Read More

#OTD in 1961 – Death of stage, film and television actor, Barry Fitzgerald, in Dublin.

14/01/2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in Walworth Road, Portobello, Dublin. He was the older brother of actor, Arthur Shields. As a child he played with the younger siblings of James Joyce who he called ‘a young man with a beard and very clever.’ He went to Skerry’s College, Dublin, before going on to […]

Read More

#OTD in 2015 – Death of actress and singer, Maureen O’Hara, born Maureen FitzSimons in Ranelagh, Co Dublin.

24/10/2021.Reading time 1 minute.

Ar deis Dé go raibh a hanam. The famously red-headed O’Hara was known for playing fiercely passionate but sensible heroines, and often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne. She was one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. In her memoir ‘Tis Herself: An Autobiography, she writes, […]

Read More

#OTD in 1903 – Frank O’Connor, (pseudonym of Michael O’Donovan), short-story writer and author of poetic translations from Irish is born in Cork.

17/09/2021.Reading time 1 minute.

Frank O’Connor’s memoir ‘An Only Child’ is an evocative work detailing his upbringing in poverty in his native Cork. He fought in the Irish War of Independence and supported the Anti-Treaty side in 1922 for which he was interned for a period of time. O’Connor served as a director of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in […]

Read More

#OTD in 1973 – Death of legendary film Director John Ford.

31/08/2021.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Film site IMDb states: John Ford is, arguably, The Great American Director.” Although born John Martin Feeney, he never forgot his Irish roots. John Ford’s homage ‘The Quiet Man’ to his ancestral was hardly an accurate depiction of Ireland. However, the 1952 movie is probably the best tourist commercial ever for Ireland. Filmed in Co […]

Read More