Brigadoon Again

10 August 2001, Friday: A funny thing happened today as my daughter Diana and I made our way to the small Irish village of Cong …we discovered Brigadoon! Remember the story? Brigadoon was the legendary Scottish village that went to sleep 300 years ago but was set to reappear for one day every century. But Cong, seemingly asleep for only 50 years in Western Ireland's beautiful Lake District, was due to reappear as Innisfree. Unknown to us, today was the very day!

But first things first …

We planned to visit Ireland's beautiful Connemara National Park today, but I'd been to Cong before and wanted to show it to Diana. It's where many scenes were filmed for one of my favorite movies The Quiet Man (1952), nominated for seven Oscars and winning two.

We first visited the replica Quiet Man cottage at Maam Cross and then drove east nearly an hour through a "soft" rain. And there, hidden in the misty hills, rose Cong.

We tarried at Cong Abbey and the Quiet Man Heritage Cottage and then stopped for a breather in the Quiet Man Coffee Shop. (Notice a common theme here?)

The waitress said, "Will you be staying over?"

I said, "No, just passing through."

She said, "Too bad. This very weekend we are holding the Quiet Man 50th anniversary celebration. The full dress rehearsal is tonight and the public is invited."

My jaw dropped. We had arrived on the very day all this was supposed to happen! Cong would reappear as the movie town of Innisfree this very night!

But we had places to go; we couldn't stay tonight – or could we?

The tourist office said we could! There was but one room available – just out of town at the Ashfield House B&B. Diana agreed to stay, even though the movie was "before her time". The Connemara would have to wait until tomorrow.

The re-enactment rehearsals began at 7:30 in front of Cong Abbey, a former Augustinian abbey whose ancient ruins date to the 13th century and earlier. The persistent rain let up just before the events began.

It was street theater re-enactment of scenes from the movie. Townspeople played the parts of John Ford, the makeup man, the cameraman and others, who pretended they were filming stand-ins for John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, and the rest. The first was a courting scene on pony and trap by the abbey; then there was the fishing scene in the nearby creek; next, John Wayne pushing and dragging Maureen O'Hara to a wagon; then a fight scene by the wagon; next two ladies from a second story window across the street from Pat Conroy's bar. By now, two or three hundred people had gathered in the street for the grand finale: a reenactment of the big fight scene where Sean and his nemesis Will Danaher (aka Victor Mclachlan) burst out of the bar through a closed door into the cheering crowds.

Fight over, everyone – cast, crew and many of the original cast of extras – headed over to Lydon's Lodge, where the "Launch of the Quiet Man 2001, Cong Celebration" was being held. Free wine, food, lots of laughing and singing. The place was packed and so are our memories.

Innisfree, a fictional village in Ireland; you will always be real to me.

Author Patrick Simpson and his wheelchair-restricted wife Anne uncover their experiences exploring historical and cultural experiences around the world. Visit now to learn how independent travel for disabled persons is not only possible, it can be fun!! www.booksbypatricksimpson.com

LINKS:
Cong
Brigadoon
The Quiet Man
Cong Abbey
The Quiet Man (full film)