The Quiet Man Museum, Tours & Giftshop — Attraction in County Mayo

This was a total dream come true for me!! My husband & I planned our trip to Ireland about a year in advance. We went through a travel agency who planed a customized vacation for us. We told them from the very beginning that the number one item on my list was to visit The Quiet Man museum. When we were 3 weeks out from our trip we paid our final payment and received our final itinerary. We were told that they had a last minute change. They said the museum had closed for the season and they were offering us another tour in its place. You can imagine my complete devastation!! My husband immediately sent an email to our travel agency reminding them that this had been the number one item on our list. We expected them to know when the museum opened or closed. He explained to them that this had been a dream of mine since I was very young and if had known their dates of availability from the beginning we would have altered our visit to be there when they were open. They apologized and said they would see what they could do. They contacted the people that run the museum and they offered us a private tour. I couldn’t believe it!! They met us and opened the museum just for us for a private tour. Then to top it all off, they took us in their car and drove us on a tour of a bunch of local spots where the movie was filmed! What an unbelievable experience!! My dreams come true and even more!! The people were absolutely lovely! If you are a fan, this is a MUST SEE attraction ! You won’t...

We were here with our son and daughter-in-law and took the Guided Self-Drive Tour. Our tour guide, Rory, rode in the front seat with our son, Matt, driving while the three of us sat in the back. Note, if you go this route rent a car big enough to seat everyone comfortably including the guide in the front passenger seat.

Rory was great, taking us all through Cong and the surrounding area including the grounds of Ashford Castle where the crew stayed and many outdoor scenes were shot. He guided us with his encyclopedic knowledge of the filming of The Quiet Man, from the story line itself to the relationships among cast and crew, the impact on the village and on tourism in Ireland, and the technical aspects around what it took to make a Technicolor film on location back in 1950. He did this all with a great sense of humor and a gift for storytelling, and amazing patience with Matt driving on the left side of the road for the first time.

We ended up at the museum which is a replica of the White o' Mornin' cottage which is now in ruins. It has a neat gift shop upstairs and some great pictures and memorabilia on the main floor, along with a few period costumes visitors can don for photo opportunities.

Bottom line, if you have any interest in The Quiet Man movie, or in John Ford's legacy as a director, or in the history of filmmaking in general, take the tour. It's educational and entertaining, and it's a memory of a lifetime...

While looking for things to do during a trip to Ireland, and being a fan of the movie, I was excited to find the Quiet Man Museum and was delighted to find that we could book a private tour. I contacted Lisa and we easily made the arrangements by email for the 4-hour tour.

Lisa is an amazing tour guide and a wonderful storyteller! She was a font of information about the movie, and the filming in Cong and the surrounding counties, and she had wonderful behind-the-scenes stories to tell about the local families--including her own, that were involved in the filming.

Even if you are not familiar with the film (in which case you should go watch it right now!) you will enjoy this tour. Lisa's knowledge of the film is probably pretty unprecedented but she was equally happy to point out other areas of interest, recommend local restaurants, and answer our questions about all things Irish. The time just flew by as she ferried us around the picturesque village of Cong and out to the Connemara Mountains

The area is so beautiful--it is a truly pristine country that they work hard to keep that way, and there were so many beautiful sights to see from Cong Abbey to the Castle, and the farms along the Connemara valley.

Do yourself the favor and book a tour with the charming and entertaining Lisa when you visit the area. We felt it was the best part...