Cong

Instead of retracing our drive along the coast, we kept going from Roundstone to make a loop. Our hope was that by the time we got to Connemara National Park we’d have better weather to at least enjoy a drive through the grounds. No can do. It was pouring so much that we couldn’t even get a decent glimpse of the scenery.

What to do? Well, spotting patches of blue sky in the far distance, we decided to head in that direction. Maybe our luck would hold in Cong, the village which is supposed to be the setting of the John Wayne/Maureen O’Hara movie, “The Quiet Man.”

Turns out that is only partially true. As seems to be the case with most movies, the scenes were filmed in multiple locations in the vicinity. Regardless, the village has quite a “tourism industry” built around the movie. The place was overrun with hordes of people participating in “Quiet Man” tours, visiting the “Quiet Man” museum, or seeking out “Quiet Man” set locations using maps sold for €5 in various shops.

We skipped all that. But since we did manage to snag a parking spot, we went for a wander around the village. With the sun shining briefly, we picked up some snacks from the supermarket and sat on the wall overlooking the banks of the River Cong to enjoy a quick al fresco lunch before moving on to find somewhere quieter to explore.Read more