Birth of Novelist Maurice Walsh in Listowel

Maurice Walsh (21 April 1879 – 18 February 1964) was an Irish novelist, now best known for his short story “The Quiet Man”, later made into the Oscar-winning film The Quiet Man, directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. He was one of Ireland’s best-selling authors in the 1930s. A new musical based on his novel, Castle Gillian, is currently in development by Victor Kazan (Book & Lyrics), Kevin Purcell (Music) and Mark Buys (Dance Music).

Maurice Walsh was born on or about 21 April 1879, in the townland of Ballydonoghue, near Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland. He was the third of ten children and the first son born to John Walsh, a local farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth Buckley, who lived in a three-roomed thatched farmhouse.