Freedom of Kells for star actress Maureen O'Hara

Kells is to hold a homecoming festival and presentation for the film actress, Maureen O'Hara, next year during which the town council will bestow the Freedom of Kells upon her. The Maureen O'Hara Homecoming Committee has been in contact with representatives of the actress, whose father was a native of Kells, and they have indicated that she would like to attend the festival, which is expected to take place next summer. The festival will include a presentation to the 'Quiet Man' actress and a celebration of her many achievements. The committee is hoping to involve many local clubs, groups and schools in what will be a major celebration for Kells. The committee has been in contact with the town council and, at a meeting of the council last week, councillors agreed to a motion by Cllr Brian Collins that the council bestow the freedom of town on the actress. "As a daughter of the town, Maureen O'Hara has brought pride to her many relatives in the area and to the town in general. She has lived a long and distinguished life, but at all stages, her remembrances of her origins and her father's home town has reminded us that, despite her legendary career and great success, she is still this town's most distinguished daughter," he said. Cllr Sean Drew said that they should take the same opportunity to remember Dick Farrelly, who wrote the film's theme tune 'The Isle of Innisfree'. Aged 91, Maureen O'Hara is best known for her role as Mary Kate Danaher in the Oscar-winning 'The Quiet Man' with John Wayne, and now lives in Glengarrif, County Cork. In her memoirs, 'Tis Herself', Maureen Fitzsimons, to use her original name, recalls her father, Charles Stewart Parnell Fitzsimons, as a decent, honest man, born to farming folk outside Kells. Her father's real passion was soccer. He played Gaelic football until he was caught at a soccer match once and he was kicked off the team, victim of the infamous 'ban' and he later bought into Shamrock Rovers. The actress often returned to Kells in later years to visit her uncle Frank, a blacksmith on Farrell Street, and meet her many relations, some of whom still live in the area. Maureen O'Hara was the second eldest of six children who were born in Ranelagh. She went to elocution and drama school, singing and dancing classes, and when she was 10, joined the Rathmines Theatre company. Her Hollywood film career was to see her become one of Hollywood's greatest stars, playing opposite all the leading men of the day from Tyrone Power and John Wayne to Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart.