IrishCentral Staff Writers February 23,2016
Still of John Wayne and the White O'Morn cottage, in County Galway, from The Quiet Man.
The registered owner, Greg Ebbitt of California, told the Irish press he has won his legal battle against local Patrick Keane, a farmer from Tiernakill, County Galway. The American businessman has been named as the rightful owner, Galway Bay FM reports.
John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in the doorway of the White O'Morn cottage.
The cottage, located in Maam, County Galway, was featured in the 1952 movie "The Quiet Man," which was directed by John Ford and starred Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne. For years fans of the movie have petitioning the local council and the central government for permission to restore and preserve the cottage, which remains a tourist attraction today despite its ruined condition.
In April 2015, Keane had applied for squatters rights to the Property Registration Authority, but Ebbitt said he had made a "gentleman's agreement" with Keane in the 1980s to allow him to graze his animals on the site in return for maintenance work. Last July, due to the ongoing legal battle, the iconic cottage which had fallen into ruins has placed under Irish State protection.
Ebbitt now says he's relieved that the legal battle is over and he can finally begin to restore the cottage.
Remains of the White O'Morn cottage.
Previously, Ebbitt had told IrishCentral how much the legal battle had upset him and how he was looking forward to the start of work on the cottage. He said felt betrayed and had spent years trying to restore the cottage.
"I've spent a fortune on architects and engineers, but I've never got anywhere. It's been like hell trying to get this thing off the ground and I've started to feel that there's a big conspiracy to take this property off me," he told IrishCentral.
"I don't trust anybody any more. I really don't. I've never made a penny from this property and I've probably spent over $100,000 in it ever since I bought it."
Since Maureen O'Hara's death hundreds of people have stopped by the cottage, which is now just one gable wall. Over the years the cottage remains and most of the other stones have been removed by visitors. Currently, the cottage is only marked on the road by a handmade sign.
Last July, thanks to the backing of Maureen O'Hara along with Liam Neeson and Michael Flatley, White O'Morn cottage was officially granted status as a protected structure by the Galway County Council. Now fans are calling for it to be restored in memory of O'Hara, who died in October 2015.