Galway Bay Fm newsroom-A long running legal battle over the ownership of the ruins of the iconic White O’Morn’ cottage at Maam, featured in the 1952 movie The Quiet Man, has been settled.
According to reports in today’s Sunday newspapers California-based Greg Ebbitt, the registered owner of the cottage and six acres surrounding it since 1985, says he has won a legal battle with a local man regarding ownership.
Connemara farmer and businessman Patrick Keane made an application for squatters rights to the Property Registration Authority last April.
But Mr Ebbitt said he had made a “gentleman’s agreement” with Mr Keane to allow him graze the lands in the late 80s in return for maintenance work.
Last July while the legal battle was ongoing the ruined cottage was placed under Irish state protection.
Now Mr Ebbitt says he is relieved that the legal battle is over and winning it has given him renewed ambition to finally begin restoring the dilapidated Connemara cottage made famous in the film which starred John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara.