Crossabegmanis awardedanOscar

July 1983

A man who was born in Crossabeg and who received his early education at the little school at Kyle Cross has received the highest accolade of the American motion picture industry for development and research in the science of motion picture sound.

He is Dr. John G. Frayne of Passadena, California, who is now an Oscar winner listed in the director published by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Now 89 years old, the Wexford man has at last received his due reward after years of work from his California base.

His last visit to Wexford was seven years ago, when he arrived to settle the estate of the last member of his family here, the late Joseph Frayne of Crossabeg.

Dr Frayne attended Kilkenny College after leaving school in Crossabeg and later graduated from Trinity College Dublin. He went to the USA on a university scholarship and earned a PhD at the University of Minnesota. His field was physics.

Later, he began work in Hollywood as a sound technician, and became chief of research for the giant Western Electric Company. He completed sound engineering for scores of screen productions over the years, and invented stereo sound for motion pictures. It was this which prompted the Academy to award him the Oscar, the first ever for a man in his field of film technology.

Dr Frayne created the sound effects which enabled film audiences to feel the effects of a massive earthquake while watching disaster unfold on the screen. Although now retired from Western Electric, he is still involved in sound engineering.

Dr Frayne keeps in close contact with his native Wexford, and is a member of Wexford Historical Society. He has had several articles published in the Society’s journal. Meanwhile, he is himself listed in the ‘Who’s Who’ of American Science.

The possibility stems from an invitation issued to the Pope this week to visit the historic borough.

It comes from Wexford Corporation, and in particular from the Mayor, Cllr. John Roche, who is extremely anxious that the Pontiff should include Wexford on his tour.

The Pope is almost certain to visit Dublin, Shannon, Knock, Maynooth, and Drogheda, but if he travels by helicopter, as expected, he could easily reach other areas too, Wexford among them.

On Tuesday, Cllr. Roche asked the Borough Accountant, Mr. John Kennedy, to draft a letter to the Papal Nuncio, Dr. Alibrandi, to invite the 58-year-old Polish pope to the town.

In it, reasons why the Pope should come to Wexford are outlined. The seminary at St. Peter’s College is mentioned, and its long association with missionary work. So too is Cardinal Tomas O Fiach, who studied in St. Peter’s College and who was ordained there in 1948. When Cardinal O Fiach recently received his Red Hat from Pope John Paul in Rome, the President of the College, Fr. Gahan, was present.

The Bishop of Ferns, Dr. Donal Herlihy, is also mentioned in the letter. He has a long and close association with Rome, where he studied for many years, and although he has never met the Pope, he is a great admirer of the man.

Finally, Dr. Alibrandi is told of Our Lady’s Island, the shrine there, and the thousands who go on pilgrimage there each year.

Pope John Paul II has a particular devotion to Our Lady, and would surely be anxious to visit the shrine if he is in the Wexford area, it is felt.

The letter is expected to be drafted and sent this week.