How Quiet Man Daniel provoked Majella
DANIEL O’DONNELL dresses up as John Wayne in The Quiet Man in his latest TV adventure.
And a tiff with wife Majella almost causes the pair to channel the hot-tempered heroes of the famous film.
The celebrity couple travel to Cong, Co. Mayo, where the famous movie was made, for the latest episode of Daniel & Majella’s B&B Road Trip.
They are the guests of Gerry and Margaret Collins, who run the Quiet Man-themed Michaeleen’s Manor B&B.
Obsessed Gerry also runs the adjacent Quiet Man Museum and Tours. All six rooms in the B&B are named after characters in the film, and the walls are lined with photos of the stars.
Gerry knows every line from the film and even his own family call him the ‘king of the Quiet Man crazies’.
‘Quiet Man crazies are the same as the Trekkies,’ says Gerry, referring to the fanatical fans of the Star Trek TV series.
So it is no surprise that the B&B hosts a Quiet Man day for their famous guests.
Daniel dons John Wayne’s familiar tweed cap and waistcoat while Majella finds her inner Maureen O’Hara with a large hat and shawl before they are taken around the area in a jaunting car.
Along the way they re-enact some of the most famous scenes from the 1952 film.
But it is not all sweetness and light. When they first arrive in town, Majella stalls the car.
‘You’re not great with the driving,’ Daniel says under his breath.
His wife, who has been behind the wheel for the whole series, stares at him incredulously and snaps back: ‘I stalled once and “I’m not great at the driving!”’
Daniel replies: ‘You stalled a lot of times. Come on.’
After their Mayo adventure, they next travel to Carrick-onShannon, Co. Leitrim, where they are guests of Noel and Deirdre Mulhern in Clenahoo House B&B.
The couple, who have been together for 47 years, take their guests on a Shannon cruise.
Daniel & Majella’s B&B Road Trip is on RTÉ One at 8.30pm on Tuesday.