A campaign is underway to erect a statue of the late movie star Robert Mitchum in Dingle, the town where he was loved so well after shooting classic Ryan’s Daughter there.
Mitchum was born in Connecticut in 1917 and became one of Hollywood’s leading stars throughout the 1950s and 60s.
He starred in the 1970 film Ryan’s Daughter, which tells the story of an Irish woman who has an affair with a British soldier during the First World War.
Ryans’ Daughter was a huge success and helped bring a lot of tourism to Dingle, where much of the film is set.
More than 50 years after the movie’s release, campaigners are pushing for a statue of Mitchum to be erected in Dingle to honour his work and close relationship with the town.
Maurice Colgan is one of the fans that want to see the statue, and believes it could be as popular as the Phil Lynott statue in Dublin.
Maurice said: “Just think of the selfies. Who wouldn’t want to get a picture of themselves with Robert Mitchum in Dingle?
“This guy was simply the coolest movie star of all time and Dingle should be celebrating their special link to him.
“There are wonderful stories of Robert Mitchum walking through Dingle, shopping with a little basket, and having little chats with the shopkeepers.”
Maurice has even reached out to Mitchum’s son Christopher, who is a businessman living in the America.
He was a huge supporter of the campaign and even said he would be happy to fly over to unveil it.
Christopher Mitchum said: “I think that’s a wonderful idea. The statue’s purpose would be to honour him and that year he spent in Dingle.”
Maurice believes that a bronze statue of Mitchum would cost somewhere around €60,000 but believes the long-term benefits would make it a worthwhile expense.
One of Dingle’s main tourist attractions over recent years has been Fungie the dolphin who lived in the bay, although he is sadly no longer with us.
Maurice said: “Fungie is gone and having the Mitchum family backing this statue to their dad could lead to something wonderful for the town of Dingle.”
Here is the YouTube trailer for the movie Ryan’s Daughter, so if you have not seen him in action, you can get a feeling of Mitchum’s presence and performance in front of the camera.
