American literary tourists follow in McGahern’s footsteps across Leitrim

A group of John McGahern fans from Kansas visited Drumshanbo last week as part of a growing wave of literary tourism inspired by the acclaimed film That They May Face the Rising Sun — and actor Philip Dolan believes this is just the beginning.

The Knockcroghery native, who starred as Jamesie in the adaptation of McGahern’s celebrated novel, accepted the Excellence in Film Award on behalf of the production at the Kansas City Irish Festival in August. The festival, which attracts more than 25,000 people, launched the new film award this year, with Dolan presenting talks on McGahern’s work to packed audiences.

“It’s a huge event and there’s a real appetite among American audiences to know more about McGahern and the landscapes that inspired his writing,” Dolan said. “People kept asking me, ‘Where can we see that scenery?’ That’s where the idea for a themed McGahern tour started.”

The visit by a Kansas tour group to Drumshanbo followed Dolan’s festival appearance, and he hopes it will grow into something much bigger. “This is just the beginning,” he explained. “The idea is to offer a three-day McGahern-themed experience — visiting places like Ballinamore, where McGahern went to school, the former Garda barracks in Cootehall, and the filming locations near Clonbur and Cong. Even though the film wasn’t shot in Leitrim, the spirit of McGahern’s world is here.”

Dolan, who spent 45 years working in the oil industry across Africa, the Middle East and Canada before unexpectedly finding himself cast in the film, says the project has given him a new sense of purpose in his late seventies. “I never set out to be an actor,” he laughed. “I was reading one of my short stories in a pub when the director, Pat Collins, happened to be there. He was looking for someone to play Jamesie and came back with the casting director a few days later. I read for the part and an hour later they rang to say it was mine.”

The film, which won Best Irish Film at the Dublin International Film Festival last year, has screened in Ireland, Australia and New York — though Dolan admits its international release “wasn’t always well promoted.” Still, its reception abroad has shown him the untapped potential for cultural tourism linked to McGahern’s work.

“I think there’s huge opportunity here,” he said. “Like how The Quiet Man made Cong famous, this film could do the same for Leitrim and Roscommon. We just need to build on it. Even the first Kansas group was only 16 people — but that’s how it starts.”

Dolan is now in early talks with local hotels about developing packages for McGahern-themed itineraries and is also working on a series of radio adaptations of McGahern’s short stories, including The Recruiting Officer, Wheels, and The Country Funeral.

“At nearly 80, I’m proof you can start something new at any age,” he added. “Once you’ve your health — and a good agent (his wife)" he jokes — "there’s no limit to what you can do.”

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Phillip Dolan from Knockcroghery with Rosemary Stipe from Irish Treasures Tours are pictured at The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo with the Excellence in Film Award he received at the Kansas City Irish Festival for ‘That they may face the rising sun’ which he starred in. Pic – Gerry Faughnan