WHILE Moneygall can claim President Barack Obama as one of their own, Schull is hoping to prove that the legendary Bing Crosby has his roots firmly planted in West Cork.
All that remains today is an ivy-clad ruin but Dr. Noel Buckley historical archivist and Bing Crosby fan is confident that he has pin-point the remains of the home where the world-famous singer’s family hails from.
‘The records show that Bing Crosby’s maternal great-grandfather, Dennis Harrigan, was living in Schull parish in the late spring of 1831. All that is left now is a ruined ivy-clad wall, but if proper interpretive signs were installed, or if a plaque was erected, it could become a massive attraction in the area,’ Dr. Buckley said.
However, the owners of the land on which the ruin now stands are reluctant to disclose the exact location at the moment. ‘The site of the ancestral home is located overlooking the Atlantic. Within a quarter mile of the site there are wonderful views of Carbery’s 100 isles. And with 90million Americans of Irish descent in the US and Canada, the site, if developed with the consent of the landowners, could become a huge attraction for them,’ Dr. Buckley continued.
In the mean time Dr. Buckley would like to see a plaque or a statue unveiled in Bing’s honour in Schull. ‘There is an opportunity for the people of Schull to honour their famous son with a plaque or a statue in the village centre,’ Dr. Buckley concluded.
Bing Crosby was born in 1903 in Tacoma, Washington. His well-know trademark voice made him one of the greatest recording artists of the twentieth century with perhaps his most famous record ‘White Christmas’ which was released back in December 1941. He won an Academy Award for best actor in 1944 for his role as Father Chuck O’Malley in ‘Going My Way’, which was directed by Leo McCarey. He died at the age of 74 while playing golf.
