A land for Quint

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This year was the 50th anniversary of the famous movie “Jaws,” and, as we all know, it was widely celebrated. I was probably the only person in the world who had not seen this iconic film, and so a few weeks ago I sat down to watch it. I found it enthralling and scary, and it was fun spotting the Vineyard venues where it was filmed. But for me, the character of Quint, played by Robert Shaw, was totally captivating. Now I understood why so many hats, T shirts and sweatshirts memorialized the rugged fisherman. His demeanor and face reminded me so strongly of Ireland, and as my research shows, there was a strong connection between Robert Shaw and Ireland.

In 2025, “Jaws” was shown around the world, including in all the movie theaters of Ireland, to celebrate its 50th. On Martha’s Vineyard, where much of the film was made, the 50th anniversary of the iconic film was celebrated with personal recollection. It was also greatly celebrated in a remote village in Ireland. It marked an opportunity for the people in the village of Tourmakeady in Mayo, Ireland, to see an old and well-loved friend. This little-known part of the world, known for a beautiful waterfall and for a battle fought during the Irish War of Independence, and where they speak Gaeilge, is nestled on the banks of the beautiful Lough Mask. It would not seem to be the obvious place to celebrate the global “Jaws” phenomenon, but it has deep connections to the movie and to Shaw, the charismatic actor who played the complex shark hunter Quint. It was from this picturesque village that Shaw traveled to Martha’s Vineyard to film “Jaws,” and for the last seven years of his life he made his permanent home in Tourmakeady. In 1971 he bought Drimbawn House, a hunting lodge built in the 1850s and used by its aristocratic owners as a base for their hunting and fishing parties. For Robert Shaw, its main attraction was the extraordinary views of Lough Mask and the ever-changing light in the Irish skies.

He is fondly remembered in Tourmakeady as a man who loved Ireland and immersed himself in the local rural culture. He grew crops, raised pigs, and was often seen serving customers in the local pub. He planned to open a hotel there, but sadly that dream was not realized, as Shaw suffered a fatal heart attack while traveling in Ireland. He was only 51. At his family’s request, his ashes were scattered on Lough Mask and on the grounds of Drimbawn House, where he and his family had made their home. Drimbawn is now a privately owned residence, but is clearly visible from the banks of Lough Mask, and it is easy to see its charm and appeal to someone so successful in the commercial world of acting, but who apparently did not ever feel comfortable in what his wife described as the razzamatazz of Hollywood.

Shaw’s performance as Quint resonated with the people of Tourmakeady and of Martha’s Vineyard, who saw him as a man of the people who made a risky living hunting sharks: a man of swaggering courage, but capable of great tenderness. In both places, the life of the sea was well-known. It was loved but feared. Shaw’s Quint was a complex man who embraced great danger, and shared his expertise, but was ultimately alone haunted by the memory of his comrades massacred by sharks. He expresses his cynicism about why governments do what they do from the depth of his heartbreak. Audiences recognized the man they saw on the screen. He was a man whose struggles and skills resonated with his audiences.
In Tourmakeady they gained a picture of Martha’s Vineyard that inspired many young Irish people to travel to the Island to see for themselves the similarities and differences between Ireland and the Vineyard.

Thirty years after Shaw’s death in 1978, the people of Tourmakeady still remembered their famous resident, and in 2008 a monument to Robert Shaw was created on the shores of Lough Mask. More than 100 people attended the dedication of the large granite rock bearing his name and the Gaeilge words: “Ar Dheis De Go Raibh A Anam” which translates to “May His Soul Sit at God’s Right Hand.” The monument faced Lough Mask, offering unrestricted views across the lake. Shaw’s final resting place honors the man and the relationship he forged with this remote village. He is remembered by many as saying, “I love Ireland more than any other country in the world,” and the memorial makes clear that Ireland loved him in return. 

Many members of Robert Shaw’s family attended that dedication, and his wife Virginia reflected on his larger-than-life personality: “He was a wonderful person,” she noted. “He was fun, generous, loved his children. He just wanted to be himself. He wanted real life. Tourmakeady gave him that.”

Reflecting on his father’s legacy, his son Colin noted, “Off-screen he remained a family man. He valued the privacy that he found in Tourmakeady. He had a deep affection for the landscape and the people of Mayo, and would be absolutely delighted that he is being commemorated locally. “

Fifty years after “Jaws” was first released, Quint is remembered on Martha’s Vineyard where his character resonated with the marine culture as it once existed, and in Ireland, where he left an indelible mark on a small rural village.