Moby Dicks

«Call me Ishmael.» is one of the most famous opening lines in any book. And Herman Mellville’s genius book of 1851 has a strong link with the town of Youghal, or Eochail, (pronounced YAWL), albeit through the magic of cinema.
Now I’m a huge lover of movies, and love to go to favourite film locations, and this is what brought me, and doubtless millions of other tourists here to Youghal in the years that have elapsed since 1954.
In the 1950’s John Huston, my all time favourite film director, found a home for himself in Ireland with his wife and newborn daughter Anjelica, and chose Youghal, which is a now a popular seaside resort in East Cork, as a likely stand in for the 1840’s Massachusetts’ whaling center: New Bedford of the novel.
Filming took place along the quayside just beyond the Market Square. An old ship that Huston had found in England had been rebuilt to match Melville’s description of the «Pequod» and the cast that included Gregory Peck as the whale-​obsessed Captain Ahab & Richard Basehart as the books hero Ishmael, (and lots of other well known English character actors too), assembled.
Apparently John Huston kind of set up base at Paddy Linehan’s, as this pub was originally known, and planned the days shooting whilst sat in the bar of a morning. After the film makers had gone Paddy renamed the pub.
It wasn’t as characterful inside as I’d hoped it would be, despite it’s very traditional looking & colourful exterior it’s a little too modernized inside. I think anyone expecting it to look like it was when Huston & the crew enoyed a drink here will be disappointed. But there are loads of rare photographs on the walls taken during the filming of Moby Dick. Including a great one of a tweed capped Huston looking positively diminutive next to the tall, broad-​chested bulk of Gregory Peck in costume as Ahab.
The bars OK, but nothing special & they do basic food, but I suppose I’ve been spoilt, having been in so many wonderfully atmospheric pubs by the sea, and one thing this pub lacked was that atmosphere, but it’s nice to have a drink & enjoy the photos.
You need a bit of imagination today to recreate in your mind Youghal as the New Bedford of the movie with the Pequod moored taking on a crew of harpoonists, but it’s worth coming.