Frank Kearney and The Quiet Man: Fighting to find home

Frank Kearney Image Credit: theletterwritingrevolution.blogspot.com

Frank Kearney is a man who understands what it is like to fight for home and how sometimes it becomes a fight to find home. Soldiers like him often find themselves in situations where death is not a specter but a lord and master. In those moments where life and its end stand on equal ground, any man, however patriotic, may find himself conflicted and utterly lost.

Frank Kearney Image Credit: filmsite.org

This is perhaps one story found in the 1952 film The Quiet Man. Sean Thornton was a professional boxer—not a soldier—who finds himself looking for home when he accidentally puts an opponent to death. He then reclaims his family’s land in the Irish town of Innisfree and realizes something that soldiers, like Frank Kearney, would understand: going home isn’t always quite so simple.

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Thornton finds himself a wife, the sister of a squire who bears a grudge after Thornton outbids him for the land beside his farm. Conflict ensues after the town conspires to get Thornton out of his own house so that the sister, Mary Kate, could wed Thornton. The squire discovers the deception and refuses to release the rest of Mary Kate’s dowry. Thornton’s refusal to stand up to the squire and demand his wife’s dowry—a must in Irish custom—leads Mary Kate to run away.

Thornton follows her and hauls her back to Innisfree, where he finally confronts the squire. The squire and Thornton engage in fisticuffs, after which they finally resolve the issue. The dowry, while released, ended in flames by Mary Kate’s own hand.

In the end, Thornton finds home but not after fighting hard for it. The story ought to be familiar to any soldier headed for home.

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Lt. General Frank Kearney on celebrating the Fourth of July

Frank Kearney Image Credit: acus.org

Retired Lt. General Frank Kearney understands how easy it is for any citizen of America to get lost in the festivities for the Fourth of July. Indeed, as one’s senses are bombarded with noise from fireworks, parades, carnivals, fairs, and concerts, and as individuals are given the opportunity to celebrate such an important historic event with their relatives, friends, and neighbors, it is also easy to forget to take some time to reflect and understand what exactly it is that the nation is celebrating.

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As an army veteran, Mr. Kearney looks at the celebration of freedom as an important time to reflect on the efforts of many men and women to ensure that this freedom is well protected. It is Lt. General Frank Kearney’s wish to have more people understand the plight of the soldiers currently in deployment and for more people to take time to show their appreciation for those who work in the service of the nation.

Image Credit: Frank Kearney

There is nothing wrong with wanting to celebrate the nation’s independence with much fervor. However, if the nation directs some of its passion to celebrate its independence at efforts that care for the modern-day heroes that do their best to protect this sovereignty from malicious elements that wish to do it harm, then it will be taking great strides in the direction of the image of the ideal country its founding fathers wanted to build.

The good army veteran insists that people should continue to celebrate by all means. But he also notes that people should make sure that those who work in service of the country have something to celebrate as well.

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