Ireland has always been a player in the world of animation, from the world famous Don Bluth Studios that operated out of Dublin in the 80s to recent Oscar successes with Granny O’Grim and The Book of Kells. That we are seem to have a knack for cartoons isn’t surprising really because the greatest of them all, Walt Disney has more Irish connections to his name than just Darby O’Gill.
Walt’s branch of the Disney family originated in Kilkenny and was descended from the Normans who settled in Ireland after 1066. The family continued to live in the region until Walt’s great grandfather Arundel Disney decided to up sticks in 1834 and move to Canada with his wife and 16 children.
In typical Irish fashion the family spread far and wide across the Americas with Walt’s family finally settling in Chicago. Walt was born in 1901 and from an early age proved pretty handy with a pencil; by the time he was 15 was already producing his own cartoons.
The house that Walt built
In 1923 he set up the animation studio bearing his name that at first, was operated out his brother’s garage. Under his personal supervision, the studio created the first cartoons with sound, then colour and in 1937 the first feature length cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, a film that ushered in a golden age of animation. Walt won 26 Acadamy Awards and also created some of the 20th century’s cultural icons with Mickey, Donald and Goofy; characters that have retained their popularity to this day.
After Walt’s death in 1966 Walt’s nephew, Roy Disney, took over the running of the animation studios and was the last family member to be involved with the company that bears the Disney name. Roy always celebrated his Irish roots, visiting regularly and buying Kilbrittain Castle in Cork which acted as his European base of operations.
So the next time you see the castle logo or catch the Lion King while channel surfing, just remember none of it would exist at all if it wasn’t for our Disney boys from Kilkenny.
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