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Director
Seán Ó Cualáin
Credits
Writer:David Burke
Category
Documentary
For a fleeting moment in the early 1980s Tommy Byrne was the world’s greatest Formula 1 driver, a man who looked set to rival Senna and Schumacher with his fearless style and his record-breaking speeds. Coming from humble Dundalk roots and starting out as stock-car driver in rural Ireland, he quickly rose to win a host of championships and set new records in time trials in the UK. Never at home or fully welcome in the privileged world of Formula 1 drivers, Byrne’s wild behaviour – including a series of drink and drug-fuelled escapades and an altercation with Ayrton Senna – ultimately led to his exclusion from the club. Director, Seán Ó Cualáin (Men at Lunch) finds Byrne in Florida, now a driving coach, content with his lot, but bitter about a career that was doomed before it even began. Notes by Sunniva O’Flynn
81 minutes, Ireland, 2016, Colour
EAT / SLEEP / CHEER / REPEAT 13.00 (OC), 18.15 (+Q&A)
HOARD 15.10, 18.00
LA CHIMERA 15:30, 20:30
LOVE LIES BLEEDING 20:50
ROME, OPEN CITY 15:40
THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN 13:00, 18:00
TIGER STRIPES 13.15, 20.40
The IFI is supported by The Arts Council