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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
AMERICAN INDEPENDENTS: CLERKS 18.20
ARCHIVE AT LUNCHTIME: BRITISH & IRISH (PROGRAMME 1) 12.50 12.50
CROSSING 13.00, 18.10
HEART OF AN OAK 13.10
LA CHIMERA 15.45
SHAYDA 15.30, 20.30
SLEEP 13.40
THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN 20.50
THE COMMANDANT’S SHADOW 18.30
THE CONVERSATION 50TH ANNIVERSARY 4K RESTORATION 20.40
The IFI is supported by The Arts Council