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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
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN 20:25
ARCHIVE AT LUNCHTIME: LOVE HURTS (PROGRAMME 1) 13:00
BLUE ROAD – THE EDNA O’BRIEN STORY 13:00, 18:30
BRIEF ENCOUNTER (80TH ANNIVERSARY) 20:50
I’M STILL HERE (PREVIEWS FROM FEBRUARY 14TH) 18:00
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL 13:40, 18:20 (OC)
THE BRUTALIST (70MM) 13:50
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG 15:10
TO A LAND UNKOWN 16.00, 20.40
The IFI is supported by The Arts Council