If you are in Cork today, check out Crash & Burn in The Gate Cinema at 3.45pm. Screening as part of the Cork Film Festival the film charts how Dundalk-born Tommy Byrne went from driving a Mini Cooper in stock-car racing to the big-time in Formula One in a little over four years and for a fleeting moment in the 80s was the best driver in the world and a serious rival of Ayrton Senna’s. Tommy himself will be attending today and will take part in a post screening Q&A. One to catch if you can!
Tommy Byrne, the equivalent of George Best and Muhammad Ali of the 80’s motor racing scene and subject of upcoming five-star film Crash & Burn will also attend a number of preview screenings around the country ahead of the film’s release on 2ndDecember.
Tommy, who now lives in the US will travel back to Ireland to attend a number of special screenings and take part in Q&A’s with the film’s director in Cork, Dundalk, Dublin and Galway.
Tommy’s rise was meteoric and his fall spectacular. He was a cocky, aggressive driver from humble roots and the F1 glitterati simply didn’t like the mix. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Seán Ó Cualáin, the documentary shines a light on one of professional racing’s most dashing and charismatic talents and a glittering career that was doomed before it ever began. It is the story of the greatest F1 driver never to emerge.
Tickets are now available for the special screenings and Q&A’s. Here are the details:
CORK – Saturday 19th November, Gate Cinema
The film will screen as part of the Cork Film Festival and tickets can be purchased through the festival website
DUNDALK – Thursday 1st December, Omniplex Dundalk
Tommy will head back to the town where he grew up and started his driving career. Tickets for this event can be purchased on the Omniplex Dundalk website.
DUBLIN – Friday 2nd December, Irish Film Institute
A special opening night screening of the film will take place in the IFI in Temple Bar. Tickets can be purchased through the IFI website
GALWAY – Wednesday 7th December, The Eye Cinema
Crash & Burn’s director Seán Ó Cualáin will attend this screening and take part in a Q&A. Tickets for this event can be purchased on The Eye Cinema website.
The film was produced by David Burke Dot TV & Film with funding from the Irish Film Board, RTE and BBC Northern Ireland.
Mondello Park are hosting a special screening of the film on 1st December ahead of the film’s release on 2nd December. A limited number of tickets are on sale now on the ODEON Cinemas Ireland website with a special introduction before the movie. Don’t miss out on seeing this incredible biopic for it’s only showing in Kildare. Get your tickets here http://bit.ly/2f8j3XP
Tommy was profiled in the Irish Independent earlier this week by Vincent Hogan, you can read that piece here
Find out more about Crash & Burn
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John Murphy 