A New York Film Premiere
Directed by Frank Shouldice
Produced by Trisha Canning & Cormac Hargaden of Loosehorse Productions
May 25 and May 26, 2021
★★★★ “A fascinating story about the passion of belief.” – Sunday Business Post
The Man Who Wanted to Fly tells the irresistible story of 80-something bachelor farmer Bobby Coote from Cavan who has had a lifelong dream to fly a plane. Enlisting the help of his neighbor Seán, the two set out to build their own field of dreams, cutting out a runway in Seán’s farm and even building a hangar in this small rural community. Bobby will get no encouragement from his brother Ernie, another octogenarian in the Coote family home. Ernie thinks the whole thing is daft, but Bobby is determined to take to the skies if it’s the last thing he does.
Capturing the wonder of one man’s dreams The Man Who Wanted to Fly is a unique journey into a disappearing border hinterland and is sure to delight audiences all over the world.
Following acclaimed festival screenings at the Galway Film Fleadh, Guth Gafa, and winner of the Audience Award at the IFI Documentary Film Festival, The Man Who Wanted to Fly landed in cinemas across Ireland in March of 2019. To date, the film has won 11 awards internationally including the Best Feature Documentary at the Barnes Film Festival, London and Alvsbyn Film Festival, Sweden.
Advance registration is required.
Irish Rep is committed to making art that is affordable and accessible. In pursuit of this goal, we have chosen to make this event free to the public. We ask that if you are in a position to support us, you might consider making a donation. Your contribution will ensure that we can continue to offer top-quality events, hire artists and actors, and be ready to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.
Prior to your chosen screening, the link to our Theatre @ Home platform (athome.irishrep.org) will be emailed to registered attendees. To access the show, you MUST register for your chosen screening with an active Irish Rep email address and password, and use that Irish Rep email address and password to log in to our platform.
If you book less than 2 hours before the event begins, or do not receive the pre-show email outlined above, you can access your screening by heading to the Theatre @ Home platform, athome.irishrep.org, and log in using your Irish Rep email address and password (the same login information used to book the performance). Your chosen screening will be under the heading “Digital Stage.”
★★★★★ “A sheer delight from start to finish.” – Irish Examiner
“Charming…heartwarming” – Chicago Reader
Irish Repertory Theatre wishes to thank Screen Ireland, RTÉ, Dublin Aerospace, and the Howard Gilman Foundation.