When we say this documentary has it all, we really mean it.
RTÉ One aired the documentary In League With Gaddafi on Monday night and, as expected, it garnered quite the reception.
The story behind it is quite incredible. In 1989, a League of Ireland selection, managed by the legendary Brian Kerr and comprised of players from Bohemians and St. Patrick’s Athletic, travelled to Libya to play a game against the national team at a time when the Gadaffi regime was dominant.
The documentary is heavily propped up by RTÉ archival footage, as well as interviews with players who made the trip and, of course, Brian Kerr himself.
Although the documentary is about football at its core, it also excellently depicts Ireland in the 1980s while also looking at the links between Provisional IRA and Gadaffi.
And as is expected with such a brilliant documentary, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
Plenty of people took to social media to praise director Kevin Brannigan’s work:
This is the greatest documentary ever made.
I’m loving every second of it.
It’s like the Commitments meets Argo with just the perfect amount of Brian Kerr. #InLeagueWithGaddafi— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (@AodhanORiordain) December 9, 2019
Pure class stuff by @KevinBrannigans et al on #InLeagueWithGaddafi. Great watch.
— Mark_Coughlan (@Mark_Coughlan) December 9, 2019
Tremendous stuff @KevinBrannigans, quite the watch #InLeagueWithGaddafi
— Paul O'Hehir (@paulohehir) December 9, 2019
The moment #InLeagueWithGaddafi when Charlie Haughey is walking down the street to Inspector Norse is as good as television gets, well played @KevinBrannigans
— Barry Finnegan (@Barrywfinnegan) December 9, 2019
#InLeagueWithGaddafi was brilliant. More TV like this pls @rte great use of archives, good use of music, bizarre story and proper portrait of Ireland at the time. And it heavily features the godlike Brian Kerr. ?@KevinBrannigans
— Leagues O'Toole (@foggynotions) December 10, 2019
#InLeagueWithGaddafi Is fantastic. Brian Kerr is a gas gas man. I’d see he’s made up of about 60% coddle.
— Gary Gannon (@1GaryGannon) December 9, 2019
#InLeagueWithGaddafi was a wonderful snapshot of 80s Ireland in all its grimly bizarre glory.
Well done to @KevinBrannigans & @aslinndubh
— Paul Page (@pagep195) December 9, 2019
After being told on several occasions that nobody would be interested in a League of Ireland based documentary, I’m loving #InLeagueWithGaddafi on RTE now. When the story is interesting enough it doesn’t matter if you’re a LOI fan or not!! Also…mon the Saints #redarmy
— Catherine O'Mahony (@CatherineMatz) December 9, 2019
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