One of the best Irish movies ever is airing on TV tonight

It's maybe the funniest Irish film ever.

The crime comedy film sees Brendan Gleeson play Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a crass and confrontational cop working in a sleepy town in Connemara.

Disinterested at work and regularly indulging in drugs and alcohol while on duty, Boyle finds himself paired up with straight-laced FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) against his will.

Everett is in Connemara hunting a group of drug traffickers (played by Gerry Wilmot, Liam Cunningham and Mark Strong) who are seeking to take advantage of the isolation of the West. This is so that they can receive a massive seaborne shipment of cocaine.

As the traffickers start to interfere with Boyle's life, the cop decides to settle his differences with Everett to take down the criminals together.

Featuring dynamite chemistry between Cheadle and Gleeson, a scabrously funny script by McDonagh and an oddly emotional redemption arc for its anti-hero, The Guard became the most successful independent Irish movie in Irish box office history upon release in 2011.

It is now widely considered a cult classic.

The Guard is airing on TV tonight on Film4 at 2:55am. It should also be available to stream on Channel 4's website after it airs.