A legendary Irish thriller movie is airing on TV this week

Controversial upon release, the cult classic film will be getting a rare TV broadcast.

Written by Colm Bairéad and directed by Bob Quinn, the movie was the first feature film in the Irish language, as well as the first feature film funded by the Arts Council.

The story centres around Michil (Cyril Cusack), a poitín maker in rural Connemara in Galway, as he tries to avoid the attentions of the Gardaí.

This is as he becomes embroiled in a feud with the violent local duo (Donal McCann and Niall Tóibín) that he employs to sell his liquor.

Shot entirely on location in Connemara, Poitín was released in cinemas in 1978.

It was actually the movie's airing on RTÉ on St. Patrick's Day in 1979 that generated major controversy, however, with many viewers taking issue with the thriller's unflattering depiction of Irish life.

Speaking about the negative reaction in an interview with Galway Pulse, director Quinn said: “It’s better to be insulted than ignored.

“I did hear various rumbles, however. ‘Lig tú Conamara síos’ (you let down Connemara) was one thing I heard. If it didn’t get adverse criticism, it wasn’t worth criticising, I figured.

"I certainly didn’t want to emphasise the Bord Fáilte image of nice people smiling and saying ‘dia duit’. I wanted to disabuse people of that idea that [Connemara] people were nice, simple people because they weren’t.

"They were tough people and they still are."

That said, Poitín has gone on to be considered a cult classic.

In 2023, acclaimed Irish filmmaker Paul Duane (All You Need is Death) said of the film in an RTÉ column:

"Like The Wire, on a very small scale, we see poitín-making as a crucial part of the dark economy, one that cops will prosecute even while they’re happy to drink the product, while the only ones who really want to see it disappear are pub-owners.

"Cyril Cusack's deft naturalism gives the lie to the myth of the ham 'Abbey actor’, Tóibín, McCann and [supporting actor Mick] Lally are hypnotically watchable."

A digitally remastered version of Poitín is airing on TG4 at 10.40pm on Friday, 22 August.