“Barbaric Genius” – Irish Documentary Screening & Q&A with Director

“Barbaric Genius” – A documentary about an extraordinary life
Directed by Paul Duane, Starring Frank Boyle, Dick Fitzgerald, John Healy, Megan Larkin and Robert McCrum

In the early ’90s, writer John Healy was a star, constantly being interviewed about his first book, “The Grass Arena”. The son of Irish immigrants, Healy lived rough on the streets of London for fifteen years, fighting and stealing to survive; a slave to alcohol, any alcohol – wine, strong cider, surgical spirits. Then he discovered chess. Alcohol was left behind. He became a rated chess player and a famous writer. Then John Healy disappeared. Stories emerged to fill the vacuum, dark stories; he was mentally ill – a psychopath. Filmmaker Paul Duane avidly followed these rumors as Healy’s book had made an enormous impression on him. In 2006, Paul Duane found John Healy.

We invite you to come join us for an evening of great contemporary Irish cinema that includes a Q&A with the film’s director and to be a part of our community, making new friends and reuniting with familiar faces. You are home with us, a place for all the generations to come and be together and to celebrate Irish culture.

The New York Irish Center is situated in the beautiful waterfront community of Long Island City, Queens, only five mins. by subway from Grand Central Terminal.
For more about who we are and how we came to be where we are, please check out our promotional video at www.nyirish.org, it’s right there on the home page.