Brendan Paddy Finucane in his Spitfire in 1941A new film about flying ace “Spitfire Paddy” is currently in production in England. Mal Rogers speaks to Ian and Dominic Higgins who are making A Shamrock at my Side.
July 15 will mark the 80th anniversary of the death of Dublin-born World War II hero, Spitfire Paddy, killed in action. The Rathmines man, born Brendan Eamonn Fergus Finucane — known to friends and colleagues as “Paddy” — was a flying ace who took part in the Battle of Britain.
The future of Europe hung by a thread as the air battle raged over the skies of southern England. Pilots from the UK, the Commonwealth, the US and countries invaded by Germany were involved — including many Poles and Frenchmen. There were also a handful of volunteers from Ireland.
Brendan, or Spitfire Paddy as he was increasingly known, was one of these Irishmen. He quickly showed his prowess at flying and on August 1, 1940, in a battle with 12 Messerschmitts, shot one down and made it safely home with his Spitfire intact.
To be good at aerial combat — jousting at 10,000 feet or more with enemy aircraft — required a mixture of bravery, tactical awareness, brute force and a mastery of aerodynamics — a combination as rarefied as it was complex. Finucane had the lot.
Because of his flying skill and leadership qualities Brendan Finucane soon became wing commander, subsequently promoted to acting flight lieutenant flying offensive patrols over France.
Brendan’s prowess at aerial combat was such that he soon became something of an RAF pin-up. RAF pilots were already seen as glamorous, and the Dublin man's fame spread after he shot down the best-known German fighter pilot of the time, Adolph Galland. He took part in several radio interviews for the BBC, and his daring feats were talked about as far away as America. His dark good looks helped foster an image of derring-do.
In one interview, the young pilot said he was proud of his Irish blood and became concerned to see it pouring out of him after he was "shot up” in one encounter.
He added, thoughtfully, “It was good Dublin blood which, I thought, should not be wasted.”
On July 15, 1942, Finucane took off for a mission over France. His Spitfire was damaged by ground-fire. Finucane attempted to fly back across the English Channel but was forced to ditch into the sea and subsequently vanished.
Actors Carl Wharton and Stuart Horobin on setThe film
After discovering the story of Brendan Finucane, Midlands-based directors Ian and Dominic Higgins from Pixel Revolution Films (in Birmingham) approached their long time producer Nigel Davey from Davey Films with the idea of bringing his story to the screen.
With a handshake, the three of them agreed to take on the ambitious project A Shamrock at my Side.
Executive producer John Dawson quickly came on board and helped propel the project forward.
Ian and Dominic spent a year writing the screenplay in which they worked closely with the Finucane family, along with family historian John Donovan.
The team have also brought on historical experts to help with all the costumes, sets and props needed.
Dominic said, “We want this story to feel authentic in every way, even going as far as having our Dublin characters speak with a Dublin accent that really no longer exists”.
“We are also working closely with Hornchurch Aerodrome Museum the former airbase where Brendan served as wing commander —they have been unbelievably supportive of the project,” Ian added.
“Brendan had his baptism of fire in the Battle of Britain, which is obviously a challenge to depict convincingly onscreen. Recreating such epic scenes, certainly provides us with many challenges. We’ve spent months collecting and studying authentic gun footage – we don’t want anything to feel too CG [computer graphics], we want to capture a real sense of what it was like to be in a Spitfire in the middle of combat.”
Dublin-born actor Shane O’Regan will play Brendan Finucane and Eoin Lynch will play his father Andy.
Other cast members include Emily Outred who plays his mother Florence, Chris Kaye who will play Keith “Bluey” Truscott – Australian fighter ace and Brendan’s close friend and Bethany Billy who plays Jean Woolford, Brendan’s fiancée.
Also co-producing the film is Sally Humphreys Wood and Trevor Beattie who recently produced the documentary films Spitfire and Lancaster.
A Shamrock at My Side and is due for release next year, anyone wanting more information or to come on board as an sponsorship partner can email - [email protected]
Shane O'Regan as Brendan FinucaneBrendan “Paddy” Finucane
Brendan Finucane DSO, DFC & Two Bars died at the age of 21 and remains the youngest wing commander in the history of the RAF.
Paddy Finucane was born in Rathmines in 1920 into an Ireland that was a very troubled land. His father Thomas Andrew Finucane had been involved in the fight for Irish freedom during the War of Independence, and had been taught mathematics at college by Éamon de Valera. Thomas Finucane subsequently became a member of the Volunteers and fought alongside de Valera. He was one of those who bravely held out against the British in Dublin's Boland's Mill, a crucial battle in the fight for Ireland's independence.
But in a microcosm of the complex relationship between Ireland and England, Thomas’s father, Brendan’s grandfather, had served with the King's Own Scottish Borderers in the British army in India.
Thomas Andrew Finucane, Brendan’s father, was a strict Catholic, a teetotaller who was hardline on most social issues,
But he became a successful businessman, and the family moved to England in 1936.
In 1937 Brendan joined up with the RAF on a short-service commission. He’d got his taste for flying on pleasure flights at Baldonnel airfield.
Despite Thomas’s republican past, he agreed to Brendan’s joining up with the RAF. He believed a military career would provide a sense of direction to the young Finucane.
Brendan’s nephew, His nephew, Brendan Finucane QC — a judge in London — told the BBC that there was no doubt his uncle chose to fly for the RAF as he knew the Germans had to be stopped.
"My uncle was probably the most pre-eminent of that generation of Irishmen who volunteered to come and fight (with Britain) in the Second World War," he said.
On setPixel RevolutionFilms
Pixel Revolution Films was set up by award-winning film-makers and digital artists Ian and Dominic Higgins with the aim of creating fresh and innovative projects.
Ian and Dominic originally studied art, photography and 3D design at Bournville Art College and in 2003 they formed Pixel Revolution Films.
