I found the film interesting, despite the early statement, that Paddy was a term of endearment in England, when quite the opposite was in fact true. Irish neutrality is a badge of honor, We were a newly independent state in 1922 and freeing ourselves from British imperialism . This Imperialism which the sun was supposed to never set, still had India and may other country's under its none democratic thumb The black & tans /British army which had terrorized Ireland was fresh in the memory, the Famine less than a hundred years past, What Britons seem to forget is that Winston Churchill only had a problem with Fascism when it endangered the Empire. Mohatma Gandi was seen more of a danger, It is true that many Irish men choose to fight Fascism for economical and ideological reasons. Britain and France had turned its back on the Spanish Republic, In 1939 Britain found itself in the last chance saloon, History would be thankful that they choose to fight Fascism after sacrificing Czechoslovakia and then Poland. In 1939 Ireland was left with Hopson's choice between the iron heal and the lions den.

As someone who has a keen interest in the war in the air during WW2, (my late father flew Lancasters), I need no second invitation to watch a film on the subject.

In spite of my interest, I had never heard of Brendan "Paddy" Finucane or his remarkable story, a young half Irish lad with a longheld ambition to fly, decides to get involved in a war that he could easily have avoided. He defied his father, prejudice and instead relied on his unwavering belief and fighting spirit to become the youngest ever Wing Commander in the RAF aged just 21 and not surprisingly was highly decorated for his achievements.

It is clear that The Shamrock Spitfire is on a budget and whilst Shane O'Regan does a decent enough job in the lead role, the air action sequences are akin to a computer game plus inaccuracies are regular. Battle of. Britain sequences featuring Mk IX Spits - nah! All too often, senior RAF officers looked wistfully skyward as a flight of aircraft passed over them, it's as though the film makers couldn't concoct anything more and this was a shame.

So why 6/10? The story, pure an simple - it really is compelling. I just wish I could have given a score of 9 because the film matched it.