Knuckle

Director Ian Palmer had a contact with Irish 'traveller' families and he became interested in their ways. In particular he sought out the semi-ritualized bare knuckle fights which solve (and re-kindle) their feuds. This feature-length documentary has been gestating for over a decade. Palmer's film partly appeals because of the secret nature of the age-old practice and the raw brutality of some of the moments caught on film. It grabs the same part of the psyche that responds when the ugly cage fighting is on (Cable) TV. Of course bare knuckle fighting isn't the invention of the 'tinkers' – it was common throughout England in the 19th century – it just looks weird now as an atavistic survival amongst these sprawling, huge, feud-locked families. Some of Palmer's subjects are great documentary material, especially his lead character who keeps fighting (and winning) but who has begun to felt heart-sick at the whole thing. You can also see the well springs of renewal in the adoring faces of the little boys who shadow box and dance around him as he comes home victorious. This is what it means to be a real man in this community. The old men are involved too, usually as referees (there are rules as we discover when young aspirant loses the plot and is disqualified for a bit of the old Mike Tyson face-biting). Away from the blood lust and excitement of the back lots and lanes, the members of the various feuding families – the Quinns and the Joyces – pontificate on what the point of it all is. "It's not just wars", says one man, "it means something." But the remark hangs in the air precisely because, as Palmer's haunting doco shows, this might no longer be true, if it ever was. There is individual heroism here but increasingly the sad idea takes hold that this dying form is just a huge cannibalistic waste of community energies.

Everybody has there their own views on travellers . Most of which would not be printable . Knuckles is a film that follows a group of feuding families over a 12 year period who try settle their differences by bare knuckle boxing. This is a rare and fascinating look into a side of life that non travellers very rarely see. These men , who have genuine hate for each other , pitch up and fight sometimes for hours , for the honour of their families and also for big big money. What surprised me about these fight is that it is not as unruly as you might imagine. There is a referee who pulls the fighters apart and keeps order and the families who hate each other are not allowed to watch so to avoid brawls. Another this is , is that they very rarely actually knock each other out. Because these are proud men , they don't stop , so eventually fatigue becomes the winner.

I really enjoyed Knuckles. It showed a group of people who are so fiercely proud of the families they belong to but have an almost Neanderthal way of life.

Well worth watching.

Like many people, I watched numerous fights between Travellers on Youtube. I never really understood what motivated two men to stand in an old, mucky lane - and throw down until both were bloody and bruised. 'Knuckle' provides the back-story to why all of these fights went down.

It begins in 1997 when the director is asked to film a wedding for a then 18 year old, Michael Quinn McDonagh. The footage for the documentary spans over a decade up to 2009, documenting a cross-family feud between the Quinn McDonaghs and the Joyces. Both the Quinn McDonaghs, and Joyces are related. But this does not stop the ensuing battle that would rage on between the families up to present day.

Both families create video tapes, to taunt the opposing family and 'send for' a representative to fight. The fights are documented, some ending in violent fashion, while others ending in a mutual agreement for a draw.

The first documented fight shows James Quinn of the Quinn McDonaghs and Paddy Joyce, throw down in a quiet country lane. The fight is short, but brutal. Although it is violent, both fighters fight under fair rules - which ensures that no head-butting, biting or kicking is allowed - and when a man is defeated, the fight is over.

This would set the stage for the rest of the documentary. The film is fresh, and shows an often unseen side of the Irish Traveller community. Big money is often up for grabs, one fight alone has a purse of £120,000 - larger than the purses of many of today's professional boxers.

Anyone who has seen the Irish traveller fights on Youtube, and wants to get a better understanding of the story behind these fights - should watch this documentary. Credit to the director - as this is the culmination of 12 years work. I can't think of any other documentary that is shot over such a long period.

It was an interesting documentary. The accents were so thick and completely impenetrable. Apart from the fights themselves I didn't have a clue what was being said. At times it did feel like it was on craggy island.

Ian Palmer's fascinating look into the oft hidden world of traveling Irish gypsies and there subsequent bare knuckle boxing is a raw unflinching documentary that while not offering any concrete answers as to why these things happen it's still a must see account of some wholly original real life characters and lifestyles.

Make no doubt about you will need to have subtitles on for Knuckle for it features a set of Irish men whose accent is so thick you would be hard pressed to understand a single sentence. The focus of Knuckle and these men is on James McDonagh a man who has never lost a fight and amongst his fellow kin is likened to some sort of Irish boxing God. James is a bewildering character but an ever watchable one, witness as he proclaims his fighting days are over only to again return to the arena to uphold is families name once more. Capturing James and his family over twelve years is director Palmer who deserves much credit for his work here.

Palmer's direction is not professional in any stretch of the imagination but what it is true to the subject and his ability to have an unflinching eye on proceedings of these family feuds should be commended. With Palmer's hand behind camera the film never feels like it is taking a side in the story or pointing fingers at anyone whether they seem right or wrong, it's a bold directional decision yet allows the film to play out in non-intrusive way.

Knuckle is a gritty violent film that some will find truly repulsive, Knuckle is also a must see for what happens in this story is real, the people are real and the emotions are real. If someone were to make a movie of this story it would seem unrealistic yet here we have an unquestionably honest look at a world that many would prefer not to acknowledge, put it this way if you thought Brad Pitt was the quintessential gypsy boxer you ain't seen nothing yet.

4 swollen knuckles out of 5