Knuckle tells the brutal, honest and sometimes touching story of the real world of bare knuckle boxing. Twelve years in the making, Ian Palmer’s documentary gets deep to the heart of a community where feuding and “fair fights” are rife. Following the feud between three traveller clans, the Quinn McDonaghs, the Joyces and the Nevins, we spend most of our time with James Quinn McDonagh, head of the family and an undefeated bare knuckle boxing champion. As the film progresses, we see these families grow and change, with marriages and births, but the overriding sentiment is that everything takes a back seat to the feud which defines these families. Despite the ferocity of the fighting and the genuine enmity that exists between the clans, you find yourself warming to the people, in particular James, who comes across as something of a gentle giant who has been forced into this lifestyle. Forget any preconceptions about bare knuckle boxing and the traveller community that you may have had, because this film blows them away.
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