On August 21st, 2025, The Emerald Storm landed exclusively on Red Bull TV. It is the first feature-length documentary to chart the full history of Irish downhill mountain biking, a sport that has grown from muddy grassroots beginnings into a force on the world stage.
Watch the film here
From Forest Trails to the World Cup
The film spans four decades and five generations of riders. It follows the journey from small crews racing down trails with friends to Irish athletes standing shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world at the UCI Downhill World Cup. What emerges is a portrait of passion, community and persistence, as the sport finds its place in Irish culture and beyond.
A Dream Decades in the Making
At the centre of the project is director and producer John Lawlor. For him, the film is a dream twenty years in the making, two years in production and thirty-five years in spirit. “I’m still pinching myself that this film is finished and will be released to the public very soon,” he says. “The Emerald Storm has been brewing for 35 years and to be in the position to even think about telling the story about the history of the sport in this country is an absolute privilege.”
Digging Through the Archives
Lawlor’s work is built on countless contributions. Friends, photographers and filmmakers dug out old hard drives, VHS tapes and mini DVs to help piece together the story. Their archive is woven into high-energy new footage, capturing both the grit of Irish trails and the speed of the world’s best riders. It is as much a tribute to the community as it is to the races themselves.
A Personal Dedication
The film is also deeply personal. Lawlor dedicates it to his late father, Eamonn, who once drove him and his crew across Europe to chase races when the sport was still in its infancy. “It really is the only place where I felt that I belonged,” he reflects, crediting the Irish mountain bike community for making the sport feel like home since the very beginning.
History and Heritage
For Irish mountain bikers, The Emerald Storm is more than just a documentary. It is a heritage project, a celebration of where the sport has come from and where it is headed. For the wider mountain biking world, it is a rare glimpse into how a small island has managed to carve out a place on the sport’s biggest stage.
