This gritty drama , told primarily in flashback, is set against the backdrop of the amateur world of boxing in Belfast. Fortunes Fool tells the story of two brothers Tommy and Seamus McGrade, who as children, witnessed their fathers death in the Ring.
The trauma of this experience sharpens their resolve to succeed in boxing. They also see this as a way of carrying on the family tradition established by their late father, a hero to both his sons. However, as the two brothers develop and improve their boxing skills over the next 10 years and establish an enviable reputation in Irish boxing, it becomes apparent that their fathers loss has affected them in conflicting ways.