#brendanbehan — Public Fediverse posts
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Brendan Behan #BrendanBehan
It Must Be Wonderful to Be Free
Archive on 4Irish novelist Megan Nolan presents an intimate study of the late playwright, singer and novelist, Brendan Behan. She reveals a poetic socialist, a fiercely anti-establishment artist concerned with class solidarity, outcasts, liberation, self-revelation and empathy. And she trashes the trivial, stereotyped memory of Behan, as Ireland’s most famous drunk.
She tells his story through the lens of his most prolific years, 1954 - 1958. It was a time of explosive creativity for Behan, which saw the release of three of his most remarkable works - his plays The Quare Fellow and The Hostage, and his work of auto-fiction Borstal Boy. She hears about his determination in these years to recruit language rather than the militarised violence of his youth as a means to valorise life, dignity, humour and queer love, and to advance his vision for his country, forged in his working class roots.
His words paint a picture of a complex character. An intelligent, anti-establishment writer, an Irish beatnik whose talents “would make Jack Kerouac weep with terror” and who even Bob Dylan couldn’t find the courage to “touch the hem of his garment”. A man who met a tragic end, addicted to alcohol and wielding his fame and power in cruel ways.
Marking the 60th anniversary of his death, Megan hears from historians, writers and members of Behan’s family, as well as from the rich archive of the man himself.
Producer: Cat Gough
Executive Producer: Robert NicholsonA Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4
With thanks to Iris Klein and Semiotexte for providing archival interview recordings with Brendan Behan made by journalist Sylvere Lotringer in Paris in 1961
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Available now57 minutes
On air
Today
22:00
BBC Radio 4 -
"The Quare Fellow" play by Brendan Behan
The Quare Fellow is Brendan Behan's first play, first produced in 1954. The title is taken from a Hiberno-English pronunciation of queer (without the homosexual connotation).
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I was raised around the corner from the Forty Foot swimming place in Sandycove, County Dublin. #BrendanBehan had upped and died while I was a toddler, but the sign was unchanged.
Until one day in the early 70s, some feral pedant repainted the sign, with a full stop after "forty foot". My outrage was widely shsred. The dot was soon painted over.
Later, women iniststed on swimming there too, which was great. But eventually they painted over the word "gentlemen", spoiling all the fun of trespass
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-LETTERS OF NOTE-
'He is the worst specimen I have met in 30 years’ service. I urge his dismissal from the job now before good material is rendered useless and the place ruined.''A self-proclaimed “drinker with a writing problem,” Behan left behind more destruction than decoration. Paint was spilled, walls were somehow burned, and judging by the now-famous letter you are soon to read, at least one principal lighthouse keeper was pushed to breaking point.'
https://substack.com/home/post/p-159577383 #BrendanBehan -
On his death bed he reportedly told a nun looking after him: ‘Ah, bless you, Sister, may all your sons be bishops’. At his funeral he was given a full IRA guard of honour, which escorted his coffin. 2/2
#Ireland #IrishHistory #IrishLiterature #BrendanBehan #Gaeilge #Dublin #MeathHospital #OnThisDay
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Brendan Behan (Breandán Ó Beacháin) was born on 9 February 1923 in the inner city of Dublin at Holles Street Hospital to Kathleen and Stephen Behan. The family were educated working-class Republican. Brendan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican activist who wrote in both English and Irish.
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The Quare Fellow, Brendan Behan's first play, was first performed at the Pike Theatre, Dublin on 19 November 1954.
#Ireland #IrishHistory #IrishTheatre #BrendanBehan #TheQuareFellow #Dublin #OnThisDay
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On his death bed he reportedly told a nun looking after him: ‘Ah, bless you, Sister, may all your sons be bishops’. At his funeral he was given a full IRA guard of honour, which escorted his coffin. 2/2
#Ireland #IrishHistory #IrishLiterature #BrendanBehan #Gaeilge #Dublin #MeathHospital #OnThisDay
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Brendan Behan died in the Meath Hospital, Dublin on 20th March 1964. He was a writer, dramatist and Irish Republican.
Behan joined the IRA, which led to his serving time in a borstal youth prison in the United Kingdom and imprisonment in Ireland. During this time, he took it upon himself to study, and he became a fluent speaker of the Irish language. 1/2
#Ireland #IrishHistory #IrishLiterature #BrendanBehan #Gaeilge #Dublin #MeathHospital #OnThisDay
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Now at #RoyalExchangeTheatre we have #BrendanBehan i always thinks it denigrates his work that he is known more for his drinking than being a gifted playwright.
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Brendan Behan (Breandán Ó Beacháin) was born on 9 February 1923 in the inner city of Dublin at Holles Street Hospital to Kathleen and Stephen Behan. The family were educated working-class Republican. Brendan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican activist who wrote in both English and Irish.
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Behan's poem, translated from Irish by Ulick O'Connor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQV4VufLkgI
#OscarWilde #BrendanBehan #JackORourke #Funeral -
I was listening to the radio this morning, radio tuned to Lyric as usual. Not sure which programme it was, either Marty in the Morning or Niall Carroll. They played an uncharacteristic song by Brendan Behan, absolutely gorgeous. Now I can't find the damn thing… It had a cellist, I think, playing behind the singer #BrendanBehan
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The Quare Fellow, Brendan Behan's first play, was first performed at the Pike Theatre, Dublin on 19 November 1954.
#Ireland #IrishHistory #IrishTheatre #BrendanBehan #TheQuareFellow #Dublin #OnThisDay
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@Npars01 Philanthropy my arse. Which reminds me...
A heir to the Guinness (brewery) fortune was chatting to the Irish writer Brendan Behan, discussing some of the charitable work the family had been involved with. "You know, Brendan, we've given a great deal to the people of Ireland over the years."
"Though not as much as the people of Ireland have given to you," replied Behan, pointedly. -
Brendan Behan died in the Meath Hospital, Dublin on 20th March 1964 after collapsing at the Harbour Lights bar (now Harkin's Harbour Bar) in Echlin Street, Dublin. At his death bed he reportedly told a nun looking after him: ‘Ah, bless you, Sister, may all your sons be bishops’. At his funeral he was given a full IRA guard of honour, which escorted his coffin.
#Ireland #IrishHistory #IrishLiterature #BrendanBehan #Dublin #MeathHospital #OnThisDay
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“I have a total irreverence for anything connected with society except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer.”
- #BrendanBehan, born 100 years ago today
Via https://twitter.com/ronanburtenshaw/status/1623604209756123136
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The good, the bad, the complex. On his centenary I wanted to share a portrait of #BrendanBehan my Grandfather Tom painted as a wedding present for Behan. I first heard of him in family anecdotes when I was young, and his life and legend have fascinated me ever since. A few years ago I wrote about Behan's pint glass for the Unknown Armies TTRPG 2nd Edition and what might happen if you drank from it today... Happy Birthday Brendan!
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Brendan Behan (Breandán Ó Beacháin) was born a hundred years ago on 9 February 1923 in the inner city of Dublin at Holles Street Hospital to Kathleen and Stephen Behan. The family were educated working-class Republican. Brendan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican activist who wrote in both English and Irish.
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Fabulous piece about Brendan Behan by Jimmy Murphy in The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/2023/02/09/brendan-behan-was-born-100-years-ago-today-this-is-how-he-went-from-jail-cell-to-literary-sensation/ #BrendanBehan
@bookstodon -
Brendan Behan's first play, the Quare Fellow first performed at the Pike Theatre, Dublin on 19th November 1954.
#BrendanBehan #TheQuareFellow #Theatre #Dublin
#IrishTwitter #Mastodaoine -
Kindness
I’m sure this link will break sooner rather than later. But for now, Go Gentle Into That Good Night
I respect kindness in human beings first of all, and kindness to animals. I don’t respect the law; I have a total irreverence for anything connected with society except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer.
~ Brendan BehanFor 57 words, that does a pretty good job of summing it up. “Kindness” covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.
~ Roger Ebertɕ
#BrendanBehan #RogerEbert