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BRENDAN BEHAN WAS Michael Creagh’s godfather. Michael’s father and Behan were life long friends and the writer was often in the Creagh’s house where he would spend much of his times chatting, writing and drinking.
In this the penultimate episode in the Dubliners series, Michael recalls Behan’s visits and fondly remembers one of Ireland’s most controversial writers.
Uploaded by theartsblog
Deirdre Brennan – www.deirdrebrennan.com
Eoin Lynch www.theartsblog.ie and @Eoinlyncho
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I met Brendan in the Black Lion in Inchicore after he had been for a shave in a barber shop across the road. He was accompanied by a crowd of leeches from the Abbey and seemed to be the only one spending any money. He joined me and my late cousin and when we questioned the hangers-on he just said that it was part of the job. Nice man but roped into something I don’t think he really wanted
The likes of Behan should be confined to the dustbin of history.
You obviously haven’t read The Hostage, The Quare Fellow or Borstal Boy then. One of our greatest.
I have read all of his works. A reasonable writer but an IRA thug who was tried for the attempted murder of two gardaí.
His legacy is not to be found in the dustbin of history and it won’t be there in the future to keep your’s company.
“MI5 considered Irish playwright Brendan Behan to be “too unstable and too drunken” to be dangerous, previously secret files show.”
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