Brendan's Fans (12)

Brendan Behan

Author profile

born

February 09, 1923 in Baile Átha Cliath (Dublin), Ireland

died

March 20, 1964

gender

male

genre

Biographies & Memoirs, Poetry, Literature & Fiction

About this author

edit data

Brendan Francis Behan (Irish: Breandán Ó Beacháin) (9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.

Behan was born in the inner city of Dublin on 9 February 1923 into an educated working class family. He lived in a house on Russell Street near Mountjoy Square owned by his grandmother, Christine English, who owned a number of properties in the area. Also living in the area was his uncle Peadar Kearney, song writer and author of the Irish national anthem. Brendan's father, Stephen Behan, a house painter who had been active in the Irish War of Independence, read classic literature to...more Brendan Francis Behan (Irish: Breandán Ó Beacháin) (9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.

Behan was born in the inner city of Dublin on 9 February 1923 into an educated working class family. He lived in a house on Russell Street near Mountjoy Square owned by his grandmother, Christine English, who owned a number of properties in the area. Also living in the area was his uncle Peadar Kearney, song writer and author of the Irish national anthem. Brendan's father, Stephen Behan, a house painter who had been active in the Irish War of Independence, read classic literature to the children at bedtime from sources such as Zola, Galsworthy, and Maupassant; his mother, Kathleen, took them on literary tours of the city. If Behan's interest in literature came from his father, his political beliefs were by his mother. She remained politically active all her life and was a personal friend of the Irish republican Michael Collins. Brendan Behan wrote a lament to Collins, "The Laughing Boy", at the age of thirteen. The title was from the affectionate nickname Mrs. Behan gave to Collins. Kathleen published her autobiography, "Mother of all the Behans," a collaboration with her son Brian, in 1984.

Behan's uncle Peadar Kearney wrote the Irish national anthem Amhrán na bhFiann. His brother, Dominic Behan, was also a renowned songwriter best known for the song "The Patriot Game"; another sibling, Brian Behan, was a prominent radical political activist and public speaker, actor, author, and playwright. Brendan and Brian did not share the same views, especially when the question of politics or nationalism arose. Brendan on his deathbed (presumably in jest) asked Cathal Goulding, then the Chief of Staff of the IRA, to 'have that bastard Brian shot—we've had all sorts in our family, but never a traitor!'.

A biographer Ulick O'Connor, recounts that one day, at the age of eight, Brendan was returning home with his granny and a crony from a drinking session. A passer-by remarked, "Oh, my! Isn't it terrible ma'am to see such a beautiful child deformed?" "How dare you", said his granny. "He's not deformed, he's just drunk!"

Behan left school at 13 to follow in his father's footsteps as a house painter.(less)

combine editions
Books by Brendan Behan

Average rating: 3.93 · 1,127 ratings · 97 reviews · 29 distinct works

	Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan, Benedict Kiely (Afterword) 4.02 avg rating — 560 ratings — published 1958 — 13 editions	My rating:
	Confessions of an Irish Rebel 3.92 avg rating — 144 ratings — published 1965 — 5 editions	My rating:
	The Complete Plays: The Hostage / The Quare Fellow / Richard's Cork Leg 4.06 avg rating — 102 ratings — published 1978 — 2 editions	My rating:
	The Quare Fellow 3.77 avg rating — 60 ratings — 2 editions	My rating:
	The Hostage 3.68 avg rating — 47 ratings — 4 editions	My rating:
	After the Wake: Twenty-One Prose Works Including Previously Unpublished Material by Brendan Behan, Peter Fallon 3.90 avg rating — 39 ratings — published 1981 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Brendan Behan's New York by Brendan Behan, Paul Hogarth (Illustrator) 3.32 avg rating — 50 ratings — published 1964 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Brendan Behan's Island: An Irish Sketchbook by Brendan Behan, Hogarth Behan 3.83 avg rating — 24 ratings — published 1962 — 4 editions	My rating:
	The Quare Fellow & The Hostage 3.67 avg rating — 21 ratings	My rating:
	Scarperer 3.83 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 1966 — 5 editions	My rating:

More books by Brendan Behan…

Quotes by Brendan Behan

“Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves.”
― Brendan Behan

22 people liked it

“When I came back to Dublin I was courtmartialed in my absence and sentenced to death in my absence, so I said they could shoot me in my absence.”
― Brendan Behan

9 people liked it

“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 Behan

tags: kindness

9 people liked it

See all Brendan Behan's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Goodreads Ireland: Fionna	3	15	Aug 12, 2011 04:03pm
Around the World ...: Ireland and Northern Ireland	5	61	Mar 15, 2012 07:38am
Bookish: W12 - Completed Tasks	263	64	Apr 30, 2012 09:09pm

More…