麻豆社

Irish 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鈥檚 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 鈥渨ould make Jack Kerouac weep with terror鈥� and who even Bob Dylan couldn鈥檛 find the courage to 鈥渢ouch the hem of his garment鈥�. 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鈥檚 family, as well as from the rich archive of the man himself.

Producer: Cat Gough
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson

A Whistledown production for 麻豆社 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