Brendan Behan

Brendan Behan
Behan in 1960
Born	Brendan Francis Aidan Behan (1923-02-09)9 February 1923 Dublin, Ireland
Died	20 March 1964(1964-03-20) (aged 41) Dublin, Ireland
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	Irish
Period	1942–1964
Genre	Poet, novelist, playwright
Subject	Irish Republican struggle, often autobiographical
Notable works	The Quare Fellow, The Hostage, Borstal Boy

Brendan Francis Aidan Behan (christened Francis Behan) (/ˈbiːən/ BEE-ən; Irish: Breandán Ó Beacháin; 9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish Republican, poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both English and Irish. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Irish writers and poets of all time. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army. Born in Dublin into a staunchly republican family, he became a member of the IRA's youth organisation Fianna Éireann at the age of fourteen. However, there was also a strong emphasis on Irish history and culture in the home, which meant he was steeped in literature and patriotic ballads from an early age. Behan eventually joined the IRA at sixteen, which led to his serving time in a borstal youth prison in the United Kingdom and he was also imprisoned in Ireland. During this time, he took it upon himself to study and he became a fluent speaker of the Irish language. Subsequently released from prison as part of a general amnesty given by the Fianna Fáil government in 1946, Behan moved between homes in Dublin, Kerry and Connemara, and also resided in Paris for a time.