Brendan Behan

Brendan Behan (1923–1964) was an Irish writer whose work drew on his experiences of politics, imprisonment, and Dublin life. Born in Dublin, he became involved with the Irish Republican Army as a teenager and was imprisoned in both Britain and Ireland, experiences that later informed his writing. He wrote in both English and Irish and gained international attention for his vivid, often darkly comic voice. Behan’s best-known works include the play *The Quare Fellow* (1954) and the autobiographical novel *Borstal Boy* (1958). He also wrote poetry, short stories, and radio pieces, and became a celebrated, controversial public figure.