Borstal Boy in canal bust up

QUITE how a commemorative piece of art sculpture would fit into the late writer’s view on positive PR will probably remain uncertain.

However, there were no doubt among the large crowds gathered at Binn’s Bridge in Dublin yesterday about the appropriateness of having a statue of Behan situated along the banks of his beloved Royal Canal.

Hundreds of locals turned out to see Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Dublin’s Lord Mayor Royston Brady unveil a life-size sculpture dedicated to the memory of the colourful and controversial writer.

The ceremony coincided with the 80th anniversary of the birth of Mr Behan, who died in 1964, and also marked the official launch of a major €1 million refurbishment project on the north Dublin city section of the Royal Canal.

Among those attending were Mr Behan’s sister Carmel and other members of his extended family. Niall Tóibín, an actor with a long association with Behan’s work The Borstal Boy read one of the writer’s poem in Irish.

He also joked that some locals were already wondering why the sculpture of Behan did not contain a glass in his hand, or if it had been “nicked already”.

The piece which depicts Behan sitting on a park bench also features a singing blackbird with its plumage made up of some of the author’s favourite tunes including An Ciul Fionn.

Sculptor John Coll said he took his inspiration for the piece from Behan’s creative side rather than his destructive one “before fame, fortune and drink got the better of him”.

The sculpture was designed so that the figure would appear eye- to-eye with anyone sitting on the bench as the writer loved interacting with the ordinary people of Dublin, said Mr Coll.

Although he did not acknowledge that Fianna Fáil was responsible for banning some of Behan’s work, the Taoiseach said it was very appropriate to commemorate one of the north-side’s most famous and best-loved sons in a special way.

Mr Ahern said it represented a balancing of the scales given the south-side already had a similar sculpture dedicated to Paddy Kavanagh on the Grand Canal.

Behan’s own notorious antipathy to figures of authority lived on through his relative, Paudge who went on to address part of his speech to the Taoiseach.

“I can think of nobody further removed from the Behan spirit than yourself,” he said.

However, the Taoiseach and Behan both share the distinction of having a song penned specially in their honour by the well-known songwriter, Pete St John.

Yesterday, the Celtic Tenors gave the first-ever performance of the composer’s tribute to the writer, simply entitled, Brendan Behan which may in time prove more successful than The Man They Call Ahern.

Memories of Behan’s own song The Auld Triangle with its references to the Royal Canal was referred to by John Martin of Waterways Ireland.