THE IRISH FILM ARCHIVE IS PLEASED TO SCREEN TWO FILMS MADE ON THIS MOST GREGARIOUS LITERARY FIGURE, BELOVED OF DUBLIN, AND WITH A LEGACY THAT IS AS MUCH ABOUT BEHAN AS ABOUT HIS WORK.
MEET THE QUARE FELLA
This is a rare opportunity to see the now infamous encounter between Eamonn Andrews and Brendan Behan. Filmed in Ardmore studios, meet the Quare Fellas shows us a Behan obviously at ease with his interviewer, who could, as much as Behan, play the archetypal dubliner. Andrews elicits frank responses from his subject regarding the topics of writing, fame, religion, his time in borstal and his Connections with the clandestine IRA, resulting in a candid glimpse into the personality of Behan towards the end of his life.
1960 • BLACK & WHITE • 35 MIN.
BRENDAN BEHAN’S DUBLIN
In Norman Cohen’s poetic documentary, the spirit of the city is presented through the eyes of one of its most talented and colourful Citizens. Written by Carolyn Swift and featuring Ray McNally as the ‘voice of Behan’, the film is evocatively photographed by Robert Monks with musical ballads sung By The Dubliners. Interviews with Behan’s parents and wife add to the intimacy of the piece.
1966 • COLOUR • 27 MIN.

Author, playwright and artist J. P.Donleavy—best known for his novel The Ginger Man (which for the past fifty years has never Been out of print)- came to Trinity College after the war to take up student life: drinking, partying, writing and painting. He befriended brendan Behan. Donleavy will open proceedings with a talk on Behan as he knew him.