Brendan Behan on the Easter Rising

Behan discusses James Connolly and the 1916 rebellion in Dublin - pausing only to ramble about Chinese socialism - while performing a couple of personal compositions, including his haunting prison ballad (The Auld Triangle) and another song recounting his involvement in an IRA operation at the tender age of 14 (Bonfire on the Border).

The recording was apparently aimed at an American audience and Behan clearly relishes talking of Lenin in connection with the Rising: "I hope the record is not smashed at the point of mentioning his name," he quips.

Perhaps this comment was only half in jest as it was released during the 1950s at the height of the anti-communist hysteria in the US.

I was disappointed to find such a dearth of Behan material on YouTube, so decided to put something together. Hope you enjoy it although it was Brendan who did the hard work, so here's to his memory and an Phoblacht abu!

Видео Brendan Behan on the Easter Rising канала ChrisCasseroles