Brendan Behan would have approved of the party at least - lots of booze, lots of old friends, and lots of talk. The world and his wife had assembled in Easons on O'Connell street on Thursday night when Michael O'Sullivan presented his book, Brendan Behan, A Life, to the world. It was well known that the contents of Michael's book may be a little controversial, to say the least, but Michael insisted Brendan would have hated the hypocrisy of hiding his supposed chequered past, and who are we to argue with that?
Certainly, Brendan's brother Brian, who was one of a bevvy of Behans at the launch including sister Carmel, brother Seamus, and nephew Paid, insisted the book didn't bother him at all. "Sure, we're all in the business of keeping Brendan's legacy alive - 30 years dead and they're still talking about him."
Brian, who was over from London with his wife Sally and his daughter Rosemary, a journalist, is currently appearing in a one-man show at the Tricycle theatre in "Co Kilburn, London", called Behan And Behanism. There were plenty of other Behan connections including Magill managing editor John Ryan (whose father, also John Ryan, was a friend and patron of Behan's), who arrived clutching an issue of the magazine, hot off the press.
Father Pat Carroll, one of a trio of holy men present, was also there as a great friend of Kathleen Behan. Behans apart, the gathering was a melting pot of all sections of society. Artist Camille Souter came along wearing her trademark beret, Desmond Fitzgerald, Knight of Glin, made a fleeting appearance, while Garech de Brun chatted with designer Lainey Keogh. Writer and lawyer Frank Callanan came along and could be seen perusing a copy of Fintan O'Toole's biography of Sheridan, while Catriona Ward chatted with Dieter Abt, whose first novel is published next week. Bertie Ahern made the speech and the other politico present was Tony Gregory. The party inevitably moved on to the Horseshoe bar at the Shelbourne, and then Michael and his friends held a riotous supper at the Pembroke restaurant.