Much has been written and reported about Brendan Behan's prolonged drinking bouts and self-destructive incidents. Brendan Behan began to live out the image of the character Brendan Behan, the public image that he felt was expected of him. A lifelong battle with alcoholism came to an end when Brendan Behan died on the 20 March 1964. Beatrice Behan talks about her husband's battle with alcohol.

'Brendan Behan - The Writer, The Rebel, And The Rollicking Boy' was a documentary compiled and presented by Anthony Cronin to mark the tenth anniversary of the death of Behan.

The programme was broadcast on the 24 March 1974.

The photograph accompanying this clip shows the snug of a pub on Usher's Quay, Dublin in the 1950s.

The photographer was Nevill Johnson.

© RTÉ Stills Library 3012-055

Copyright RTÉ. This material may not be replicated in any form or manner without the prior express permission of RTÉ. Any form of reproduction in print, television, video, multimedia, web site or other electronic media or any form of dissemination for commercial or non-commercial use must be licensed by the RTÉ Libraries and Archives.

If you wish to licence video or audio clips, still images or text, or would like further guidance please contact us.

RTÉ Libraries and Archives are committed to respecting the copyright of others and have attempted to source and credit the copyright owners of all material used here. RTÉ would like to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified here so that the necessary corrections can be made. If you feel your copyright has not been respected please contact us.