At a Variety Club of Ireland event, RTÉ reporter P.P. O'Reilly talked to Brendan Behan and Jim Downey. Downey was the owner of a famous New York steak house frequented by members of the city's theatre world. Here Downey describes the extraordinary reaction to an actor's benefit performance of 'The Hostage'.

Speaking in Irish and English Brendan Behan explains why there are so few Dublin people in America.

A report from a Varierty Club of Ireland lunch by P.P. O'Reilly. It is not clear what programme the report is from but it may have been 'City Newsreel' broadcast 0n 2 January 1961.

The photograph accompanying this clip  is a scene from a 1968 RTÉ Television production of  'An Giall' ('The Hostage'). The actors are from left to right; Áine Ní Mhuirí as Colette, Colin Bird as Oglach IRA, Eamon Kelly as Padraig, Michael Campion as Leslie and Bernadette McKenna as Treasa.

The photograph was used to illustrate an article in the RTÉ Guide 15 MArch 1968.

The photographer was Roy Bedell. © RTÉ Stills Library 2050/005

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