BS: Brendan Behan isms

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: HuwG
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 12:44 AM

Recounted by Stephen Fry on the BBC programme, "QI". Behan once appeared on a Canadian chat show and was asked, "What brings you to Canada, Mr. Behan?"

He replied, "Well, I was in a pub in Dublin, and there was a coaster on a table, and it said 'Drink Canada Dry'. And I thought, I'll give it a try."

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 07:25 PM

"The terrorist is the one with the small bomb." Always was true and always will be.

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: bobad
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 07:23 PM

From wikipedia:

Poitín or Poteen (IPA [ˈpˠocʲiːn], also potcheen) is a traditional Irish distilled, highly alcoholic beverage (60%-95% ABV)[1]. Poitín was traditionally distilled in a small pot still and the term is a diminutive[2] of the Irish word pota, meaning "pot". Traditionally distilled from malted barley grain or potatoes, it is among the strongest alcoholic beverages in the world, and for centuries was classified as illegal or moonshine in Ireland.[3]

Irish moonshine, along with all other private distillation not specifically licensed by the state, was outlawed in 1661[1]. On 7 March 1997, the Irish Revenue Commissioners withdrew their opposition to poitín being sold in the Republic of Ireland, though legal production for export has been allowed since 1989. In 2008, Irish Poitín was accorded (GI) Geographical Indicative Status by the EU Council and Parliament, under EU Regulation 110/2008 ANNEX 111 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical designations for spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89.

Today, two Irish brands are officially licensed to produce poitín, Knockeen Hills, and Bunratty [3].

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Art Thieme
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 07:20 PM

Please, forgive my innocense, but what it POTEEN?

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Art Thieme
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 07:16 PM

Check out the current Obit thread for my old friend, FRED GEIS. Fred wrote a Lament for Brendan Behan in the 1960s and I just posted the words to it and others of Fred's songs on that thread.   Liam Clancy recorded it solo on a Clancy Bros. album about 40 years ago.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 04:37 AM

The Bible was a consolation to a fellow alone in the old cell, the lovely thin paper with a bit of mattress stuffing in it, if you could get a match, was as good a smoke as ever I tasted.


The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex for money usually costs a lot less.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 06:05 PM

"If I was feeling any better I'd be meeting meself coming back."

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: bobad
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 05:57 PM

Purportedly the last words on his deathbed and spoken to a nun were "Ah, bless you, Sister, may all your sons be bishops."

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Micca
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 05:49 PM

heres 2 on the subject of Poteen
1 "Its like trying to swallow a torchlight procession"
2 "Its like drinking barbed wire"

The Brendan story I liked was in London (might have been The Crown in Cricklewood) when he was a sucessful playwright with "The Quare fellow" being done at the Old Vic, someone tried to tap him for a sub (borrow money) Brendan refused the man, who took umbrage and said, "ah Behan, I remember a time when you didnt have 2 ha'pence to rub together" and Brendan replied " You don't remember it half as well as I do"

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 05:46 PM

BB was the man who called the President of the Irish Free State "Dave O'Leary"...

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 05:45 PM

I think it was him to whom was attributed this description of poteen...

'like swallowing a torchlight procession'...

Says it all really.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Mickey191
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 05:35 PM

Thanks Amos & Big Mick. Dave, Glad you chose this subject.

FRom himself: "I respect kindness to human beings first of all, and kindness to animals. I don't respect the law; I have a total irreverence for anything connected wih society except that which makes the road safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper, and old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer."

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Big Mick
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 01:59 PM

Keep 'em coming. I have a gig tonight and you all can save me some research.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Amos
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 01:44 PM

LOL!!! I love these!!


A

Subject: RE: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Mickey191
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 11:42 AM

From Brendan's lips:

"As regards drink, I can only say that in Dublin, during the depression when I was growing up, drunkeness was not regarded as a social disgrace. To get enough to eat was regarded as an achievement. To get drunk was a Victory."

Subject: BS: Brendan Behan isms
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 09:48 AM

Just read these gems from the late Brendan,

" I never saw a situation so dismal that a policeman couldn't make it worse "

and on his return to Dublin,

" I was court-martialled in my absence, and sentenced to death in my absence, so I said they could shoot me in my absence. "

Dave H