There’s a picture of Brendan Behan standing outside the Dublin Zoo with a bemused look on his face and a large snake curled around his neck. The photo reveals much about Brendan, who died 55 years ago today, on March 20, 1964, at the age of forty-one.
He was a comedian who liked to shock people and who wasn’t afraid to take chances. He was an unstoppable ham who would do nearly anything to entertain his audience. His life, or legend, nearly overshadowed his work in its claim on public attention. His fans were sometimes more interested in the snake around his neck than in his writing.

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