Beatrice Behan (née ffrench Salkeld; 31 December 1925 – 9 March 1993) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

artist, author, and wife of

Brendan Behan Brendan Francis Aidan Behan (christened Francis Behan) ( ; ga, Breandán Ó Beacháin; 9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican activist who wrote in both English an ...

Early life and education

Beatrice Behan was born Beatrice ffrench Salkeld (also reported as Ffrench Salkeld) on 31 December 1925 on Mount St, Dublin. She was the eldest daughter of artist Cecil Ffrench Salkeld and a domestic economy instructor from Berlin, Irma Salkeld (née Taesler). The poet Blanaid Salkeld was her paternal grandmother. Behan grew up on Morehampton Road, Dublin, spending time in

Glencree Glencree ( ga, Gleann Crí from the older Gleann Criothach, which translates as Valley of the Shaking Bog) is a valley in the Wicklow Mountains in eastern Ireland. It is the third-closest valley in the mountains to Dublin city, the first being ...

, County Wicklow. She attended Loreto Convent,

St Stephen's Green St Stephen's Green () is a garden square and public park located in the city centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current landscape of the park was designed by William Sheppard. It was officially re-opened to the public on Tuesday, 27 July 1880 by ...

, going on to study art at the

National College of Art and Design The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) is Ireland's oldest art institution, offering the largest range of art and design degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the country. Originating as a drawing school in 1746, many of th ...

(NCAD). She first attended NCAD as a day student, then moving to study in the evening while working as a temporary clerk.

Career

After graduating from NCAD, she took up as a position as a botanical assistant in the

Natural History Museum A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...

, where she worked from 1949 to 1955. During this time she undertook further art study in Milan, Siena, and Florence. From 1948 to 1950, Behan exhibited with the

Royal Hibernian Academy The Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) is an artist-based and artist-oriented institution in Ireland, founded in Dublin in 1823. Like many other Irish institutions, such as the RIA, the academy retained the word "Royal" after most of Ireland became in ...

. Her work was exhibited at the Oireachtas Exhibition in 1957 and 1958, the Irish Living Art Exhibition in 1959, in New York in 1969 and 1970 and at the Irish pavilion at the World Fair in 1972. She assisted her father with murals in

Davy Byrne's pub Davy Byrne's pub is a public house located at 21 Duke Street, Dublin. It was made famous by its appearance in Chapter 8 (' Lestrygonians') of James Joyce's 1922 modernist novel '' Ulysses'', set on Thursday 16 June 1904. The main character, ad ...

, Dublin, which she maintained afterwards.

Married life

Through her family, she was introduced to

while she was still in school. They met again years later, and after a brief relationship, the couple married in February 1955. The couple's only daughter, Blanaid, was born shortly before his death in 1963. Later on, Behan had a son, Paudge Behan, with

Cathal Goulding Cathal Goulding ( ga, Cathal Ó Goillín; 2 January 1923 – 26 December 1998) was Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army and the Official IRA. Early life and career One of seven children born on East Arran Street in north Dublin to an ...

. When the couple were first married, she supplemented the family's income by working as a horticultural illustrator with

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

. The couple were based in Dublin, but they spent periods of time in Paris, New York and London. Behan was tolerant of her husband's heavy drinking and behaviour, describing him as a "great, loveable genius." She illustrated her husband's ''Hold your hour and have another'' (1963). After her husband's death she worked with Alan Simpson on the unfinished play ''Richard's cork leg''.

Later life

In 1973, Behan published her memoir ''My life with Brendan''. After her husband's death, Behan settled all of his many debts. Behan was found dead at her home on Anglesea Rd, Ballsbridge on 9 March 1993.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Behan, Beatrice Irish artists 1925 births 1993 deaths People educated at Loreto College, St Stephen's Green