A new monument to Brendan Behan, set to be unveiled in the autumn, will be the centrepiece of a multi-million euro makeover for Dublin's Royal Canal.
The life-size sculpture of the writer will form part of the monument, which places Behan sitting on a bench, with only a singing blackbird for company. The work is engraved with the titles of Behan's works, including the Irish poem Uaigneas (loneliness).
It is similar to the monument to the poet Patrick Kavanagh on the Grand Canal. The Behan monument is only one part of a rejuvenation project for the Royal Canal and Dorset Street area that is expected to cost €8.5 million.
The improvement to the waterway comes after a campaign by the group Canal Watch, whose aim has been to make the Royal Canal area a safer and cleaner place for families. The monument is being funded by Dublin City Council.
Apart from the monument, which will be erected near Binn's Bridge in Drumcondra, there will also be new walkways, new lighting and CCTV cameras installed.
Sculptor John Coll said there were numerous reasons why Behan should be permanently commemorated on the canal, especially this year, the 80th anniversary of his birth. Behan died on March 20th, 1964.
"There were so many aspects of Behan's life pointing towards the area ... maybe it's bringing him back to his roots," the sculptor added.