A new monument to acclaimed Irish writer Brendan Behan is to be unveiled near Binn's Bridge on the banks of Dublin's Royal Canal today.
The centrepiece of a multi-million euro makeover for the area, the life-size sculpture of the writer will form part of the monument, which places Behan sitting on a bench, with a singing blackbird for company. The work is engraved with the titles of Behan's works, including the Irish poem "Uaigneas".
Sculptor John Coll
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 has been erected near Binn's Bridge in Drumcondra, new walkways, new lighting and CCTV cameras have been installed.
Sculptor John Coll said there were numerous reasons why Behan should be permanently commemorated on the canal 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.