Filíocht: 23 year-old Brendan Behan's tribute to a hunger-striker

A brief analysis of a young Romantic Brendan Behan's Republicanism.

Young Behan’s Romanticism

Below is a rousing and deeply Romanticist poem from one of Ireland’s greatest cultural figures, Breandán Ó Beacháin (commonly known as Brendan Behan). The poem is an ode to Seán Mac Eóchaidh, an óglach from Tír Eoghain who died of hunger-strike in 1946 in Portlaoise Prison. After years of being confined in a bleak cell with no breaks for fresh air or daylight, his death and the return of his body to Ard Eoin, Béal Feirste is immortalised here by Ó Breacháin as a 17th Century ode to one of the great laochra Gaeil. His cortege is greeted by birds full of song (‘na héin faoi láncheol’), the warriors of Ireland (‘Saighdiúirí na tíre’) and children of the Gaels (‘Cailíní beaga na gculaithe geala Gaelacha’).

The poem is a powerful representation of the mythical heroism so much of the Republican Gaels had in the immediate post-war period, such as in the case of Seán South.

Filleadh Mhic Eachaidh

A Phádraig, a chara, an gcluin tú na gártha?

Ar chualais an mhaorgacht, an siosma is an gleo?

Ar chualais mar a tháinig go hUlaidh an garda

Go láidir ina dtáinte, go tréan ar an ród?

Bhí piopa is gunnai á láimhseáil go scléipeach

Na spéartha go soilseach, na héin faoi láncheol,

Ag failtiú Mhic Eachaidh ar ais chuig an Tuaisceart

—Mar sa deireadh is treise an bród ná an brón.

Cheapas ar dtús gur shochraid a bhí ar siúl acu

Gur phíopa ag caoineadh a bhí ag osnail go géar,

Is na gunnaí-do cheapas gur bhuartha a nguth leis:

Ach is cosúil le buíon mhór chaithréimeach Ui Néill

Ar a fhilleadh ón bPáil is an Gall faoi chrá fagtha—

An Gael go gealmheidhreach is an chreach faoi lán seoil—

Fáiltiú Mhic Eachaidh ar ais chuig an Tuaisceart

—Mar sa deireadh is treise an bród ná an brón.

Inniu beidh an turas go Baile an Mhuilinn

A mhuintir ina thimpeall, na mílte in ómós,

Is geall le turas taoisigh sheanaimsir ár saoirse

A shlí go réidh rioga mall maorga tríd an slógh:

Na Fianna, ógthacaí dil Phoblacht na hÉireann,

Saighdiúirí na tíre idir fhir agus mhná,

Cailíní beaga na gculaithe geala Gaelacha-

Buion cheoil ag seinm agus móriompar brat—

Beidh na mílte go humhal ag leanúint a chónra,

Gealtaisce na hEireann, croi dilis an leoin

Ag failtiú Mhic Eachaidh ar ais chuig an Tuaisceart

—Mar sa deireadh is treise a bhás ná a gcumhacht.