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Is this a Brendan Behan quote?

  • 03-04-2014 11:16PM
    #1
    Wheelnut
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 976 ✭✭✭


    A long time ago I heard a quote attributed to Brendan Behan on the subject of compulsory Irish in schools. I've been searching online but cannot find any reference to it. The quote is: "The Irish are illiterate in two languages". Is this a Behan quote?


Comments

  • #2
    Gamayun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 448 ✭✭Gamayun


    I don't think so. I've heard the quote before but not attributed to anyone in particular; I'd say its connection to Behan is purely apocryphal.

    There's a few hits in this search, from blogs, the last one is a similar quote attributed to Richard J. Needham (there's a Behan quote elsewhere on the page hence the search result).
    https://www.google.ie/#filter=0&q=%22illiterate+in+two+languages%22+%22behan%22


  • #3
    4umbrellas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65 ✭✭4umbrellas


    According to this guy's PhD thesis, it was said by Brian O'Nolan aka Brian Ó Nualláin/Myles na gCopaleen.

    I can't post links yet, but put https colon slash slash (no 'www') in front of this:
    dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/2495/1/Brian%20Rock%20PhD%20Dissertation%202010.pdf.PDF

    See p 131 of pdf file (= p 124 of thesis). He seems to say it's on pp. 284-5 of 'The Best of Myles'.


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