Borstal Boy: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Prisoner

Borstal Boy: A P o r t r a i t of the A r t i s t as
a Y o u n g Prisoner
COLBERT
KEARNEY
T f i r s t sight, B r e n d a n B e h a n ' s Borstal
Boy seems
to be devoid of a n y s t r u c t u r e other t h a n simple
*
*• chronology, yet t h i s apparent carelessness is the
d i s a r m i n g deception of the storyteller, one of the means
by w h i c h the n a r r a t o r makes us believe i n the entirely
spontaneous t r u t h of h i s tale. It is quite easy to establish
t h a t the w o r k does not c o n t a i n the whole h i s t o r i c a l t r u t h ,
the t r u t h of fact, and, f a r f r o m being a piece of spontaneous recounting, is the result of m a n y beginnings and
revisions. W h a t the novel does c o n t a i n is the t r u t h of
fiction:
the penal i n s t i t u t i o n s bear m u c h the same relationship to Borstal Boy as the island does to
Robinson
Crusoe.
B e n e a t h the i l l u s i o n of a c t u a l i t y is a structure
w h i c h expresses the development of a personality.
Borstal
Boy is a w o r k of creative autobiography, t h a t genre i n
w h i c h the a u t h o r scrutinises his formative years i n the
l i g h t of h i s later v i s i o n of himself. T r u e to the style
and scope of a n o r a l delivery — w h i c h the novel pretends
to be — the s t r u c t u r e consists of a series of u n m a s k i n g s :
the n a r r a t o r is perpetually posing a n d e x a m i n i n g the
pose. T h e y o u n g l a d w h o is arrested i n L i v e r p o o l has
v e r y definite views of himself and his role; these have
undergone m a n y p a i n f u l changes b y the time he returns
to D u b l i n .
A s k e d to single out the most c h a r a c t e r i s t i c note of
I r i s h poetry, Professor Sean L u c y chose w h a t he termed
" d r a m a t i c self-awareness":
s o m e t h i n g w h i c h f o r good or i l l contains the power a n d
appetite to see ourselves, and those things a n d people
COLBERT
-LS
KEARNEY
that catch o u r i m a g i n a t i o n , i n terms of dynamic, i m a g i n atively-compelling role.
1
T h i s self-awareness is the essential element i n B e h a n ' s
style. It can be shown that the t r a d i t i o n out of w h i c h
he w r o t e was the native I r i s h t r a d i t i o n w h i c h , deprived
of l i b r a r i e s a n d p r i n t i n g presses, s u r v i v e d i n o r a l form.R e a d i n g Borstal Boy is l i k e being i n the audience at a
live performance.
T h e seanchai,
the Gaelic storyteller,
commands attention not merely b y r e l a t i n g but also by
re-enacting; he achieves depth not b y c o m m e n t a r y or
analysis but b y the d r a m a t i c power of his performance.
In his presence one is close to the p r i m a l roots of d r a m a .
In 1939, aged sixteen, B e h a n travelled to E n g l a n d to
s t r i k e a blow for Ireland by d i s r u p t i n g the B r i t i s h w a r effort w i t h bombs. H i s a c t i o n was not sanctioned by
the I.R.A. leadership a n d was against the advice of f a m i l y
and friends. H e was tailed on a r r i v a l b y the L i v e r p o o l
police a n d the novel opens as the detectives enter B e h a n ' s
digs a n d c a t c h h i m about to t h r o w his b o m b - m a k i n g
equipment out the window.
T h e unofficial nature of the invasion is not mentioned
i n the book where B e h a n presents himself as the t r a d i tional volunteer under arrest, m a k i n g the customary
statement of l o y a l t y to the cause a n d defiance of the
C r o w n . H e is s u r p r i s e d at the lack of reaction f r o m
his captors but comforts himself by i m a g i n i n g the reception at h o m e :
T h e left-wing element i n the movement w o u l d be delighted, a n d the others, the craw-thumpers, could not say
a n y t h i n g against me, because I w a s a good Volunteer,
captured c a r r y i n g the struggle to E n g l a n d ' s doorstep . . . .
3
H e acts out his role as a "felon of our l a n d , " a role
i m m o r t a l i s e d i n legend a n d i n the prison m e m o i r s of
men l i k e J o h n M i t c h e l a n d T o m C l a r k e . H e ends his
statement w i t h the scaffold-cry of the Manchester M a r t y r s ,
" G o d save I r e l a n d , " and the m e m o r y of the ballad w h i c h
commemorates t h e m enables h i m to look defiance at his
captors:
BORSTAL
BOY
49
G i r t a r o u n d b y c r u e l foes
S t i l l their courage p r o u d l y rose
A s they thought of t h e m t h a t loved
Of the m i l l i o n s true a n d brave
O'er the s t o r m y ocean's wave,
A n d our friends i n H o l y I r e l a n d ,
them
f a r a n d near,
ever
dear.
H e relishes the m e n t a l picture of his friends:
A n d a l l the people at home
papers, ' A h , sure, G o d help
only t a l k i n g to h i m a week
a great l a d a l l the same, a n d
w o u l d say, r e a d i n g the
poor B r e n d a n , w a s n ' t I
ago?' ' B y Jasus, he was
he o n l y sixteen.' (p. 13)
T h e seriousness of his s i t u a t i o n i n L i m e Street S t a t i o n
is almost lost sight of as his i m a g i n a t i o n feasts on the
t r a d i t i o n a l rewards of h i s position.
A s long as he can assume t h i s role i n full, he is capable
of t a k i n g whatever abuse is offered h i m , but when the
cell door is closed he finds himself p h y s i c a l l y cold, u n comfortable, lonely. H i s role or projected self is under
pressure and the adolescent seeks release i n m a s t u r b a t i o n .
I . . . wondered i f anyone else h a d done it i n the same
condition. I didn't l i k e to m e n t i o n t h e m b y name, even
i n m y m i n d . S o m e of t h e m h a d left the c e l l f o r the
rope or the firing squad, (p. 16)
D u r i n g the f i r s t few hours of h i s glorious m a r t y r d o m
he is haunted b y the v e r y shades w h o h a d supported
h i m d u r i n g the i n i t i a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n : t h e y r e m i n d h i m
t h a t the t r a d i t i o n a l V o l u n t e e r should be able to resist
the temptations of the flesh.
W h i l e g r o w i n g up, B e h a n h a d assumed t h a t since the
I.R.A. V o l u n t e e r was f i g h t i n g for I r e l a n d against E n g l a n d
he could count on the support of a l l I r i s h m e n a n d the
opposition of a l l E n g l i s h m e n . H i s p o l i t i c a l education and
his r e a d i n g of R e p u b l i c a n prisoners' memoirs w o u l d have
instilled into h i m an insistence on h i s status as a p o l i t i c a l
r a t h e r t h a n a c o m m o n p r i s o n e r : t r a d i t i o n a l l y the V o l unteer listed a m o n g the h a r d s h i p s of p r i s o n life the contact w i t h c r i m i n a l s , the s c u m of E n g l a n d ' s gutter. B e h a n
soon discovers that such assumptions are h a r d to retain.
One of h i s captors is f r o m M u n s t e r w i t h obvious I r i s h
50
COLBERT
KEARNEY
accent and name, L a r r y H o u l i h a n , but despite h i s origins
(or, perhaps, because of them) H o u l i h a n goes out of his
w a y to treat the I r i s h prisoner w i t h special harshness.
O n the other h a n d there was C h a r l i e , one of the c o m m o n
c r i m i n a l s , a sailor w h o was later to be k i l l e d i n a convoy.
C h a r l i e came f r o m a L o n d o n suburb but showed m o r e
fellow-feeling w i t h B e h a n t h a n d i d the I r i s h constable.
B e h a n a n d C h a r l i e become " c h i n a s " (mates), despite the
fact t h a t as I . R . A . V o l u n t e e r a n d R o y a l N a v y seaman
they are technically at w a r w i t h each other.
T h e y o u n g prisoner's confusion is not l i m i t e d to questions of n a t i o n a l i t y unless, i n the I r i s h context, r e l i g i o n
be considered a n aspect of n a t i o n a l i t y . Despite numerous
confrontations a n d excommunications, the average V o l u n teer was a s t a u n c h C a t h o l i c a n d B e h a n , t h o u g h not
ostentatious i n his religious observances, was essentially
a devout C a t h o l i c . I n the gloom and isolation of his
cell, he wonders i f he w i l l be able to attend mass.
(He
assumes t h a t the priest w i l l be Irish.) H i s s p i r i t s rise
as he follows the mass — w i t h o u t a book, he adds p r o u d l y
— a n d he loses h i s loneliness i n c o m m u n i o n w i t h the
u n i v e r s a l c h u r c h . It was " l i k e being let to the w a r m t h
of a b i g t u r f fire t h i s cold S u n d a y m o r n i n g " (p. 63).
B e n e d i c t i o n affords h i m an o p p o r t u n i t y to raise his fine
s i n g i n g voice i n clouds of incense a n d nostalgia a n d he
returns to h i s cell a m u c h happier boy.
T h e r e was a b l a c k d a r k frost outside, a n d the cocoa
was s m a s h i n g and w a r m . It was n o w f o u r o'clock and
the biggest p a r t of the week-end punched i n , t h a n k s be
to God. (p. 67)
N o r is the sense of c o m m u n i o n confined to the chapel:
C h a r l i e has solemnly declared that, despite the fact that
some of the warders a n d prisoners have i t i n for B e h a n
because of h i s membership of the I.R.A., he remains
Behan's c h i n a . H o w e v e r , t h i s new sense of buoyancy
is not to last.
B e h a n is pleased w h e n ordered to see the C a t h o l i c
chaplain but is shocked to be greeted w i t h a list of
BORSTAL
BOY
51
charges against the I.R.A. a n d a n u l t i m a t u m to choose
between i t a n d the C a t h o l i c c h u r c h . B e h a n loses his
temper a n d replies w i t h a catalogue of the despotic tendencies of the h i e r a r c h y . F o r i n s u l t i n g a C a t h o l i c priest
he is beaten u p b y P r o t e s t a n t warders a n d he realises
that he is being punished b y one element of the prison
establishment for i n s u b o r d i n a t i o n to another.
Prison
regulations r e q u i r e d t h a t
a l l prisoners attend
the
services of the r e l i g i o n listed o n t h e i r papers a n d thus
the priest is powerless to excommunicate B e h a n effectively. R e l i g i o u s services were popular a m o n g prisoners as
a means of b r e a k i n g the monotony of t h e i r lives a n d
the most popular of a l l was the F r i d a y n i g h t religious
i n s t r u c t i o n for R.C.'s w h i c h was conducted a r o u n d the
basis of m a n y prisoners' dreams, a n open fire. B e h a n
brought his c h a i r as closely as he could to the fire a n d
other prisoners v e r y k i n d l y m a k e r o o m for h i m . E n sconced i n such l u x u r y , he is incapable of b e a r i n g malice
and he tells himself t h a t perhaps the priest was not
altogether bad but m e r e l y d o i n g his d u t y as he thought
best. T h e n a w a r d e r taps h i m on the shoulder a n d he
is t o l d that, on the priest's instructions, he is to be returned to his cell. T h e effect is t r a u m a t i c . H e could
survive beatings, abuse, s o l i t a r y confinement but this
rejection is different a n d he is close to tears for the
first t i m e i n years. H e recalls the kindness he h a d
received as a c h i l d f r o m S i s t e r M o n i c a a n d F a t h e r C a m p bell a n d b i t t e r l y reminds himself t h a t he must forget
it a n d a l l t h a t i t meant for h i m .
W a s n ' t I the soft eedgit a l l the same, to expect a n y t h i n g
more off that fat b a s t a r d of a d r u i d ? W e r e n ' t the
priests famous for b a c k i n g u p the w a r d e r s even the
time of the F e n i a n s ? W h e n D r . G a l l a g h e r w a s d r i v e n
mad in Chatham Prison.
B u t I wouldn't a l w a y s be inside, a n d i f I could do the
l i k e of F a t h e r L a n e a n i l l t u r n i n m y t u r n , b y Jesus
and I'd be the boy to do it.
L e t t h e m come to m e some time at home w i t h their
creeping Jesus o l d gab, I'd say to t h e m : w h a t about
this night i n W a l t o n J a i l , y o u b a s t a r d s ? (p. 104)
52
COLBERT KEARNEY
( T h i s is perhaps the
o n l y instance i n the
u n a d u l t e r a t e d bitterness.)
account
of
the
r e t r e a t i n g for
land,"
a
we
by
U n w i l l i n g to
Dr.
Gallagher
we
notice
role of
"felon
have a l r e a d y
seen to
of
Clarke's
Behan
of
be
our
under
strain.
altercation w i t h
followed
his
of
p r o t e c t i o n i n t o the
role w h i c h
considerable
His
fate
e n t i r e book
In the allusion to T o m
solitary
the
priest brings h i m
confinement
on
e a r n a n o t h e r b e a t i n g for
cell s i n g i n g to
bread
a
beating
and
water.
defiance, he
paces
himself.
Some i n the convict's d r e a r y c e l l
H a v e f o u n d a l i v i n g tomb,
A n d some unseen untended f e l l
W i t h i n the dungeon's gloom,
B u t w h a t care we, a l t h o u g h it be
T r o d by a r u f f i a n band,
G o d bless the c l a y w h e r e rest today
T h e F e l o n s of o u r L a n d .
T h e n the
deprived
flesh.
by
He
m a r t y r ' s nose detects the
and
once
again
catches the
following
the
the
spirit
food of
m e n t a l t o r t u r e , as
soul-stirring purity
w h i c h he
grapples
of
he
the
with
is
the
often
does,
ballad
with
a more worldly rhapsody:
W a s n ' t it the great p i t y that the fellow t h a t w a s d o i n g
the s u f f e r i n g couldn't be w h e r e the s i n g i n g w a s to get
the benefit of it. M o t h e r of C h r i s t , w a s n ' t there a
thousand places between B e l f a s t a n d B a n t r y B a y where
a fellow w o u l d be stuffed w i t h grub, not to m i n d dowsed
i n porter, i f he could o n l y be there a n d here at the
same t i m e ? B u t I supposed that w o u l d be l i k e t r y i n g
to get a d r i n k at y o u r o w n f u n e r a l . M a k e w a y there,
y o u w i t h the face, a n d let i n the m a n that's doing
j a i l f o r Ireland, a n d s u f f e r i n g h u n g e r a n d abuse, let
h i m up to the b a r there. O h , come u p at once, the
p u b l i c a n w o u l d say, w h a t k i n d of m e n are y o u at a l l ?
H a v e y o u no decency of s p i r i t about you, t h a t w o u l d n ' t
m a k e w a y f o r one of the F e l o n s of our L a n d ? C o m e
on, son, t i l l herself gives y o u this plate of bacon a n d
cabbage, a n d blessings of Jasus on you, a n d on everyone
l i k e you. It's m y o w n d i n n e r I ' m g i v i n g you, f o r y o u
were not expected a n d y o u a m o n g that p a r c e l of whitelivered, thin-lipped, paper-waving, k e y - r a t t l i n g h a n g m e n .
A n d , come o n ; after y o u r d i n n e r there's a pint to w a s h
it down, aye, a n d a glass of m a l t i f y o u f a n c y it. G i v e
us u p a song there. Y o u s have enough of songs out
of yous about the boys t h a t faced the S a x o n foe, but,
BORSTAL
BOY
53
bejasus, w h e n there's one of t h e m here a m o n g you,
the r e a l A l l y D a l y , the r e a l goat's genollickers, yous
are as silent as the tomb. S i n g up, yous whores gets,
(p. 93)
A n d so, d r u n k a n d happy on t h i s massacre of matter
b y m i n d , the prisoner's i m a g i n a t i o n rises a n d swells to
the tune of " O u t a n d M a k e W a y f o r the B o l d F e n i a n
M e n . " Y e t , as the prisoner is only too p a i n f u l l y aware,
s p i r i t u a l victories seldom last v e r y long, despite the
presence of the ghost of Terence MacSweeney, w h o starved
for seventy-eight days, l o o k i n g d o w n on h i s petty p r i v a tions. V o l u n t e e r B e h a n k n o w s w h a t is expected of h i m ;
he also k n o w s w h a t he w o u l d do i f a w a r d e r were to
tempt h i m to s i n g " G o d Save the K i n g " b y offering h i m
a r o u n d steak:
Jesus, M a r y , a n d Joseph, he'd be a l u c k y m a n that I
didn't t a k e the h a n d a n d a l l off h i m . A n d s i n g a
H i g h Mass, never m i n d a couple of lines of ' G o d Save
the K i n g , ' f o r it, aye o r f o r the h a l f of it. (p. 96)
T w o months i n W a l t o n G a o l h a d led h i m to question
some of the extreme aspects of his career as a R e p u b l i c a n
felon. H e h a d not changed his opinion on B r i t i s h i m p e r i a l i s m but was w i l l i n g to settle f o r a t a c t i c a l retreat
f r o m a n exposed position. H e w o u l d have his revenge
outside; t i l l then he d i d not w i s h to d r a w unnecessary
attention to himself. T h i s is presented w i t h h i l a r i o u s
c l a r i t y i n his encounter w i t h C a l l a n , a R e p u b l i c a n f r o m
Monaghan.
Despite the fact t h a t he was imprisoned for the theft
of a n overcoat, C a l l a n was a V o l u n t e e r of extreme r i g i d i t y .
N o longer a believer i n the brotherhood of a l l Irishmen,
B e h a n finds C a l l a n a f a n a t i c a l a n d humourless fool w h o
stupidly invites the w a r d e r s ' w r a t h . Nevertheless, C a l l a n
is a genuine member of the I.R.A. a n d t h i s cannot be
ignored. T h e encounter w i t h C a l l a n coincides w i t h a
period of great danger f o r B e h a n . I n C o v e n t r y , t w o
I.R.A. V o l u n t e e r s were under sentence of death for bombi n g offences; a n t i - I r i s h feeling is so h i g h t h a t B e h a n ' s
chinas, C h a r l i e a n d Ginger, s t i c k close to h i m t o prevent
54
COLBERT
KEARNEY
a sudden attack. C a l l a n proposes a demonstration of
s o l i d a r i t y w i t h the condemned V o l u n t e e r s ; B e h a n considers
this futile, leading to n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n an increase
i n h o s t i l i t y a n d a beating f r o m the warders. B e h a n is
ashamed of his o w n fears but the desire for self-preserva t i o n is uppermost i n h i s m i n d . H e tries to lose himself
i n the comfortable t r i v i a l i t y of M r s . Gaskell's
Cranford
but h i s escape is shattered b y C a l l a n ' s voice t e a r i n g
t h r o u g h the prison. H e calls on B e h a n to demonstrate
h i s f a i t h i n the Republic. B e h a n , frightened out of his
wits, curses C a l l a n a n d the R e p u b l i c a n d the overcoat
w h i c h brought himself a n d C a l l a n together. H e w i l l
g r a n t C a l l a n ' s courage but wishes to be excused f r o m
a n y heroics himself. T o C a l l a n ' s repeated cries, B e h a n
replies w i t h a "discreet s h o u t " and jumps back into bed.
Questioned b y the warders, he replies meekly t h a t he is
reading; t h e n he listens to the groans of suffering as
C a l l a n is beaten up b y the warders.
T h e executions are due to take place the f o l l o w i n g
m o r n i n g . A s usual i n Behan's w r i t i n g s , sparse prose is
a sign of deep emotion.
A c h u r c h bell r a n g out a l i t t l e later. T h e y are
to die now, said I to myself. A s it chimed
I bent m y forehead to m y handcuffed r i g h t
made the S i g n of the C r o s s b y m o v i n g m y
chest a l o n g m y outstretched fingers. It w a s
t h a t I could do. (p. 143)
beginning
the hour,
hand and
head a n d
the best
L u r k i n g i n the last sentence is the uncomfortable k n o w ledge that h i s behaviour, no m a t t e r h o w defensible, h a d
fallen short of t h a t prescribed for a "felon of o u r l a n d . "
W a l t o n G a o l proved a h a r d school; B e h a n was perhaps
l u c k y to escape w i t h his life. H i s v i e w of himself i n
terms of n a t i o n a l a n d religious ideals has h a d to concede
a great deal. Y e t he realises t h a t no m a t t e r how m u c h
he m a y be forced to give i n t h i s respect, it w o u l d be
disastrous to give a n y t h i n g i n the purely p h y s i c a l arena.
W h e n v i c t i m i s e d b y another prisoner he knows that he
must either assert himself o r go under. B u t w h a t self?
BORSTAL
BOY
55
A s h i s masks have been shattered one by one, he falls
back on his u l t i m a t e identity.
I was no country P a d d y f r o m the middle of the B o g
of A l l e n to be frightened to death b y a lot of L i v e r p o o l
seldom-fed bastards, n o r was I one of y o u r wrap-thegreen-flag-round-me j u n i o r C i v i l Servants t h a t came into
the I.R.A. f r o m the G a e l i c League, a n d w e l l ready to
die f o r t h e i r c o u n t r y a n y day of the week, p u r i t y i n
t h e i r hearts, t r u t h on t h e i r lips, f o r the g l o r y of G o d
a n d the h o n o u r of Ireland. N o , be Jesus, I w a s f r o m
R u s s e l l Street, N o r t h C i r c u l a r R o a d , D u b l i n , f r o m the
Northside, where, be Jesus, the likes of D a l e w o u l d n ' t
m a k e a d i n n e r f o r them, w h e r e the w h o l e of t h i s pack
of L i m e y s w o u l d be scruff-hounds, w o u l d be et, bet,
and t h r e w up a g a i n — et w i t h o u t salt. I ' l l James
you, y o u b a s t a r d , (p. 86)
T h u s roused, he a t t a c k s h i s taunter w i t h a sewing-needle
and, l u c k i l y for himself, he does h i s damage a n d is arrested b y w a r d e r s before the v i c t i m ' s gang can avenge
the assault. H e accepts his punishment w i t h ease, k n o w i n g that his newly a c q u i r e d reputation as a tough guy
is a n insurance p o l i c y against u t t e r loss of face a n d
identity. It is a savage method but one dictated b y an
environment i n w h i c h the b r u t a l i t y of warders is t a k e n
for granted a n d i n w h i c h a prisoner is c r u e l l y slashed
w i t h a r a z o r on suspicion of stealing cigarette-butts.
Seeing the slashed prisoner, B e h a n ponders his o w n shortcomings as " a fearless r e b e l " (p. 109).
T h e r e is a positive side to h i s development w h i c h now
begins to emerge. H e has a Crusoe-like capacity for
enjoyment: p r i s o n food is often described w i t h a r e l i s h
n o r m a l l y reserved for more i m a g i n a t i v e cuisine, reading
a book is made to seem a feast, a m i s h a p to a member
of the staff provokes a n o r g y of pleasure. Y e t h i s greatest
gift is h i s h u m o u r a n d h i s greatest delight is i n friendship.
H a v i n g b r o k e n t h r o u g h the clouds of n a t i o n a l i s m , he
senses the strong fellow-feeling between himself a n d the
E n g l i s h boys, especially those f r o m u r b a n backgrounds.
T h i s is underlined at the end of the f i r s t section when
we meet a sad character named H a r t i g a n , L i v e r p o o l - I r i s h ,
son of a C a t h o l i c f r o m the west of Ireland. H a r t i g a n
56
assumes t h a t he
has rejected such
congenial C h a r l i e
Walton Gaol like
his Irishness, but
COLBERT
KEARNEY
a n d B e h a n w i l l be chinas, but B e h a n
assumptions a n d remains w i t h the more
a n d G i n g e r . H e himself h a d entered
H a r t i g a n , lonely and seeking solace i n
two months h a d taught h i m a lot.
T h e most s t r i k i n g element i n the second section of
the novel is the undisguised b o y i s h joy w i t h w h i c h B e h a n
and his friends greet the change f r o m the violence of
W a l t o n to the m o r e l i b e r a l regime a t F e l t h a m B o y s '
P r i s o n . T h e journey is described i n language w h i c h reminds one of boarding-school vacations; there is plenty
of food at F e l t h a m and, l u x u r y of extravagant l u x u r i e s ,
B e h a n is given h i s f i r s t p a i r of pyjamas. H e finds l i t t l e
difficulty i n j o i n i n g w i t h the other boys w h o were, despite
superficial differences, essentially of the same b a c k g r o u n d
as himself. H e w a r m s to the w i t of the L o n d o n e r ' s
r h y m i n g slang; they enjoy his colourful dublinese.
Linguistic d e x t e r i t y and m u s i c a l a b i l i t y stand h i m i n good
stead a n d he is h a p p y that most of his fellow-youngprisoners are not p a r t i c u l a r l y interested i n the nature of
h i s offence — some of t h e m cannot get the i n i t i a l s I.R.A.
i n the correct order.
A c e r t a i n amount of conflict remains. A n o t h e r I.R.A.
prisoner urges B e h a n to adopt a superior attitude to the
c o m m o n c r i m i n a l s . T h i s prisoner is generous w i t h gifts
and advice: B e h a n accepts the gifts a n d rejects the
advice for he finds the person unattractive, sound as a
V o l u n t e e r but deficient i n the s p i r i t a n d sense of h u m o u r
w h i c h enables people to live w i t h each other. A l t h o u g h
there is no e x p l i c i t comment, B e h a n is puzzled to discover
he has more i n c o m m o n w i t h a C o c k n e y thief t h a n w i t h
this V o l u n t e e r . H e refused to j o i n i n C a l l a n ' s demons t r a t i o n on the grounds t h a t he was a f r a i d of being beaten
up; yet he is w i l l i n g to r i s k being beaten to support
his c h i n a , C h a r l i e . W i t h the L o n d o n e r s he can swap
childhood memories of hawking-cries, football matches,
horse-racing lore; w i t h t h e m he shares a grudge against
BORSTAL
BOY
57
the r u l i n g classes. (Some prisoners suggest that B e h a n
m i g h t m a k e better use of his knowledge of explosives i n
the houses of the aristocracy.)
H e has found h i s place
a m o n g his fellows a n d w h e n one tries to s t i r up feeling
against h i m because of his membership of the I.R.A.,
B e h a n easily dismisses h i m b y c a l l i n g h i m a n informer,
the lowest f o r m of p r i s o n life.
T h i s new sense of integration flowers into one of the
great set-pieces of comic literature, H o l y W e e k at F e l t h a m .
T h e n a r r a t o r w o u l d have us believe t h a t being excommunicated enabled h i m to relish the incidents w i t h
atheistic objectivity, but t h i s does not convince us. H e
is s t i l l sufficiently religious to have qualms about loose
behaviour i n c h u r c h and, w h e n he finds himself lapsing
into the l i t u r g y , he must r e m i n d himself to be disrespectful. I n fact, w h a t raises t h i s episode above farce and
into the r e a l m of h i g h comedy is the s t r o n g undercurrent
of genuine religious feeling w h i c h i n f o r m s i t .
A s we have seen, prisoners looked f o r w a r d to religious
services as a break a n d it is not s u r p r i s i n g t h a t nonCatholics envied the C a t h o l i c s t h e i r l o n g E a s t e r W e e k
ceremonies. B e h a n , a catholic C a t h o l i c , sees no just reason
w h y his unfortunate heretical friends should be deprived,
on a technicality, of the o p p o r t u n i t y for s p i r i t u a l exercise
and so he becomes a missionary, g u i d i n g a m i x e d bunch
of pagans, protestants, atheists and agnostics into the
C h u r c h on a week's free t r i a l w i t h no obligation to j o i n .
T h e y are received as p r i s o n regulations demand, t h a t is,
s t r i c t l y regulated a c c o r d i n g to the amount of tobacco each
was allowed: r e m a n d prisoners (own clothes, twenty a
day, u n l i m i t e d parcels) sat i n front, those i n s o l i t a r y
confinement (nothing) sat at the back, the others ranged
i n between. T h e neo-Catholics show a n immediate and
expert understanding of Jesus' suffering; after a l l , he was,
l i k e themselves, a c r i m i n a l arrested on i n f o r m a t i o n received, charged a n d convicted i n v e r y u n f a i r circumstances.
W i t h u t t e r conviction they abuse the informer, Judas,
58
COLBERT
KEARNEY
a n d w a r m l y approve of Peter's desire to i n f l i c t grievous
bodily h a r m on h i m . " C a r v e the bastard u p . " T h e
essence of the comedy is not a n y disrespectful r o w d y i s m
but the l i v e l y religious l i n k between Jesus a n d the p r i s o n ers: they show a n awareness of the story m o r e informed,
intense a n d i m a g i n a t i v e t h a n t h a t n o r m a l l y found i n
" o u t s i d e " churches. T h e y are the lost ones for w h o m
Jesus expressed special concern.
O n G o o d F r i d a y , the I t a l i a n priest, equally c a r r i e d away
b y the Passion, asks the prisoners to accompany h i m
r o u n d the Stations of the Cross. T h e warders w e r e dumbfounded at the breach of the regulations but helpless
against the c o m m a n d of the priest. A s the prisoners
mingle i n a new c o m m u n a l ecstasy, those t h a t have m i n ister unto those t h a t have not. T h e pastoral reputation
of the C a t h o l i c C h u r c h was never so h i g h a n d the a m a z i n g
priest w h o is p a r t l y responsible for t h i s glimpse of paradise
is v e r y p r o p e r l y rewarded i n the l i t t l e f i n a l p a r a g r a p h
w h i c h encapsulates the uplift of heart w h i c h o u r hero
has enjoyed at F e l t h a m :
O n E a s t e r S u n d a y the l i t t l e priest skipped a r o u n d the
a l t a r l i k e a s p r i n g l a m b a n d gave a t r i u m p h a n t sermon
i n g l e a m i n g w h i t e a n d gold vestments and the sun
s h i n i n g t h r o u g h the w i n d o w on h i m . (p. 201)
T h e novel takes its title f r o m the t h i r d and f i n a l section
w h i c h deals w i t h the t i m e spent i n Hollesley B a y B o r s t a l
Institution. O n the w a y there the boys smoke a n d s i n g
and fly streamers. B e h a n sings b o t h popular a n d p a t r i o t i c
songs to the appreciation of his fellow-prisoners. H e feels
no need to conceal his membership of the I . R . A . and
when he gives a fervently obscene account of the damage
inflicted b y the I . R . A . on a B l a c k a n d T a n c o l u m n outside
the t o w n of M a c r o o m h i s E n g l i s h pals a d m i r e the w i t
and applaud the insubordination.
Inevitably almost, one reminds oneself t h a t these boys
have been declared u n f i t for h u m a n society. B e h a n does
not consider himself a c r i m i n a l a n d his friends are s i n g u l a r l y free f r o m the remorse of conscience w h i c h t h e i r
BORSTAL
BOY
59
confinement is intended to excite. B e h a n r e m a r k s that
a prisoner's c r i m e was only alluded to, l i k e the colour
of his h a i r or his place of o r i g i n , as a means of description.
A more a m u s i n g expression of t h i s most C h r i s t i a n c h a r i t y
emerges i n the tale of the boy, imprisoned for forgery,
w h o w o n the cross-country race i n an unusual m a n n e r :
. . . the l o n g forger's legs of h i m and his beaky counterfeit nose b r o u g h t h i m i n before anyone else, also
due to the conservation of his energies behind the i n cinerators, where he s l y l y h i d a n d rested h i m s e l f w h i l e
the other honest poor bastards — w e l l , by comparison,
poor simple robbers a n d rapers a n d m u r d e r e r s — went
round the second time. (p. 279)
A l l objection is overruled because the m a j o r i t y feeling
is that he has deserved h i s f i f t y cigarettes prize for his
cunning if not for h i s a t h l e t i c a l prowess. W i t h o u t condoning murder, rape or forgery, one cannot but feel for
these boys. T h e y react to t h e i r environment. In W a l t o n
G a o l one h a d to be vicious to s u r v i v e ; i n the m o r e enlightened atmosphere of B o r s t a l the behaviour is proportionately more civilised. F o r most of these boys, the
governor of B o r s t a l was t h e i r f i r s t contact w i t h an
a u t h o r i t y they could respect. Hollesley B a y was somet h i n g of a boarding-school: there are abuses a n d punishments but, despite the fact t h a t i t is a n open B o r s t a l ,
only one boy tries to escape.
T h e escaper functions i n the novel i n a manner s i m i l a r
to H a r t i g a n i n the opening section: i n a n a l y s i n g h i m
and his condition, B e h a n tells us a good deal about h i m self. T h e escaper is a n upper-class " t o f f " w h o suffers
more t h a n most because he is isolated i n a m a i n l y
working-class m i l i e u .
H e was dead l o n e l y ; m o r e lonely t h a n I a n d w i t h more
reason. T h e other fellows m i g h t give me a r u b about
I r e l a n d or about the b o m b i n g c a m p a i g n , a n d that was
seldom enough, a n d I w a s never short of a n answer,
h i s t o r i c a l l y i n f o r m e d and obscene, f o r them. B u t I
was nearer to t h e m t h a n they w o u l d ever let K e n be.
I had the same r e a r i n g as most of them, D u b l i n , L i v e r pool, Manchester, G l a s g o w , L o n d o n . A l l our mothers
had a l l done the p a w n — pledging on M o n d a y , releasing
on Saturday. W e a l l k n e w the chip shop a n d the picture
60
COLBERT
KEARNEY
house a n d the fourpenny r u s h of a S a t u r d a y afternoon,
and the s u m m e r s w i m m i n g i n the c a n a l and being chased
along the r a i l w a y by the cops. (p. 241)
R e m e m b e r i n g his own isolation, B e h a n sympathises w i t h
the lonely aristocrat, even w h e n it displeases his own
chinas.
T h e question of class becomes prominent i n this section. (On his arrest i n L i v e r p o o l , B e h a n h a d made leftw i n g noises but i n retrospect we see t h a t they were p a r t
of his o r i g i n a l pose; they were not the result of intellectual analysis, w h i c h is understandable w h e n one remembers
that he was only sixteen.) I n B o r s t a l he has a series
of p o l i t i c a l discussions w i t h a socialist f r o m B l a c k p o o l
w h o is imprisoned because he strangled his girl-friend,
an action w h i c h is c r i t i c i s e d by the n o r m a l l y u n c r i t i c a l
prisoners a n d w h i c h B e h a n is forced to a d m i t was " a
bit stern a l l r i g h t " (p. 306). T h i s socialist engages B e h a n
i n some of the v e r y r a r e intellectual argument of the
book. H e sympathises w i t h the people of Ireland but
condemns the I . R . A . for f a i l i n g to see t h a t t h e i r fight
was not w i t h E n g l a n d but w i t h the class-structure. H e
urges B e h a n , a member of the w o r k i n g class, to consider
himself above the other prisoners w h o w o u l d steal r a t h e r
t h a n w o r k a n d w h o are, eventually, " a d i r t y degenerate
lot of s c u m " (p. 303).
B e h a n seems unable to counter these arguments i n
intellectual terms — w h i c h is s u r p r i s i n g when one considers his consistent pride i n his intelligence a n d loquacity
— but h i s emotions refuse to allow h i m to reject his
chinas. I n his heart he knows t h a t there m i g h t be deficiencies i n the social theory of a person who strangled
his o w n g i r l - f r i e n d and, as usual, the eventual condemnat i o n i s based on the socialist's l a c k of h u m o u r , i m p l y i n g
as i t does the l a c k of understanding a n d c h a r i t y .
Despite
his belief i n the brotherhood of workers, he is a loner;
B e h a n is not his c h i n a .
N o r is anyone else y o u r c h i n a , said I, In m y o w n m i n d .
A n d s m a l l blame to them, w i t h y o u r s c r a w n y face a n d
BORSTAL
61
BOY
y o u r red A n t i - C h r i s t ' s stubble on it, a n d the miserable
undertaker's labourer's chat out of y o u . . . I h a d no
mother to b r e a k her heart, and I h a d no c h i n a to t a k e
m y part, but I h a d one f r i e n d and a g i r l w a s she, that
I croaked w i t h her o w n s i l k stocking, (p. 355)
Nevertheless, the socialist has helped B e h a n c l a r i f y his
opinions: when accused b y a Scot of l i k i n g the E n g l i s h
despite t h e i r behaviour i n Ireland, he replies t h a t i t is
the i m p e r i a l i s t system w h i c h is offensive i n Ireland and
that some of its most obnoxious lackeys are I r i s h a n d
Scots.
T h e news of his release comes as a surprise both to
B e h a n a n d to the reader. T h e boy at boarding-school
w i l l count the last few weeks, days, hours a n d minutes,
but B e h a n does not. A l s o , the f i r s t d u t y of a prisoner
of w a r is to escape; B e h a n c l a i m s t h a t the odds against
success were enormous but one feels t h a t t h i s is not the
whole t r u t h . G r a d u a l l y one comes to the strange conclusion that the prisoner has enjoyed his p r i s o n . T h e
governor c l a i m s t h a t B o r s t a l has made a m a n of B e h a n ,
a c l a i m t h a t is not disputed. It has c e r t a i n l y taught
h i m a great deal about himself a n d about life i n general:
i t has sharpened his perception, taught h i m to use his
comic gifts as a means of s u r v i v a l , granted h i m leisure
to read widely a n d given h i m his f i r s t l i t e r a r y a w a r d .
Some years later he w r o t e of a book:
I read this book a lot of years before it w a s i n Penguins,
at a time w h e n I w a s l e a d i n g a m o r e contemplative
life a n d had plenty of time t o t h i n k about w h a t I r e a d .
4
T h e i r o n y does not conceal the t r u t h a n d one notices
the pride i n a n alma mater w h i c h provided such education
even i n p r e - P e n g u i n days.
B e h a n ' s farewells are quick, the sparse prose being
the s i g n of deep and tender emotion. It is m o r e l i k e
a prize-pupil leaving school t h a n a prisoner being deported. In D u b l i n B a y he counts the h i l l s a n d the spires
of the city, r e m a r k i n g t h a t they were as if he never
left them. T h i s is a complex observation, p a r t of the
c o m p l e x i t y being the surprise that such things could have
62
COLBERT KEARNEY
stayed the same w h e n he h a d changed so m u c h .
H e is
u n c e r t a i n w h a t o t h e r changes a w a i t h i m : the i m m i g r a t i o n
o f f i c i a l welcomes h i m q u i e t l y i n I r i s h , the detective on
the g a n g w a y says n o t h i n g .
NOTES
Irish Poets in English
(The T h o m a s D a v i s Lectures on AngloI r i s h P o e t r y ) , edited by S e a n L u c y ( C o r k a n d D u b l i n :
M e r c i e r Press, 1973), p. 27.
-I hope to show this i n a l a t e r essay.
^Borstal Boy ( L o n d o n : C o r g i , 1961), p. 13. Subsequent page references are to this edition.
*Hold
Your Hand and Have
Another
(London: Hutchinson,
1963), p. 189.
1