Brendan Behan

The Cork musician composed his own music to accompany the words of Behan's poignant poem about the life and death of Oscar Wilde.

The acclaimed musician will be performing on March 29 at the National Concert Hall, where he will perform a tribute to Irish singer Phil Lynott with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. The video showcases O’Rourke’s powerful vocal belts and piano skills while accompanied by Conor Caldwell’s soothing performance on the fiddle. Advertisement O’Rourke found that Behan and Wilde shared many links including sexuality and finding a safe haven in a more liberated environment than Ireland during their time. O’Rourke’s choice to release the new single and video now was no coincidence, as this week marks the centenary of Behan’s birth on February 9, 1923. The poem was written in Irish and later translated into English by Irish writer Ulik O’Connor.