The Rentwoman - Brendan Behan's Lost First Play with Neili Conroy and Jimmy Murphy

Discovered deep in the National Library of Ireland earlier this year, The Rent Woman is Act One of Brendan Behan’s long-lost first play, written in his early twenties and burning with raw energy. Ferocious, funny, and unfiltered, the play offers a vibrant glimpse into Dublin tenement life, class conflict, and the emerging voice of one of Ireland’s most iconic writers. This is Behan before the myth, alive with promise, precision, and political bite. Originally written in English, The Rent Woman was later reworked into Irish as An Bean Cíosá, adding a fascinating bilingual dimension to Behan’s evolving theatrical vision. At this exclusive event on the Minefield Stage, join playwright Jimmy Murphy, actor Neili Conroy, and more for a live reading, a behind-the-scenes look at the play’s discovery, and a conversation on its continued relevance and how we can learn more about the writer and his relationship with the Irish-language in…