DVD of older movie is most recent. Song for a Raggy Boy may already be out-of-print.

The films are controversial for similar reasons, so invite comparison:

BORSTAL BOY (2000) dir. Peter Sheridan

Brendan Behan, 16-year-old Republican, was arrested during a bombing mission to Liverpool.

In 1942, he was too young to be executed, so was sentenced to Borstal training.

Borstal Boy is a watchable movie, but open to criticism for straying too far from the book.

The actor portraying Behan, Shawn Hatosy (b. 1975, US), was not well-chosen.

Surely an actor with an Irish accent was available?


SONG FOR A RAGGY BOY (2003) Dir. Aisling Walsh

Based on the true story of teacher William Franklin's stand against the
tyrannical regime of a Reformatory and Industrial School, Ireland, 1939.

The film is a "composite" impression of the schools; not all the incidents appear in the book.

With Aidan Quinn as Franklin, Iain Glen, the sadistic Brother John,
and Marc Warren, the abusive Brother Mac.

The younger actors are outstanding. They were chosen for lack of drama-school background,
to bring a "natural" ambience, and included:

1. John Travers as Liam Mercier (Best Actor, Cherbourg Film Festival, 2003)
Recent roles: James in 48 Angels (2006), Young Quinlan in Closing the Ring (2007)
Colin in Peacefire (2008)

2. Chris Newman as Patrick Delaney
Love is the Drug (2004), Stardust (2006), Aisling's Diary (2008)

3. Andrew Simpson as Gerard Peters
Steven Connolly in Notes on a Scandal (2006)

"I've been torpedoed!"
Askey replies..
"Well I didn't do it!"