218:, the Irish government made numerous diplomatic representations for his release, working closely with the Iranian government. Throughout the kidnap they also provided support to his two sisters, Elaine Spence and Brenda Gillham, who were spearheading the campaign for Brian's release. He was released from captivity to Syrian military forces on 24 August 1990 and was driven to
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The
British and American governments at the time had a policy that they would not negotiate with terrorists, and Keenan was considered by some to have been ignored by them. Because he was travelling on both Irish and British
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He returned to Beirut in 2007 for the first time since being released 17 years earlier. He wrote of the trip, "I couldn’t say I was happy and excited to be back – it was far more than that. I was falling in love."
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is an autobiographical book by Keenan about his four years as a hostage in Beirut. The book revolves heavily around the great friendship he experienced with fellow hostage
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early and began work as a heating engineer. However, he continued an interest in literature by attending night classes and in 1970 gained a place at the
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said "The scope and grandeur of his reflections is supported by the concrete detail of his narrative. It is a moving and remarkable triumph." In the
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called it "Scriptural in its resonances and its broad artistry, while being as gripping as an airport thriller" and
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campus of the university for postgraduate study. Afterwards he accepted a teaching position at the
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In 1993, he married Audrey Doyle, a physiotherapist. They have two children and live in Dublin.
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136:(born 28 September 1950) is an Irish writer whose work includes the book
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stated that it was "Unforgettable... a remarkable achievement"
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claimed that "From the horror has come something wonderful.
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On the morning of 11 April 1986, Keenan was kidnapped by
464:"Brian Keenan on spirituality, faith, writing and fear"
438:"How Brian Keenan found love and learned to live again"
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Keenan was born into a working-class family in East
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585:Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize recipients
335:Four Quarters of Light: A Journey through Alaska
176:who were collectively known subsequently as the
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615:Male non-fiction writers from Northern Ireland
329:Between Extremes: A Journey beyond Imagination
580:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
528:"Brian Keenan's journey back to hostage hell"
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168:. Other writers there at that time included
281:is a great book... With the publication of
565:21st-century writers from Northern Ireland
180:. In the mid 1980s Keenan returned to the
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250:Literature Prize for Non-fiction and the
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16:For other people with the same name, see
490:"BBC Two - Brian Keenan: Back to Beirut"
393:BBC: A hostage's story, by Brian Keenan
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257:It was also enthusiastically reviewed.
382:BBC: Irish hostage released in Lebanon
252:Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize
156:, Northern Ireland, in 1950. He left
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364:List of solved missing person cases
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408:. London: Vintage. p. 352.
122:Elaine Spence and Brenda Gillham
620:Missing person cases in Lebanon
526:Keenan, Brian (23 March 2008).
507:Keenan, Brian (22 July 2006).
359:List of Northern Irish writers
301:was adapted into a 2003 film,
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186:American University of Beirut
18:Brian Keenan (disambiguation)
575:British people taken hostage
590:Foreign hostages in Lebanon
570:Alumni of Ulster University
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600:Irish people taken hostage
560:1980s missing person cases
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605:Kidnapped British people
595:Formerly missing people
331:(With J. McCarthy) 2000
404:Keenan, Brian (1993).
198:Lebanon hostage crisis
264:Independent on Sunday
96:His time as a hostage
625:Writers from Belfast
162:University of Ulster
88:University of Ulster
354:List of kidnappings
158:Orangefield School
80:Orangefield School
64:, Northern Ireland
509:"After the Flood"
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178:Coleraine Cluster
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56:28 September 1950
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32:Brian Keenan
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23:Irish writer
555:1950 births
270:Irish Times
247:Irish Times
170:Gerald Dawe
69:Nationality
549:Categories
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370:References
196:See also:
52:1950-09-28
216:passports
166:Coleraine
119:Relatives
77:Education
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348:See also
323:Turlough
220:Damascus
474:7 March
448:7 March
261:in the
192:Hostage
154:Belfast
93:Subject
62:Belfast
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343:, 2010
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319:, 1991
142:Beirut
111:Spouse
233:Works
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420:OCLC
410:ISBN
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148:Life
46:Born
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133:CBE
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