Born in Dublin in the s, he grew up in what by todays standards would be regarded as poverty. 그는 교육 기회를 박탈당하고 많은 어려움을 겪었으며 아버지를 알지도 못했습니다. At the age of he got on a boat to England, lied about his age and volunteered to fight in the war, joining the RAF.