Spanish- Irish Brigade.
c.1936
Spanish Civil War.
Members of the Carlow Unit who went to Spain with General O'Eoin Duffy's
Irish Brigade to fight with the forces of Francisco Franco during the
Spanish Civil War 1936 - 1939.
From a list compiled by Dick Walsh of
Burrin Street, Carlow:
-
Pat Dunny, John St. Carlow.
-
Dick Matthews, Castle Hill, Carlow.
-
James Emerson, Carlow
-
Billie Moran, Carlow.
-
Dick Walsh, Burrin St. Carlow.
-
F. Fitzsimon, Carlow.
-
Phil Dunphy, Carlow.
-
Michael Brennan, Leighlin.
-
Michael Foley, Leighlin.
-
J. Cummins, Tullow.
-
Jim Lawlor, Bagnalstown.
-
Tom Kenny, Hacketstown.
-
Mick Tobin, Graiguecullen.
-
George Hoare, Graiguecullen.
-
Gaza Donahue, Graiguecullen.
In 1936 General Eoin O'Duffy, founder of
the National Corporate Party, led the Irish Brigade to fight for
Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War.
The Irish Government was against any type
of participation in the conflict nevertheless the General organised a
800 strong force of Irishmen to fight against the Republicans in Spain.
The Brigade, having seen little or no
action, returned to Ireland in 1937.
At the same time another force of about
500 men from Ireland, known as the Connolly Column, led by Frank Ryan
went to Spain to fight for the Spanish Republicans against the Francisco
Franco forces.
Some of the enlisted men in the Connolly
Column (mainly ex-I.R.A. men who had opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty) saw
this as a continuation of Ireland's own Civil War!.
Several of the Connolly Column were
killed in action during the conflict.
Frank Ryan was captured and sentenced to
death but following intervention from Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Eamon
de Valera the sentence was not carried out.
Mr. Rockett (Jim ?) from Hanover was one
of the Carlow volunteers who went to Spain but his name does not appear
on Dick Walsh's list, so was he in the Connolly Column ?
General Eoin O'Duffy was one time leader
of the Army Comrades Association, later nicknamed "The Blueshirts", he
later became the first President of the Fine Gael Party.
Source: Michael Purcell c.2011
The above is a true and
accurate transcript of the original document.
Transcribed by Jean Casey, November 2009.
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