Spanish Civil War

Irish Involvement in the Spanish Civil War

Christy Moore - Viva la Quinta Brigada

The Spanish Civil War lasted from July 17, 1936 to April 1, 1939. Both sides in the Spanish Civil War attracted participants from Ireland.

The Irish International Brigaders (a.k.a. the Connolly Column) fought for the Spanish Rebuplic.

General Eoin O’Duffy’s Irish Brigade joined on the side of Franco because they saw his regime as a threat to Catholicism.

The Irish Christian Front was set up in 1936 to protect Spain from the 'threat' of Communism and Atheism.

It is estimated around 1,000 Irishmen took part in the war, 10% of which are reckoned to have died. The last Irishman to have seen combat there died in 2009.