Showing 7776 results

Sound recording of an interview conducted by Robert Stradling with William Geraghty, Dublin, who served as volunteer in Irish Brigade in Spain. Notes how he heard about General O’Duffy’s Brigade in a public information broadcast at the cinema, and his feelings towards Spain, stating ‘in my limited learnings of the history of the friendship that existed between Spain and Ireland and all that Spain tried to do in the sad times my forefathers experienced, the Spanish Armada, giving sanctuary to the O’Donnells and all the rest… I felt indebted to Spain for their kindness to… our ancestors’. Also refers to strength of his Christian faith as influencing factor on the journey to Spain. Notes his involvement in the Irish army prior to joining the Brigade, the issue of religious persecution, atrocities carried out and his interest in Spanish culture. Also refers to the Blueshirt movement, his view of General O’Duffy, the issue of minors serving in the Brigade and the non-intervention pact, stating ‘we had offers from America, even as far as Canada and America, they would’ve… provided their cavalry units… to go and fight communism’ and remembers some of his commanding officers, including Lieutenant George Timlin, and notes, ‘There is one person that I particularly remember… Tom Hyde, he was killed by mistake in an engagement between two armies that was… on the Franco side’. Provides account of journey to Spain on board a German vessel, stating ‘There was no provision made for meals or for sleeping… The conditions from Galway… was anything but calm’, and on to Salamanca, and then Cáceres where he notes the ‘royal welcome’ of the people and the standard of training there. Also recalls death of Gabriel Lee and carrying his stretcher, the issue of drink in the Irish Brigade, the events of 19 February 1937 and the attempted attack at Titulcia. Notes life in Ciempozuelos including sniper fire and executions of prisoners, and the capture of a Cuban prisoner. Refers also to friendship with an International Brigadier on his return to Ireland in approximately 1946, ‘What he saw when he arrived in Red Spain… he was shocked and horrified because he was also a Catholic and the reason that he went to Spain… the propaganda from the International Brigade’. Records also the contents of a private reference from General O’Duffy, his overall impression of O’Duffy, and issue of recognition of efforts of the Irish Brigade from the state, historians and the church, after their return to Ireland. In addition, notes his views on the articles of Sunday Independent Special Correspondent, Gertrude Gaffney, and details on uniforms, weaponry and pay are noted. Also recalls, on his return to Ireland, an attempt by Geraghty and about seven other men to take a Spanish ship from Derry to Bilbao, and the arrest of the vessel prior to departure.

Sound recording of an interview conducted by Robert Stradling with Tony Hyde, from Midleton, Cork, younger brother of Lieutenant Tom Hyde, who served in ‘A’ Company of Irish Brigade in Spain. Records that Tom was an idealist and his Christian faith motivated him to go to Spain at age of around thirty-seven. Refers to accounts of atrocities carried out on priests and nuns in Spain, how Tom met O’Duffy in the National Corporate Party, and how he was wounded during the Irish Civil War. Also addresses popularity of Tom amongst men at home and in Spain, the events surrounding his death in February 1937, and recognition of Irish Brigade by politicians, the government and the church.

Sound recording of an interview conducted by Robert Stradling with the younger brother of Major Patrick Dalton, Officer Commanding of Irish Brigade in Spain, noting that Patrick would not have gone to Spain had his mother been alive. Also states that his brother had been an officer in the Irish Free State Army, and then worked in Dublin with Bookmaker, Joe Cunningham. States that Dalton was a personal friend of O’Duffy and was in charge of Blueshirts in Dublin. Notes his motivation to join the Brigade as being religious, and also the fact that Dalton stopped his brothers from volunteering also, stating ‘he said that one was enough’. Also notes lack of recognition of O’Duffy’s men by the church and the state.

Sound recording of an interview conducted by Robert Stradling with Patrick Smith, county Cavan, who served in ‘D’ Company of Irish Brigade in Spain. Notes how he heard about the appeal for volunteers for the Irish Brigade in the 'Irish Independent', while working as Chief Butter-maker in creamery in Thomastown, county Kilkenny. States ‘I had an assistant, Jim Morrisey… the following morning… I was reading the paper and read all about this, and this got to me, I was gripped, and every time we met around the dairy… Jim and I, we couldn’t talk of anything else… and the pact was made that the two of us would go to Spain.’ Records also contact with Pádraig Quinn of Gowran House regarding getting a passport for Spain and how he had to lie to the authorities saying that he was going to Denmark to study in a dairy science college. Refers to membership of Blueshirts, views on General O’Duffy, communism and the issue of minors, noting ‘The reason why we left Spain because… more than fifty percent of the Brigade were under twenty-one… our good government of the day, held by Eamon De Valera, rushed the Citizenship Bill through... and if the fellas under twenty-one were not back in Ireland by such a date they were [displaced] persons, they had no country… so O’Duffy made sure they were back.’ Notes journey to Spain via Liverpool and Lisbon, his impressions of Spanish people, allegations of drunkenness, and interviews with other Brigadiers such as Matt Doolan and Paddy Quinn. In addition, notes military training in Cáceres, and events surrounding deaths of Tom Hyde and Dan Chute, noting reasons for incident as follows ‘the uniforms… we hadn’t a distinctive uniform… they were Canary Islanders… and their uniform was different… and lack of communications’. Also mentions attack near Titulcia and mining the track of the armoured train, and impressions of Ciempozuelos and La Marañosa, noting the following about the latter, ‘what our biggest trouble there was shortage of water… we went searching and three miles down the mountainside we came across a farmhouse and a well… we loaded ourselves up… we drank ourselves sick… we hadn’t water for days and days… it turned out that that water after a number of days, we couldn’t use it, it was stinking… and we saw… green scum… we got in and emptied the well… there was at least seven or eight bodies in it, a whole family… who had been murdered by the Reds and thrown in the well’. Also refers to marching alongside St. Mary’s Band, carrying out religious duties and the issue of recognition of Brigadiers by church or state on their return to Ireland. In addition, notes witnessing execution of prisoners, further impressions of General O’Duffy, and Smith’s political persuasion. In addition, records the contents of documents in Smith’s possession.