Irish Catholics for Franco

No history of the Spanish Civil War could be written without much discussion of the large number of volunteers who joined the republican government to fight against the fascist/nationalist rebellion. Many of them joined the famed International Brigades, wearing the three-pointed star and fighting for a socialist Spain for the people - in what was arguably the prelude to the Second World War in Europe.

A far smaller number of volunteers joined 'La Bandera', a 'blueshirt', pro-nationalist/fascist column which formed part of the Spanish Legion. Among them were some 600 Irishmen, who entered into a conflict from which Éamon de Valera's government eventually insisted they return. Later, Ireland was one of the last European countries to recognise Franco's government... something which clearly hurt some of those who went to fight for the General (though perhaps not as much as the hurt felt by the many French, British and American (and Irish) International Brigades volunteers who were lucky enough to return home to find the republic forgotten).

There's an interesting archive on the Irish volunteers to the nationalist/fascist cause at the ISCW site. Interestingly, it seems that more Irishmen and women joined the International Brigades than the Bandera... perhaps evidence of the socialist current which was strong in Ireland in the 30s.

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