Irish Brigade (Spanish Civil War) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Irish Brigade |
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The St. Patrick's Saltire flag of the Irish Brigade.
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| Active | 1936–1937 |
| Country |  Irish Free State |
| Allegiance |  Nationalist Spain |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 700 troops |
| Garrison/HQ | Cáceres, Spain |
| Nickname(s) | Blueshirts |
| Engagements | Spanish Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Eoin O'Duffy |
| Insignia | |
| Badge of the Irish Brigade |
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The Irish Brigade (Spanish: Brigada Irlandesa, "Irish Brigade" Irish: Briogáid na hÉireann) was a group of about 700 Irish volunteers. They fought on the side of Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Franco's side was called the Nationalists.
The unit was made up entirely of Roman Catholics. It was formed by an Irish politician named Eoin O'Duffy. He had previously led groups in Ireland called the Blueshirts and Greenshirts. Even though the Irish government said people should not join the war, about 700 of O'Duffy's followers went to Spain. They believed they were fighting to protect the Roman Catholic Church from attacks by people who were against religion. They also wanted to stop communism from spreading in Spain.
Contents
Why the Irish Brigade Joined the War
In August 1936, a Spanish leader asked the head of the Irish Catholic Church, Cardinal Joseph MacRory, for help. The Cardinal suggested Eoin O'Duffy because O'Duffy was a strong supporter of their cause. O'Duffy had also organized a very large Catholic event in Dublin in 1932.
O'Duffy had his own political party in Ireland. He hoped that helping in Spain would make his party more popular. He traveled to Spain and met Franco, promising to bring 5,000 volunteers.
At first, Franco wanted Irish support. This was because he needed to show that he had support from religious groups in Spain. But as the war went on, Franco became more confident. By December 1936, he didn't need the Irish volunteers as much.
Support for the Irish Brigade in Ireland
Many people in Ireland supported the idea of the Irish Brigade. This was mainly because most Irish people were Catholic. They felt a strong connection to the Catholic Church in Spain. The Irish Independent newspaper, for example, supported the idea. It even published a letter from O'Duffy asking for help for his "anti-Red Crusade."
The Catholic Church in Ireland also strongly supported the Nationalists. Cardinal MacRory said that the war was about whether Spain would remain a Christian country or become a communist one. Many local councils in Ireland also passed resolutions to support Franco.
However, the Irish government did not agree with the Church's strong stance. The Irish leader, Éamon de Valera, decided that Ireland would remain neutral. In February 1937, Ireland joined the Non-Intervention Committee. This was a group of countries that agreed not to get involved in the Spanish Civil War.
Rallies were held in Ireland to support Franco. One Catholic group, the Irish Christian Front, organized a large meeting of 40,000 people in Cork city. Sometimes, small fights broke out between people who supported Franco and those who supported the other side.
Irish people living in other countries also showed support. In the USA, many Irish Americans, who were mostly Catholic, supported Franco. In Northern Ireland, many Catholics also supported Franco.
Who Were the Volunteers?
In late 1936, about 7,000 men offered to volunteer. Around 700 of them actually went to Spain. Many of the officers were part of O'Duffy's political party. However, most of the volunteers were not party members. They were often former members of the Blueshirts who still respected O'Duffy.
Some volunteers were experienced soldiers from earlier conflicts in Ireland. But many others were young and had little experience. The Irish government described them as "very young men, who have been enticed from their families by the impression that they are going to fight for Christianity." Some were simply looking for adventure.
Franco was not very eager to have the Irish Brigade by this time. O'Duffy found it hard to get a ship for his men. A ship expected in October was canceled. About 200 volunteers traveled to Spain in small groups. Eventually, 500 more left on a German ship called Urundi from Galway in November 1936. Large crowds gathered to sing hymns and bless the volunteers. The ship arrived in Spain in December 1936.
Training and Time at the Front
The volunteers trained at Cáceres. They became the "XV Bandera" (which means "fifteenth battalion") of the Spanish Foreign Legion. Their uniforms were German ones dyed light green, with silver harp badges.
During their training, the Spanish leaders criticized the Brigade's discipline. There were also disagreements between the volunteers and their Chaplain, Father Mulrean. He was not popular because he publicly scolded the Irishmen.
Some volunteers also saw executions of captured Republican soldiers at Cáceres. One volunteer remembered seeing Franco's army executing groups of people every morning.
On February 19, 1937, the Brigade was sent to the Battle of Jarama area. They were part of the right side at Ciempozuelos. However, as they approached the front line, they were accidentally fired upon by an allied Spanish unit. In this hour-long "friendly fire" incident, 2 Irish soldiers and up to 9 Spanish soldiers were killed.
Most of the Brigade's time at the front was spent in trenches at Ciempozuelos. One volunteer said they "never saw the Reds but were often under Red artillery fire." Soldiers were injured or became sick from artillery fire and disease. In their only attack, against the village of Titulcia, six Irish soldiers were killed and 15 were wounded. The next day, the Brigade refused to continue the attack. They were then placed in defensive positions nearby. These were the only two times the Brigade was involved in direct fighting.
Withdrawal and What Happened Next
Since Franco no longer needed the Brigade for political reasons, he did not send another ship for more Irish volunteers. In February, the Irish government passed a law that stopped any more volunteers from going to Spain.
The Brigade members in Spain faced challenges. After the failed attack on Titulcia, a Francoist general wrote to Franco. He said the Irish unit was not effective and suggested it should be disbanded.
O'Duffy then offered to withdraw his unit, and Franco agreed. Most of the Brigade returned to Cáceres and then sailed home from Portugal. When they arrived in Dublin in June 1937, only hundreds of people greeted them, not thousands as expected. O'Duffy's political career was largely over. Some volunteers even marched separately from O'Duffy, showing their unhappiness with him.
By the time the Irish volunteers returned, public support for Franco in Ireland had decreased. People learned about terrible events, like the German bombing of Guernica. This made it harder to believe that Franco was leading a religious fight. The Irish Christian Front also faced problems and eventually broke apart. Even the Catholic Church in Ireland became less vocal in its support for Franco.
The exact number of losses for the Brigade is not completely clear. One member said 35 were killed and 40 wounded. Another count suggests ten were killed in action and 21 died from wounds or disease.
See also
- Foreign involvement in the Spanish Civil War
- Irish involvement in the Spanish Civil War
- Irish Socialist Volunteers in the Spanish Civil War
- Connolly Column
- Ireland–Spain relations
