O'Duffy's "Irish Brigade" in the Spanish Civil War

Discussions on all aspects of the Spanish Civil War including the Condor Legion, the Germans fighting for Franco in the Spanish Civil War.
Post Reply
User avatar
Nagelfar
Member
Posts: 1102
Joined: 08 Sep 2002, 07:31
Location: Pacific Northwest
Contact:

O'Duffy's "Irish Brigade" in the Spanish Civil War

#1

Post by Nagelfar » 01 Feb 2003, 04:48

When the Spanish Civil War broke out in July 1936 he organised an Irish Brigade to fight for the Franco forces. The government decided on a policy of neutrality and passed legislation that made participation in the war illegal. In the end some seven hundred volunteers from Ireland succeeded in making their way to Spain in 1936 and 1937. They served in O’Duffy’s brigade for six months under trying conditions, and only a handful volunteered for a second term.
I found this online, does anybody have anymore information on this? I am particularly interested in what their banner, symbol or badge was. in spanish, it was called the "Bandera Irlandesa del Terico" and was organized through the 'National Corporate Party' in ireland. I am also wondering what the emblem of the National Corporate Party was, if any

User avatar
Nagelfar
Member
Posts: 1102
Joined: 08 Sep 2002, 07:31
Location: Pacific Northwest
Contact:

#2

Post by Nagelfar » 01 Feb 2003, 23:09

I contacted Fearghal McGarry, author of a book about Eoin O'Duffy, and he gave me a quite promising responce;
Dr. McGarry wrote:Information about the banner of the Irish Brigade (a wolfhound on a blue background, possibly with a harp thrown in, if I recall correctly).....I can't recall the emblem of the NCP offhand but he was certainly into flags and banners of all kinds. I am currently writing up that section of O'Duffy's life in a biography I am completing at the moment and would be in a position to give you that information if you contact me again in about 8 weeks time.
So it seems even the Irish professors themselves don't have the answers together yet :P


Maurice C
Member
Posts: 136
Joined: 20 Nov 2002, 05:43
Location: ireland

#3

Post by Maurice C » 12 Feb 2003, 03:30

I have to say O'duffy isnt held in the highest esteem over here, heres some info though,
http://members.lycos.co.uk/spanishcivilwar/

Charm000
Member
Posts: 58
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 14:40
Location: London, England

Foreign Volunteers For Franco

#4

Post by Charm000 » 13 Feb 2003, 18:59

Anyone interested in foreign volunteers who fought for Franco (including O'Duffy's men) might want to check out:

http://www.members.aol.com/kitx/Home.html

A book called Holidays In The Sun: British And Other Volunteers For Franco 1936-39 is available from there. It has a lot of useful information and biographies about the volunteers who joined the Nationalist forces. Includes the British, Irish, French, Belgians, Romanians, White Russians, South Americans etc. There is also a reprint of a 1937 article about an American pilot who flew for Franco.

Hope this is of interest.

Christopher

User avatar
Graf von Dracula
Member
Posts: 52
Joined: 27 Jul 2002, 18:14
Location: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Re: Foreign Volunteers For Franco

#5

Post by Graf von Dracula » 15 Mar 2003, 04:15

Charm000 wrote:Anyone interested in foreign volunteers who fought for Franco (including O'Duffy's men) might want to check out:

http://www.members.aol.com/kitx/Home.html

A book called Holidays In The Sun: British And Other Volunteers For Franco 1936-39 is available from there. It has a lot of useful information and biographies about the volunteers who joined the Nationalist forces. Includes the British, Irish, French, Belgians, Romanians, White Russians, South Americans etc. There is also a reprint of a 1937 article about an American pilot who flew for Franco.

Hope this is of interest.

Christopher
Some months ago, in an Spanish magazine ("Clio") appeared an article about the minor foreign formations that fought in Spain during the Civil War.

As far as i can remember, Duffy's Irish Brigade was quite badly rated among the nationalists. Apparently they loved more the wine than the fighting, and when they paraded in Dublin after they came back, nobody cheered them.

There talks also about an Italo-American pilot. An American guy who joined a program to train Italian emigres as pilots, so they could earn too the Italian nationality. That one (can't remember the name) fought on Abyssinia, and the went to the Northern front of Spain. He went to congratulate Franco for the capture of Santander and when he got there and saluted with a "viva España", he was captured by the Republicans. Franco hadn't captured Santander....yet. :P
I'll look for the article and expand the info here. Sorry for the shortness.

Post Reply

Return to “Spanish Civil War & Legion Condor”