Irish Brigade (Spanish Civil War)
The Irish Brigade (Spanish: Brigada Irlandesa, "Irish Brigade" Irish: Briogáid na hÉireann), fought on the Nationalist side of Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. The unit was formed wholly of Roman Catholics by the politician Eoin O'Duffy, who had previously organised the banned quasi-fascist Blueshirts and openly fascist Greenshirts in Ireland. Despite the declaration by the Irish government that participation in the war was unwelcome and ill-advised, 700 of O'Duffy's followers went to Spain. They saw their primary role in Spain as fighting for the Roman Catholic Church, some of whose priests and nuns had been attacked (see Red Terror (Spain)). They also saw many religious and historical parallels in the two nations, and hoped to prevent communism gaining ground in Spain.
Read more about Irish Brigade (Spanish Civil War): Initial Involvement, Support For The Brigade, Volunteers, Training and Deployment, Mixed Reputation, Withdrawal and Reaction
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