Michael O'Riordan - Connolly Column

Connolly Column

His book Connolly Column - The Story of the Irishmen who fought for the Spanish Republic 1936-1939, published in 1979, dealt with the Irish volunteers of the International Brigade who fought in support of the Spanish Republic against Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). An updated version of the book was reprinted in 2005 and was launched by the Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Michael Conaghan at a book launch at SIPTU headquarters, Liberty Hall. The book was the inspiration for Irish singer-songwriter Christy Moore's famous song Viva la Quinta Brigada.

Moore said: “Without Michael O’Riordan I’d never have been able to write Viva la Quince Brigada. I must have performed the song over a thousand times and every single time I sing it I think of Mick and wonder how can I ever thank him enough. In Spain in 1983 I was reading his book, Connolly Column – the story of the Irishmen who fought for the Spanish Republic, and I began this song as I read on. The song was lifted entirely from his book.”