Belfast Spanish Civil War Memorial

A memorial to the workers of Belfast who supported the anti-fascist struggle in Spain during the Spanish Civil War was unveiled in its permanent position on Saturday by International Brigaders Bob Doyle and Jack Edwards.

The memorial, which was erected by the International Brigade Commemoration Committee, faces out from Writer’s Square, in Belfast City Centre, close to St. Ann’s Cathedral. The IBCC was set up in 2005 by Belfast and District Trades Union Council, and other groups and individuals within the community and wider labour movement.

Apologies were received from two other International Brigaders, Paddy Cochrane, who, with Bob Doyle, is one of two surviving Irish Brigaders, and Jack Jones, Life President of the International Brigade Memorial Trust, who also supported the IBCC and the memorial.

At a book launch preceding the unveiling, Kevin Doherty, Secretary of B&DTUC, said that what united the Northern Irish volunteers was their history of trade union struggle. Sectarianism played no part in their decision to go to Spain. B&DTUC were proud to have played their part in supporting the volunteers and those at home who raised funds for food and medical aid for Spain.

The booklet, No Pasaran “We Intend to show the World”, commissioned by the B&DTUC, with the support of the Community Relations Council, was written by local historian Ciaran Crossey. The booklet and unveiling were part of a weekend of events commemorating the volunteers from Northern Ireland. Ciaran Crossey reminded the audience that the weekend coincided with Remembrance Sunday and the 90th anniversary of the end of World War One.

Of the approximately 320 people from the island of Ireland who volunteered to fight fascism in Spain or support the struggle in the medical services, 78 of whom originated in Northern Ireland, 82 made the ultimate sacrifice, approximately 20 of these from the North. Just five months after the Spanish Republic was eventually crushed in April 1939, World War Two started, and many millions more were to lose their lives in the struggle against fascism.

Bob Doyle, speaking at the unveiling, said that “despite the allied victory in 1945, Spain was abandoned to a fascist dictatorship for a further 30 years by the western democracies.

“Their postwar policies showed they cared little for democracy in Europe, while they expanded their economic empires under the shelter of the NATO cold war alliance.

“Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, these rightwing forces have increased in violence and their policies have lost all pretence of defending democracy. Today NATO forces fight in Afghanistan, and US and British forces occupy Iraq.

“Now we are suddenly faced with capitalism’s worst crisis. When banks made millions, governments were told not to interfere. But now that they have bankrupted themselves, we find there is no end to the public’s money which is given to bail them out.

“The last time this happened, in the 1930s, we ended up at war, because we left it all to the ruling classes. This time we have to unite, and act to protect ourselves.”

Copes of the No Pasaran booklet can be obtained from B&DTUC, 45/47 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2FG, price £5.00.

Note by Ciaran Crossey - copies of the pamphlet can be bought online as well.