The Frank Conroy Committee has designed a badge to mark the 90th anniversary of the
death of Kildare IRA volunteer, anti-fascist and Communist Party member Frank Conroy.
Christy Moore took to the stage at the 2018 James Connolly Festival in the Communist Party
of Ireland’s New Theatre to give an impromptu performance of four songs, including “Viva la
Quince Brigada.” In the final verse, Moore names Frank Conroy, his fellow county man, “who
fought and died for democracy in Spain with the International Brigades.”
Frank Conroy was born into poverty on 25 February 1914, in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. At a
young age, he joined the IRA; later, he became involved with the Republican Congress.
Frank was active in street battles against the far-right, and around this time he volunteered
to join the International Brigades, determined to defend the Spanish Republic against the
Fascist rebellion. This former IRA volunteer, now a member of the Communist Party, set sail
on the Holyhead ferry on 13 December 1936, alongside other Irish volunteers of what would
later become known as ‘The Connolly Column’.
At Lopera in Córdoba, the Irish in the new International Brigades went into action on 28
December 1936. The fighting here was fierce. Frank Conroy was killed, as were Johnny
Meehan, Henry Boner, Jim Foley, Tony Fox, Leo Green, Michael Nolan, Michael May, and
Tommy Woods.
