Tipperary man killed while fighting Franco in the Spanish Civil War is remembered

Tipperary man Christopher "Kit" Conway, who died while fighting fascism in the Spanish Civil War, was remembered at a ceremony in Burncourt, last Sunday, at which Sinn Féin's Sen Paul Gavan was the main speaker.

Conway was a volunteer for the IV International Brigade who lost his life in defence of the Spanish Republic on February 12 1937 at Jarama.

Around 50 people gathered in the small picturesque village at the plaque dedicated to the life of this legendary revolutionary who is remembered in the famous Christy Moore song “Viva La Quinta Brigada”.

Conway, who also fought in the War of Independence, was described by Sen Gavan as “a working class Irish and international revolutionary hero.”

Conway was born in Clogheen workhouse on December 3, 1897, and was a member of Dinny Lacey’s Tipperary flying column between 1919 and 1921.

After the Civil War, in which he took an anti-treaty position, he worked as building labourer and became an activist for the ITGWU.

In 1934 he was one of the founder members of the Republican Congress, a socialist trade union organisation dedicated to building a 32-county Workers Republic.

He was one of the first volunteers to join the International Brigades in defence of the democratic government of Spain. He led the infamous Connolly Column of Irish volunteers.

Speaking of his revolutionary life, Sen Gavan, a candidate in the upcoming European elections, said: “The cause of Republican Spain was a noble one and the part played by Kit Conway and his fellow comrades from Ireland was equally noble.

“The best way that we can honour Kit Conway’s legacy is to deliver a real democratic revolution that he would be proud of. One that recognises the rights of working people, that gives workers a democratic voice in their workplace, that builds houses for all of our people, that constructs a national health service for all of our people, and strives to build the 32-county democratic socialist republic.”