“Our 50,000 who died in the Great War were sacrificed uselessly; no life given here is given in vain.” So writes Commandant Frank Ryan, O/C of the Irish Column of the International Brigade now assisting the Spanish people in their fight against international Fascism. Writing from the Madrid Front Commandant Ryan says:
“I read in theIrish Press that ‘the Wild Geese have flown again’; I read in the Irish Echo, New York, of the ‘tragedy’ of men like me coming out here. The type of canned nationalism that inspires such talk if THE tragedy I deplore. They ignore the changes in world politics; they would have us ignore the great Danger until it is on our shores. ‘We will serve Ireland only,’ they cry, but they would have us wait until it would be too late to make effective use of our service. Catalonia recognises that it must not wait until Franco reaches its borders. Is Ireland to commit the error Catalonia avoids?
“Is the Irish Press comparing the Wild Geese to O’Duffy’s hirelings? The Wild Geese were honest-minded men who went to fight against their country’s enemy. (Incidentally, their fate should have forever killed the slogan: ‘England’s enemy is Ireland’s friend.’) Honour to those who died for the freedom of the Irish people; honour even greater to those who die here for the freedom of ALL HUMANITY. No ‘Wild Geese’ were these lads. You remember how I warned them, before they left home, what their life here – as long as it would last – would be like. You remember how I discouraged every suspicion of adventurism. You know how they could have stayed at home and be regarded by their friends as ‘soldiers of Ireland.’ They chose to come here asking neither for pay nor preferment, coming because they believed it was their duty to come to participate in this decisive fight against Fascism. And, for my part, while it would be wrong to accuse me of bringing them here, I would never regret having done so. Our 50,000 who died in the Great War were sacrificed uselessly; no, life given here is given in vain.
“And look at it from the purely selfish viewpoint. Which is better: That some of us should die here, or that thousands should die at home? For if Fascism triumphs here, Ireland’s trial will soon be at hand.”
