Partisans
This series explains the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, the crisis that consumed Spanish politics in the 1930s and the far reaching implications of that conflict not least for people in Ireland.
EP1/11
It explains the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, the crisis that consumed Spanish politics in the 1930s and the far reaching implications of that conflict not least for people in Ireland.
The show starts however at one of the greatest battles in history…
EP2/11
In this podcast we meet our first partisan – Aileen O’Brien, a 22 year old Irish American who moved to Ireland in 1935. O’Brien was always a mysterious figure – her contemporaries were never quite sure what to make of her. Some considered her a fascist, others thought her a naive catholic while inteligence agenices suspected she may have been a covert arms dealer.
EP3/11
In this episode we continue the story of the Irish people who fought in the Spanish Civil War. Our focus turns to the life of Bob Doyle. A member of the IRA and later a communist his life explains why people went on to fight against fascism in Spain.
EP4/11
In July 1936 Peadar O’Donnell, a veteran of the Irish war of Independence and civil war travelled to Spain on holiday. He was among those caught up in the opening stages of the Spanish Civil War. He witnessed the chaotic opening phase of the conflict providing gripping eye witness detail.
EP5/11
This is the latest episode in Partisans – Irish stories from the Spanish Civil War. This show looks at the two groups of Irish fighters who traveled to Spain – the Irish Brigade better known as the Blueshirts and the antifascist International Brigades.
EP6/11
This show begins with campaigns in Andalusia and takes you through one of the most famous battles of entire war – Jarama. We will see how the Blueshirts and the Antifascist International Brigaders fared when they faced the realities of war. This includes numerous first hand accounts of these battles.
EP7/11
This bonus show looks at a famous event that haunts Irish history - the Four Courts Explosion. In June 1922 during the opening phase of the Irish Civil War, the Public Records Office was destroyed in a massive explosion that rocked Dublin City Centre.
EP8/11
This show look at a story related to the series Partisans. Its about the life of a Basque family briefly mentioned in that series - the Gallastegis - who moved to Ireland in the aftermath of the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.
EP9/11
In March 1937 General Franco turned his forces against the antifascist zone along the north coast of Spain. In this podcast we follow the story of the Dubliner Jack Prendergast, the only known Irish person to fight in this campaign known as The War in the North.
EP10/11
The enduring images of the Spanish Civil War depict armed fighters of one kind or another. This podcast, however, follows the story of a different Irish experience – that of Hannah Ormsby, an Irish nurse who arrived in Spain in the summer of 1937. The savagery of the war ensured she would be treated no different than other antifascists. Hannah had to work in appaling conditions often under fire from snipers .
EP11/11
This podcast, the second last in Partisans, looks at the battle of the Ebro - the last major showdown in the Spanish Civil War. While the show looks at how the war ended for the Irish fighters, it also tackles one of the great mysteries of the Spanish Civil War - what happened to Frank Ryan. This intriguing story continues to perplex and divide historians today.