The Tolerance of Crows.

"Death comes in quantity from solved
Problems on maps, well ordered dispositions,
Angles of elevation and direction;

Comes innocent from tools children might
Love, retaining under pillows,
Innocently impales on any flesh.

And with flesh falls apart the mind
That trails thought from mind that cuts
Thought clearly for a waiting purpose.

Progress of poison in the nerves and
Discipline's collapse is halted.
Body awaits the tolerance of crows."

By Charlie Donnelly, killed 27th February 1937 at the Battle of Jarama


To our fallen comrades,
Our victory is your vengeance.
June 1937 Jarama front.

Roll of honour for International Brigade Volunteers from
the north of Ireland

William Beattie, Belfast, d. 25 July 1937

A Belfast Protestant, from 14 Wilton Street off the Shankill, he had served 8 years in the British army from 1924-32. In the 1930s he was a member of the NI Labour Party.

He moved to Glasgow where he joined the Communist Party. Left there in December 1936 for Spain. Serving with the No. 1 Company, XIV International Brigade at Lopera he was hospitalised in Albacete with shrapnel wounds in the left arm on Dec. 27th 1936. He was still there on Feb. 11th 1937. After treatment he rejoined the Batt. and died at Brunete on 25th July 1937.


Hugh Bonar, Donegal, d. 5 April 1937

From Dungloe in County Donegal, Hugh Bonar was Assistant Section Commander when he was shot in the head during the Battle of Jarama river. According to Peter O'Connor, 'Bonar was admired by everyone for his quietness, his courage and his coolness in battle.'


Danny Boyle, Belfast, d. Sept. 1938

Boyle read his obituary in early February 1937! That error was then compounded by another account saying he died at Jarama on the 12 - 13th of February 1937. After these two obituaries Boyle was finally correctly listed as Killed in Action at the Battle of the Ebro in 1938.

In the IBA archives he gave his next of kin as being Mrs. McCaul, 160 Glenard Gardens in Belfast.


John Campbell, Belfast, b. 1910?, d. 27th Feb. 1937

This East Belfastman, from 39 Woodstock Road, joined the International Brigade in London, leaving there on January 22nd 1937. A member of the British Battalion at Jarama, he was fatally wounded at Pingarron on February 27th, dying in hospital.


James C Domegan, Belfast, d. 23rd September 1938

James Domegan listed his next of kin as Mrs. Susan Domegan, 4 Leeson Street, Belfast. This labourer arrived on April 14th 1938, serving with the British Battalion. Listed as Killed in Action/Missing in Action in the fighting at Sierra Cabals, Corbera, September 23rd 1938.


James Donald, Derry, b. 12 Jan 1916, d. June 1938

The Derry born volunteer worked as a miner in Scotland where he lived at Melthill, Fife. Arrived in Spain on 24th January 1937, serving with the British Batt.

Donald was still in Spain in the Spring of 1938 when he was sent to the front to help stem the fascist attack at the Aragon. Some say he was killed at Caspe on St. Patrick's Day 1938. It is most likely that he was again sent back to the line in June where he died as he failed to renew contact with his family.

Charles Donnelly, Dungannon, b. 10 July 1914, d. 27 Feb 1937

A well-known Irish poet who had been active in left politics for years before Spain. In the Republican Congress he joined Paddy Byrne in a series of public meetings around Dublin.

He left London on 23rd Dec. 1936 with a group of others. In the battle of Jarama he was killed by an explosive bullet and his body lay for 4 days on the battlefield before it could be recovered. There is a commemorative plaque to him near the Crystal factory at Coalisland, the only one so far in northern Ireland.


George F Gorman, Derry, b. 1900, d. 23/09/1938

This Derry born volunteer had lived in Folkestone, Kent before joining the British Army with whom he saw service in India and during WW1 in Iraq. In all he served 12 years in BA.

In Spain from 3rd May 1938 he was a sergeant in the No. 4 company of the British Battalion. He was taken prisoner of war at Sierra Caballs. George Wheeler was a British volunteer who was also captured in that incident. Wheeler states that Gorman was captured and then fell victim to friendly fire.


Paddy Glacken, Donegal, d. 21 January 1938

Glacken went from Greenock in Scotland and was one of three Irish volunteers killed in the battle for Teruel.


Jim Haughey, Lurgan b. 6/12/1919, d. 12/09/1943

While in London some Basques explained to him what was going on in Spain. He arrived on May 13th 1938 and was assigned to the British Batt.

He was one of 8 soldiers left holding back a fascist attack on the Sierra Cabals mountain range in late 1938. They were captured and lined up for execution. When he asked the fascists for a priest to make his last confession they gave him a severe beating for apparently laughing at the Church.

He was released from the San Pedro prison camp in April 1939. He arrived in Vancouver, Canada in May 1939 with a fake ID. He reverted to his own name later as he joined the Canadian Air Force during WW2 in 1941. He died in a training flight accident on September 12th 1943 and is buried at Lurgan in a military grave in Lurgan (Dougher) RC cemetery.


Bill Henry, Belfast, b. 1896 or 1901, d. 27 Feb 1937

He arrived in Spain on December 22nd 1936. His experience of World War 1 led this veteran to being made acting commander of the No. 1 Company Lincoln Batt. by the time he died at Jarama. One description of the battle at Jarama says that on 27.2.37 the IB charged and within minutes 147 of them were killed by the heavy gunfire, one of being Henry who was hit on the head with an explosive bullet.

His widow Rosina lived at 31 Bradford Street. Henry had been in the Irish Distributive Workers Union, a market dealer and in the NI Labour Party. In his last letter home to his wife Rosina he stated that "there are some great comrades here with me, with whom it would be an honour to go to the happy hunting ground".


William Keenan, Bangor, b. 1901?, d. July 1938

He emigrated to Canada in 1934 and it was from there that he left for Spain. On his way he was arrested in France on March 27th 1937. He got 20 days in jail but still made his way to Spain and served with the Mac-Pacs, the Canadian unit. After 15 months he was reported killed in action during the battle of the Ebro by a Stuka bomber.


Thomas A Kerr, Belfast, b. 1910?, d. Sept 1938

Thomas Kerr, a Belfast born sailor, and member of the National Union of Seamen, from a Protestant background, joined the International Brigade in Liverpool. He arrived in Spain in January 5th 1937, serving with the British Battalion. By 1938 he had joined the Number 4 Company. He caught typhoid and was treated near Barcelona where he died of his illness in September.

His family lived at 17 Belmont Road in East Belfast.


William P Laughlin, Belfast, d. 7th July 1937

Laughlin was a married man from 162 Conway Street, off the Shankill Road. This left wing activist had joined the Irish Guards. He spent 13 years in the British army and then worked as a labourer.

In Spain he was with the British Batt. at Lopera in December 1936 and went onto serve as a machine gun instructor at Madrigueras, a major training camp. He fought at Los Rozas in January, then in Jarama in Feb. He was listed as missing but was wounded and in hospital. After returning to the Batt. he was KIA 7th July 1937 at Villanueva de la Canada.


Henry McGrath, Belfast, b. 1902, d. 23rd Sept. 1938

Arrived in Spain December 10th 1936. He is thought to have been serving onboard the naval ship, the Alcala Galiano in Categena in early 1937 when it was visited by a British Officer. After seven months with the Spanish fleet he had moved to the British battalion by July 4th 1937.

There is a suggestion that he was repatriated in July 1937 but the most likely development was that he was killed in action at Sierra Cabals, September 1938, as he never resurfaced or made contact.


Eamon McGrotty, Derry, b. 1911, d. 27th Feb. 1937

Eamon had been in the Christian Brothers between 1925-32. He moved to Dublin in 1932 and was active in the Gaelic League and IRA.

His brother John said that 'Eamon was affected by teaching young people with no shoes, this made him a socialist. It could be what [ultimately] made him go to Spain....He went to Spain because of his knowledge about the danger of advancing fascism in Europe, he had to help stop fascism.'

Arrived in Spain December 22nd 1936. Eamon was Adjutant in the Irish Company. They were initially a part of the British Batt. but when they discovered that some of those men had been in the Black and Tans Eamon led a group into the American Battalion. He died at Jarama.


Ben (Frederick) Murray, Tyrone/Belfast, b. 19 July 1895, d. 14th March 1938

Ben Murray moved from Ireland to Canada when he was 15. He was born in Enniskillen although his family lived outside Aughnacloy. He joined the Canadian army, serving in World War 1 for the whole war. After the war he returned to Montreal, staying there until 1933 when he returned to Belfast and became active in the Communist Party. He was a well-known Party speaker. After his move to London in 1935 he joined the CPGB and was the role Secretary of his branch. His stay in London ended when he went to Spain in February 1937. Served with the British Battalion from Feb - June 1937, from Jarama to Brunete where he was wounded in July. By March 1938 he was reported Missing/KIA. Brendan Moroney, another Irish volunteer, recounted how he recited the "appropriate Catholic prayers" as he buried Murray in the bomb crater where he was killed, although he was not to know that Murray was from a Methodist background.


Joe Murray, County Antrim, d. March 1938

Some confusion exists over the fate of Joe Murray, again caused because there were two men of this name, both dying in the war. It is thought that the Joe Murray from Northern Ireland arrived on Dec. 8th 1937 and died in March '38.


Dick (Richard) O'Neill, Belfast, b. 1911?, d. 14 Feb 1937

O'Neill was a Falls Road man who worked in the skilled trade of compositor. An active socialist he had been a member of the Northern Ireland Labour Party before transferring to the CPI. He lived with his father, Hugh O'Neill, a tailor, at 5 Colinward Street, Belfast before going to Spain on December 10th 1936. He was quickly into battle, serving with the British Battalion. While with the Battalion, his commander, Frank Ryan is quoted as saying that he "survived the worst days of the fighting to fall a victim to a stray bullet behind the lines" at Jarama 14th Feb. 1937.


Jackie (Edward) Patterson, Belfast, d. 30th July 1938

The key source for this Protestant volunteer is the pamphlet concerning Paddy McAlister, No Pasaran! He apparently lived in the Dee Street area of East Belfast and went to Spain via Canada. McAlister reports that he died in Spain during the Ebro battle when a shell landed among the vineyard beside the group, killing 5 soldiers instantly, including Patterson.


David Frederick Pritchard, Newtownards, b. 10th Dec. 1906, d. March 1938

A David Frederick Pritchard of Newtownards served with the Canadian unit in Spain and went missing/KIA in March 1938. He disappeared between the Belchite (10/3/38) and Batea-Gandera battles of the 31st March.

James Stranney, Belfast, b. 1913?, d. 31st July 1938

Stranney arrived in Spain on September 20th 1937 from Birmingham. He'd a long history of class struggle behind him in Ireland. He was one of the organisers of the Shankill Road James Connolly Workers Republican Club, Bodenstown, 1934.

He arrived in Spain on September 20th 1937 with W O'Hanlon and D Walsh. In Spain Stranney was a crewmember of No. 1 Gun Company antitank battery of the British Batt, along with Liam O'Hanlon, in Feb. 1938. Stranney went to an infantry company in April 1938.

Away from the horrors of the war he was one of the organisers of the June 1938 Tone Commemoration. Reported Missing/KIA 31st July 1938 at Cota 481, Gandesa.

Liam Tumilson, Belfast, b. 1901?, d. 14th Mar. 1937

Tumilson had emigrated to Australia where he had joined the Communist Party. During the 1932 ODR riots in Belfast, Tumilson was living on the Shankill Road and engaged in fighting the RUC who were attacking the Catholic population. In 1934 he was one of the 3 busloads of trade unionists and socialists from orange districts who marched with a banner with the slogan, "Break the Connection with Capitalism." He originally lived at 9 Thorndyke St, Ballymacarrett, Belfast.

Tumilson wrote a series of letters and/or postcards to his fiancée, Kathleen Walsh. On March 11th he said that he was all right and that we "are still driving the fascists back and still confident of victory". 3 days later he was dead. KIA at Jarama, 14th March 1937 when he was shot in the head while directing the machine guns against an enemy attack.


Click HERE for complete Connolly Column Roll of Honour..