Honouring a proud radical tradition

Seven men from the Shankill area  of Belfast who joined the International Brigade in 1936 and fought in defence of the Spanish Republic have been honoured with a memorial plague, unveiled in the Shankill Road Library.

Around 275 men and women from all parts of Ireland joined the International Brigades in the fight against fascism taking on the forces of Franco, Hitler, Mussolini , big business and the church.

The seven whose memory is now preserved in the commemorative plaque were William Beattie, Bill Henry, James Hillen, William Laughran, Joseph Lowry, Henry McGrath, and Andrew Molyneaux.

The plague was unveiled by May Blood following the International Brigade Commemortaion Committee AGM

Picture: John Lowry, Workers Party General Secretary talking with the nephew of Henry McGrath who was killed at Sierra Cabals in September 1938