The War in Spain – Exhibition – The Index Gallery Central Library – Friday 24th April until Wednesday 6th May
‘The War in Spain – travels in the steps of the Waterford International Brigadistas, 1936 – 1938′
This year sees the 90th Anniversary of a military coup against the democratically elected Government of Spain which resulted in a bloody civil war between 1936 and 1938. Ultimately, the right-wing junta backed by the fascist powers of Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy, and championed by Spain’s Catholic Church, defeated the popular government resulting in Spain becoming a dictatorship until Franco’s death in 1975.
This attack on democracy reverberated around the world leading over 35,000 men and women to travel there to fight with the International Brigades for its survival. Over 260 Irishmen heard that call, many of them more aware than most of the imminent threat posed by the rise of fascism and far right ideology in Europe that ended in the horrors of World War 2.
‘The War in Spain – travels in the steps of the Waterford International Brigadistas 1936 – 1938‘ is an exhibition of black and white landscape images photographed and edited by Waterford born Eoin Ronayne, a former WLR and RTE broadcast journalist and recently retired trade union leader with Fórsa, CPSU & NUJ. The exhibition runs in The Index Gallery, Waterford Central Library from Friday 24th April until Wednesday May 6th next. Admission is free during Library opening hours.
Ronayne has long had an interest in the Spanish Civil War having interviewed several of the Irish International Brigadiers for an RTE Morning Ireland report back in 1988 marking the 50th Anniversary of the ‘stand down’ of the International Brigades in Barcelona. One of those was Peter O’Connor from Polberry and Parnell Street in Waterford. Ronayne says “Peter, set me thinking about the link between those men’s foresight of what was happening to the world in the 1930’s and the world of Regan and Thatcher in the 1980’s but it seems to me their story is even more relevant today”. He hopes the photographs, set in the locations where the men spent time will help people consider why the men fought to defend democracy and why it is as real a challenge for people in Ireland today.
Ronayne opted to display the images in black and white as “it better captures the essence of time and place” adding each location has a its own story where the men came face to face with hope and loss, elation and despair”
The photo exhibition is supported by the Waterford Health and Local Government Branch of Fórsa and is a sister event to ‘Adelante – The Waterford men who fought Franco 1936 -1938,’ The Mall, Friday 1st May, 17.00 – 20.00.
More Information and Comment: Eoin Ronayne 087 2520603 / ronayne.eoin@gmail.com.
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