Peter Daly (27 September 1903 – 5 September 1937) was an Irish socialist and republican who fought in the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...

as well as serving as a volunteer in the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

, where he died serving with the

International Brigades The International Brigades () were soldiers recruited and organized by the Communist International to assist the Popular Front (Spain), Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. The International Bri ...

Early life

Peter Daly was born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

on 27 September 1903 to Irish immigrants. His family returned to

County Wexford County Wexford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was ba ...

at the end of 1911, to the village of Monageer near

Enniscorthy Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mountains and Ireland's longest beach, Curracloe. The Plac ...

. Lar Daly, Peter's father, had been a founder of the Tom Clarke Society in Liverpool as well as a member of the

Irish Republican Brotherhood The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB; ) was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland between 1858 and 1924.McGee, p. 15. Its counterpart in the United States ...

. The influence of his father encouraged Peter to pursue his own Republican agenda, starting in his youth when he joined Na Fianna Éireann. This affiliation lead him to join the Anti-Treaty forces during the

Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War (; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United Kingdom but within the British Emp ...

, in which he was later captured and imprisoned for 17 months before being released after an 18-day hunger strike. Following the civil war, Daly departed to England where after a stint of working odd jobs, he eventually joined the British army in 1926. Daly served for 4 years and reached the rank of Sergeant before being dishonourably discharged (in his absence) after it became apparent that he was smuggling small arms back to Ireland. Following his return to Ireland, Daly became a training officer to local IRA units based in Wexford. By 1934 he had joined fellow left-wing militants in the

Republican Congress The Republican Congress () was an Irish republican political organisation founded in 1934, when pro-communist republicans left the Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army. The Congress was led by such anti-Treaty veterans as Peadar O'Donnell, Frank ...

, a Socialist and Republican organisation that featured the likes of

Peadar O'Donnell Peadar O'Donnell (; 22 February 1893 – 13 May 1986) was one of the foremost radicals of 20th-century Ireland. O'Donnell became prominent as an Irish republican, socialist politician and writer. Early life Peadar O'Donnell was born into an I ...

, Frank Ryan and

Michael O'Riordan Michael O'Riordan (; 12 November 1917 – 18 May 2006) was the founder of the Communist Party of Ireland (3rd) and also fought with the Connolly Column in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. Early life O'Riordan was bo ...

. In 1936 civil war had broken out in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

and the members of the Republican Congress became avid supporters of the Republican side of the conflict. Incensed by support for the Fascist forces in other parts of Irish society, particularly the support coming from

Eoin O'Duffy Eoin O'Duffy (born Owen Duffy; 28 January 1890 – 30 November 1944) was an Irish revolutionary, soldier, police commissioner, politician and fascist. O'Duffy was the leader of the Monaghan Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and a promin ...

Blueshirts The Army Comrades Association (ACA), later the National Guard, Young Ireland and finally League of Youth, known by the nickname the Blueshirts (), was a paramilitary organisation in the Irish Free State, founded in 1932.New Irish Army Arises, Ne ...

, the Congress was determined to send volunteers to the war just as the Blueshirts were doing. Amongst the Socialist volunteers would be Daly.

Spanish Civil War

Daly and his fellow Irish volunteers would eventually be placed in the

Connolly Column The Connolly Column (, ) was the name given to a group of Irish socialist volunteers in the Spanish Civil War, Irish republican socialist Military volunteer, volunteers who fought for the Second Spanish Republic in the International Brigades d ...

, part of the

Lincoln Battalion The Lincoln Battalion (), the major component of what came to be known as the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, was the 17th (later the 58th) battalion of the XV International Brigade that fought in the Spanish Civil War. Named after United States Presid ...

of the

XV International Brigade The XV International Brigade was one of the International Brigades formed to fight for the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. History The XVth Brigade mustered at Albacete in January 1937. It consisted of English-speaking volunte ...

and saw action beginning in 1937. He served as a section leader and company commander in the 20th Anglo-American Battalion of the

86th Mixed Brigade The 86th Mixed Brigade (), was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in March 1937 with battalions of the ''Carabineros'' corps. Until its demise it operated mostly in the Sierra Morena area, at ...

formed in March 1937. Because of his previous experience in both the Irish civil war and as part of the British army, Daly was used as an officer, rising quickly through the ranks, becoming a Captain after the

Battle of Brunete The Battle of Brunete (6–25 July 1937), fought west of Madrid, was a Republican attempt to alleviate the pressure exerted by the Nationalists on the capital and on the north during the Spanish Civil War. Although initially successful, the R ...

. His was 'a popular appointment'. Daly and his comrades would see action in the Battle of Pozoblanco as well as at

Guernica Guernica (, ), officially Gernika () in Basque, is a town in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. The town of Guernica is one part (along with neighbouring Lumo) of the municipality of Gernika-Lumo ...

before taking part in the

Battle of Jarama The Battle of Jarama (6–27 February 1937) was an attempt by General Francisco Franco's Nationalists to dislodge the Second Spanish Republic, Republican lines along the river Jarama, just east of Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War. Elite Spa ...

and then fighting in the

Aragon Offensive The Aragon Offensive was an important military campaign during the Spanish Civil War, which began after the Battle of Teruel. The offensive, which ran from March 7, 1938, to April 19, 1938, smashed the Republican forces, overran Aragon, and con ...

. In late August 1937, Daly took part in the Battle of Belchite. Daly's unit was tasked with capturing the town of Quinto. As part of their orders, they were commanded on 25 August to capture Purburrel Hill, a height south of the town, on which 500 Rebel troops were entrenched behind barbed wire and concrete pill-boxes, fortified with input from German advisors. Finding themselves unsupported and outnumbered against the defenders, Daly's unit took heavy casualties and he was wounded in the abdomen. Daly was taken away for aid while his second in command,

Paddy O'Daire Patrick O'Daire (22 May 1905 – 12 November 1981) was an Irish soldier and activist who fought in the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Civil War, the Spanish Civil War with the XV International Brigade, and in World War II as part of Roya ...

took charge refusing the orders of his superior, Lieutenant Colonel

Vladimir Ćopić Vladimir "Senjko" Ćopić (8 March 1891 – 19 April 1939) was a Yugoslav revolutionary, politician, journalist and, as organizational secretary, the second in command of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia from April 1919 to August 1920. Early lif ...

, to continue the suicidal attack, keeping his men dug in on the exposed hillside until nightfall and safe withdrawal. On 26 August O'Daire, this time supported by the

's anti-tank battery, succeeded in breaking the enemy lines, leading to the capture of 300 troops. Daly was transferred to Benicassim Hospital near

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

, however by 5 September 1937 he was overcome by his wounds and died. There is a memorial in his home village of Monageer commemorating his life and struggle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Daly, Peter (Republican) 1903 births 1937 deaths Irish anti-fascists Irish Republican Army (1922–1969) members Irish military personnel killed in action Irish people of the Spanish Civil War Irish socialists Irish soldiers in the British Army People from County Wexford People of the Irish Civil War (Anti-Treaty side) International Brigades personnel killed in action

Early life

Spanish Civil War

See also

References