International - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

THIRD ANNUAL MEMORIAL MARCH JARAMA 2010

international | miscellaneous | event notice

Wednesday January 13, 2010 17:48

by Seve Montero

This year the March at Jarama is going to complete a project initiated in 2007 by the Friends of Charlie Donnelly with the help of AABI. The intention has been to pay tribute to this young Irish poet who died on the 27th of February, 1937, 72 years ago, in the last action of the Battle of the Jarama.

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF CHARLIE DONNELLY

Forward the XV Brigade!
Like all the volunteers from more than fifty countries worldwide, Charlie came to help Spain in its fight against fascism and the defence of the Republic and gave his life for that cause. We make this tribute to him and to all those who accompanied him.
Charlie Donnelly, born in Dungannon (in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland), was dedicated to poetry while studying at University College, Dublin. In this city he also took part in the social and political fight against the effects of the economic crisis and the rise of fascism in Ireland When the Civil War began he responded to the “Call of Spain” and endeavoured to encourage the passage of Irish volunteers prepared to defend the threatened Spanish Republic.
More than 300 Irish were integrated into different units of the International Brigades of whom nearly 80 now rest in the Spanish earth. At Jarama there were many different ideologies and beliefs, but all of them were united in their commitment to defend democracy threatened in Spain and the world. Nineteen Irish died in this battle.
The idea to erect two monuments to Charlie, one in the place where he was born, Dungannon, and the others who died at Jarama, are thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Charlie Donnelly and the City Council of Rivas-Vaciamadrid who has provided a place for such a memorial and has collaborated in making this happen. To all of them, we offer our gratitude and recognition.
The inauguration of the Memorial will take place on Saturday 27th of February at 11:00am in the Park of Miralrío de Rivas-Vaciamadrid, which causes us to modify the normal sequence of the Annual March this year. We will therefore go to Jarama at 12:00, with the purpose of visiting two significant sites: Suicide Hill and the place where Charlie Donnelly died. Then we will go to Morata de Tajuña to eat at Meson el Cid. There we will be able to visit the Battle of Jarama museum and to eat, talk, sing and read some poems with our Irish and British friends.
The remains of the poet probably rest in the cemetery of Morata, but his spirit is present between us and he asks us that we pick up his dreams of freedom and justice and make them into principles that guide our action.
This is the message that all of those brave volunteers who fell at Jarama pass to on to us and that year after year beginning when Bob Doyle made this commemoration (in February 2003) to recall this battle against fascism and in the defense of the Republic.

Organised by AABI, IBMT, CDMA and Republican Ateneu of Fuenlabrada with the collaboration of the City Council of Rivas Vaciamadrid and CAUM.