From Mick Healy of the Irish Republican Marxist history project

15 December 2015

On Saturday 12th December 2015, a very interesting Frank Conroy Commemoration took place in The Liffey Studio, Newbridge. The commemoration featured a screening of the documentary The Republican Congress, presented by Donal Fallon and directed by Donal Higgins. The film tells the story of  the political organisation that was founded in 1934 by Left-wing republicans Nora Connolly O’Brien, Roddy Connolly, Frank Ryan, George Gilmore and Peadar O’Donnell.

Donal Higgins said, “I was attracted to the story of the Republican Congress as it seems to me to be a fairly overlooked part of our history. In fairness, the Congress only lasted two years, so it’s not surprising that they’ve been overlooked. But these were the people who went to Spain to defend Republican values at a time when the whole country was supporting Franco. I also think that the Congress has some resonances for society today.”

Paul McCormack sang: 
Men and women heard the call
and went to fight for good and all
and in the ranks there standing tall
a young man named Frank Conroy.

As he entertained the crowd including councillor Reada Cronin. 
Frank Conroy died in 1936 fighting with the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War.