George Brown Memorial Weekend: - June 27th and 28th

Munster Express, Thursday, June 19th, 2008

On July 7th 1937, George Brown, a Manchester working-class activist and member of the XV International Brigade, was killed in action at the Battle of Brunete in the Spanish Civil War. George Brown’s parents, Francis Brown and Mary Lackey, came from Inistioge and Ballyneale, Tullogher, respectively. They had emigrated to England in the early 20th century and settled in the Manchester area. Mary Brown returned to her native South Kilkenny in 1906 for the birth of their son, George.

In recognition of the sacrifice made by this Kilkenny man, the Inistioge George Brown Memorial Committee is holding a commemorative weekend on Friday and Saturday, June 27th and 28th. This will involve lectures in St Mary’s Church of Ireland in Inistioge, the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in the adjoining graveyard, and a tree-planting ceremony at Woodstock Gardens. The attraction of these events will be quite far-reaching. Members of the International Brigade Memorial Trust will be travelling, along with Jack Jones and members of his family. Jack Jones, a Spanish Civil War veteran and comrade of George Brown, is the retired general secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union.

Besides the above events, the occasion will also be marked by the launch of a publication on the life of George Brown. This will firmly locate the man in his life-long struggle to better working and living conditions of the working man, detail his Inistioge and Tullogher connections, and acknowledge his ultimate sacrifice in the struggle against Fascism. This publication - a fine balance of textual and visual information - will contain much hitherto unpublished material. A Spanish Civil War photographic exhibition will be located in St Mary’s. Following the weekend, a DVD will be produced for sale.

It will not only feature highlights of the events but also show picturesque Inistioge at its very best! It is the intention of the committee to hold an annual George Brown Lecture.