Sir, - Your picture of the Spanish Civil War veteran Peter O'Connor (11th November) captured a moment of great historical emotion shared by those present, as the tearful Spanish/Catalan faces showed. A lifetime has passed since the death of Tommy Patton of Achill, the first Irishman to fall in defence of democracy in Spain (Madrid, December 1936), and Mr O'Connor has remained faithful to the ideal and to his comrades.
It may interest readers to know that he has recently written a fine account of his political life, A Soldier of Liberty, published by MSF union (at a very democratic price £2). It will join Michael O'Riordan's Connolly Column, Sean Cronin's biography of Frank Ryan and others in the growing literature on the Irish International Brigade members in English, and Eoghan O Duinnin's La Nula Bonita agus An Roisin Dubh in Irish. Your coverage was well deserved and welcome. - Is mise le meas dhuit,
Pairc Weston, Leamhean,
Co Bhaile Atha Cliath.