Irish Christian Front ambulance

This ambulance was the first of six commissioned by the Irish Christian Front, the militant Catholic organisation that emerged to mobilise popular support for Franco in Ireland. Inscribed, in English and Spanish, ‘Ireland’s Gift to Spain – Irish Christian Front – Ambulance No. 1’, it was built at F.M. Summerfield’s car factory in Dublin’s North Wall.  

Prior to their despatch to the Spanish frontlines, the ambulances were used to promote the Christian Front’s propaganda campaign. Described as a ‘gift of the Irish Christian Front to the patriot forces in Spain’, they were blessed by priests at public ceremonies, and toured across the country. 

The Spanish Nationalists welcomed the Christian Front’s efforts which publicised the regime’s Christian, as opposed to fascistic, credentials to an international audience. The Count of Vallellano, president of the (Nationalist) Red Cross, declared himself ‘deeply affected by the kindness and sympathy which the Irish Christian Front manifests for the Spanish Nationalist Army’ which demonstrated that ‘not only do we defend our traditions but civilisation itself.’  Franco’s officials welcomed Irish medical aid as ‘a wonderful help to our brave troops who are fighting to the death for a Christian social order against the tide of Communism that threatens to destroy every vestige of civilisation and Christianity in Spain and Western Europe’. 

Back in Ireland, the Christian Front experienced a meteoric rise and fall. It was led by Patrick Belton, an anti-semitic bigot who channelled the fervent anti-communism generated by Spain to advance his own far-right ambitions. ‘Anyone who supports the Spanish government supports church burnings and priest slaughter’, declared the Irish Christian Front’s manifesto. ‘We want the advance guard of the anti-God forces stopped in Spain and thereby from reaching our shores.’ 

Despite organising a successful series of emotionally-charged rallies through the summer and autumn of 1936, the Christian Front was undermined by internal tensions and criticism of its crude McCarthyite tactics. Once the Christian Front finished sending aid to Spain, ‘attention would be devoted to this country’ Belton warned his opponents. ‘Then we will see who is Red and who is anti-Red.’  

The Christian Front’s fervent pro-Franco rhetoric was popular but its criticism of Irish neutrality alienated government supporters. Belton’s success in persuading Cardinal Gomá, the archbishop of Toledo, to handover proceeds from the Irish Catholic Church’s national collection to the Christian Front embarrassed the Irish bishops who distanced themselves from his organisation. Disputes between the Christian Front and pro-Franco Irish Brigade over the funds further discredited both organisations which collapsed in 1937. 

Europe’s most stridently Catholic state had little need for a Catholic political party.