The Òrga Spiral Podcasts

Sorley Maclean, Spanish Civil War, and Dàin do Eimhir


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The provided texts offer an overview of Fraser Raeburn's book, "Scots and the Spanish Civil War," along with critical analysis of the poetry of Sorley MacLean, demonstrating the profound impact of the Spanish Civil War on both Scottish political action and Gaelic literature. The first source details the scope of Raeburn's academic study, focusing on the demographics, political affiliations (particularly the Communist Party), and social networks of Scottish volunteers in the International Brigades, alongside the domestic Aid Spain solidarity movement. The second and third sources examine Sorley MacLean, a prominent Gaelic poet whose Marxist convictions were intensified by the Spanish Civil War, even though family obligations prevented him from volunteering for the International Brigades. MacLean's poetry, especially his collection Dàin do Eimhir, is shown to reflect this conflict between personal love and political commitment, ultimately helping to modernize Gaelic poetry by addressing global anti-fascist themes and the suffering of marginalized people like the Highland woman. Collectively, the sources highlight the transnational significance of the Spanish Civil War for Scotland, illustrating its influence on political activism and the arts.

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The Òrga Spiral PodcastsBy Paul Anderson