Irish Press 10th March 1937 IRISH BAND IN SPAIN PRESIDENT ON HIS JOURNEY TO LISBON MR. JAMES O'TOOLE, 98 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin, who accompanied St. Mary's Pipe Band, of which he is President, when they left Dublin for Spain on February 19, arrived back in Dublin last.night. The band proceeded via London and Lisbon to Caceres in Spain, where they are now attached to the O'Duffy volunteers in General Franco's army. Interviewed by an IRISH PRESS reporter at his home last night, Mr. O'Toole said that he had not gone further than Lisbon and had seen the band off on their 109 miles to the Spanish frontier. The kilted bandsmen attracted much attention, he said, both in England and in Portugal and were followed, by large crowds on every appearance. He added that as far as he could see the ban on volunteers entering Spain was not being rigidly enforced and pointed out that it actually became effective while the bandsmen were on their outward journey, yet they had no difficulty in going from Portugal to Spain. Mr. O'Toole said the members of the band, which includes one of his own sons, were all in excellent health. He said that he had accompanied the band partly for health reasons, and returned by the Dutch mail liner service to Southampton.
Irish Press 2nd April 1937 Irish Pipers in Spain Mr. Martin O'Toole, a member of St. Mary’s Pipe Band, Dublin, which went to Spain in association with General O'Duffy's Irish Brigade, in a letter to his relatives at 98 Lower Gardiner Street, states the members of the band, numbering sixteen, are accommodated in a barracks at Caceres. They were all in good health and have ample food and all cooking is done for them. They are not allowed to go, into t he fighting area, but turn out to accompany troops portion of the way or, meet those returning and on Sundays the band plays on the march to Mass, and attends military interments. They are allowed pay by the Franco Government in Spanish money to the equivalent of/_T/_iUaJday, which they draw as they desire, "but none can be sent over th e border;
Irish Press 13th May 1937 Pipers Returning From Spain Mr. James O'Toole, 98 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin, Director of St. Mary's Pipe Band, which is now in Spain, has stated that he was informed by Capt. Walsh, Secretary, at the Irish Brigade Dublin H.Q., who has now returned from Spain, that the members of the Band were air well. 129 The whole Brigade, Captain Walsh stated, was now withdrawn from the firing lines to Caceres. Up at the front the weather conditions were very bad and the water supply unsatisfactory which, Captain Walsh added, gave the men some reason to grumble. Mr. O'Toole stated the Brigade and Band were returning because the men wanted to get back to their previous employments as their employers had hoped for their return within a much shorter time. Some of the men had suffered from the climate. A member of the Band, Albert Burdis, in a letter dated April 20 and received yesterday morning by Mr. O'Toole, stated that General O'Duffy had been with them and informed them that they were returning home. The reason given was that volunteers had been stopped from going out from Ireland to relieve those in action.
