Bob Hilliard

Many adjectives have been used to describe the Irish Olympic boxer Bob Hilliard, but “colourful” would probably best describe his short life. Born to wealthy Killarney store owners, Bob Hilliard was educated at Cork Grammar School and Mountjoy School Dublin before going to Trinity College, Dublin University, in 1921.

Despite being very short-sighted, Hilliard took up boxing at Trinity and in 1923 became the Irish bantamweight champion, when he was also the British and Irish Universities’ champion. He represented the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland) at the 1924 Paris Olympics and was the only member of the Irish squad not serving in The Army at the time. The following year Hilliard left Trinty without a degree and moved to London for a career in journalism.

During his time in London Hilliard re-found his Christianity and returned to Trinity College for theological studies and in 1931 obtained his degree and was also ordained Deacon, and in 1932 ordained a priest attached to Belfast Cathedral. By 1934 his Christian beliefs waivered and Hilliard quit the Church. He also left his wife and four children to return to journalism in London. Not only was Hilliard now an atheist, but he was also a member of the Communist Party, and shortly after the start of the Spanish Civil War he joined the International Brigade, formed to help the Republicans. Sadly, during the Battle of Jarama (6-27 February 1937), Hilliard was seriously injured and died a few days later.

Hilliard is mentioned by name in the Irish folk singer Christy Moore’s song “Viva La Quinta Brigada”, which is about the Irishmen who fought in the Spanish Civil War. Known as “The Boxing Parson”, Hilliard’s biography “Swift Blaze of Fire” written by his granddaughter Lin Rose Clark was published in 2025. At a Spanish army training camp just before his death, Hilliard was described by a colleague as: “an ex-Anglican parson, a Communist, a great drinker, and one who had friends of all classes.” That probably sums up the word “colourful”.