| Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara was born on 14 | | | | Tanzania. In Algiers, on 24 February, he made |
| June, 1928 in Rosario, Argentina, the eldest of five | | | | what turned out to be his last public appearance |
| children into a family of Spanish, Basque and Irish | | | | on the international stage when he delivered a |
| descent. His father Ernesto Guevera Lynch said of | | | | speech at an economic seminar on Afro-Asian |
| his son, that his veins flowed with the blood of | | | | solidarity. Guevara was accompanied by another |
| Irish rebels. His great-grandfather, Patrick Lynch | | | | revolutionary Dr. Osmani Cienfuegos, the Cuban |
| allegedly left Galway, Ireland during the | | | | Minister for Construction along with some other |
| devastating famine in the 1840’s. The name | | | | minor government officials. An Irish journalist |
| Lynch is one of the most common surnames in | | | | named Alan Quinlan, working on a tip-off went to |
| Ireland. The origin of the name comes from the | | | | meet Che at Shannon airport. Upon first meeting |
| Norman, de Lench, they established themselves in | | | | him, the Commadante pretended that he did not |
| Galway becoming one of the fourteen tribes that | | | | speak English, however Quinlan coaxed him into |
| dominated the city. Dr. Che Guevara arrived at | | | | speaking with him. Guevara remained tight-lipped |
| Shannon Airport on Saturday, 13 March 1965. He | | | | about anything got to do with politics, but he did |
| was onboard a Cuban Airlines Britannia aircraft | | | | speak about his Irish connections and the name |
| which had encountered mechanical difficulties | | | | Lynch. Later that day he went into Limerick City, |
| during their flight from Prague, Czechoslovakia | | | | going to Hanratty’s hotel on Glenworth St. He |
| (present day Czech Republic) to Havana in Cuba. | | | | left Ireland the following day after the plane had |
| He was returning to Cuba after a three month | | | | been repaired, returning to Havana on 14 March |
| tour, that had included China, Egypt, Algeria, | | | | 1965. |
| Ghana, Mali, Dahomey, Congo-Brazzaville and | | | | |