types of arms: 2,000 assault rifles (7.62mm) and 500 rounds of ammunition for each; 150 hand-held machine-guns (9mm) and 1,000 rounds of ammunition for each." The IRA had split in the meantime between the Provisional IRA and the Official IRA and it was the latter faction who received the Soviet arms. Mitrokhin's allegations were repeated in Boris Yeltsin's autobiography. Connolly Column His book Connolly Column: The Story of the Irishmen who fought for the Spanish Republic, 1936–1939, published in 1979, dealt with the Irish volunteers of the International Brigade who fought in support of the Spanish Republic against Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). An updated version of the book was reprinted in 2005 and was launched by the Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Michael Conaghan at a book launch at SIPTU headquarters, Liberty Hall. The book was the inspiration for Irish singer-songwriter Christy Moore's famous song Viva la Quinta Brigada. Moore said: “Without Michael O’Riordan I’d never have been able to write Viva la Quince Brigada. I must have performed the song over a thousand times and every single time I sing it I think of Mick and wonder how can I ever thank him enough. In Spain in 1983 I was reading his book, Connolly Column: The Story of the Irishmen who Fought for the Spanish Republic, and I began this song as I read on. The song was lifted entirely from his book.” Later life and death in 2006 In 1980, Magill described him as having critically supported a pro-Soviet line on every 'major issue'. In 1991, O'Riordan's wife Kay Keohane of Clonakilty, County Cork died at their home aged 81. He continued to live in their family home before moving to Glasnevin in 2000 to be close to his son Manus who lived nearby. In 1999, he described himself as an atheist and believed that communism would rise again. He lived there until falling ill in November 2005 and was taken to the Mater Hospital. His health rapidly deteriorated and he quickly developed Alzheimer's disease. Soon afterwards he was moved to St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park where he spent the final few months of his life, before his death at the age of 88. Then Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn praised O'Riordan after his death, saying; "As leader of the Labour Party I had the honour of ensuring he received a special citation at