SNIPPET: Boer War, the name by which the South African or second Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 is popularly known. Many Irish nationalists, including Arthur GRIFFITH who spent some time in the Transvaal during the late 1890s, drew a parallel between the plight of the Boers -- white Christian nationalists -- and the Irish, each resisting the might of the British empire. Two Transvaal Irish brigades were formed to support the Boer cause. One was led by an Irish-American adventurer, Col. John BLAKE, along with Maj. John MacBRIDE, while the other was commanded by Arthur LYNCH. Although ao few recruits joined from Ireland and the USA, essentially these units were drawn from the existing Irish community in South Africa. Together they never numbered more than about 400 men, a striking contrast to the 28,000 or so Irishmen who served against them in the British army. In Ireland, an 'Irish-Transvaal Committee,' including GRIFFITH, james CONNOLLY, W. B. YEATS, and Maud GONNE, w! as formed to support the Boer republics and dissuade young Irishmen from joining up to fight on the British side. Although this effort had only a slight impact, the anti-war campaign as a whole greatly invigorated the Irish nationalist movement at a time when it was still suffering from the effects of the Parnellite split in 1890. -- Keith JEFFERY, Prof. Modern History, University of Ulster.