A Gwent couple touring Northern Spain were thrilled when on a visit to Guernica, they came face to face with an evocative connection to back home.
Journalists David and Jo Barnes, from Chepstow, were amazed to see one of Newport County AFC's most celebrated shirts on display in the town's Museum of Peace.
The museum commemorates the April 26, 1937, bombing of the small Basque town during the Spanish Civil War. One-third of Guernica's 5,000 inhabitants were killed or wounded.
County fan Mr Barnes said: “Speaking to a curator on the desk, who spoke perfect English, he asked where we were from. We said Monmouthshire, South Wales and he said: “Oh. We have a Welsh football shirt downstairs.”
"We thought it must be a Cardiff City or Wrexham shirt he was talking about but were amazed when he said it was a County shirt."
Argus journalist Jo said: “I was aware of Newport’s link to the child evacuees from the Spanish Civil War, as I’ve written about it in the past but was just so thrilled to know one of the Exile’s commemorative shirts, which carries the names of all the Basque children evacuated to Caerleon in 1937, was pride of place in a special exhibition at the museum.
“The shirt had only arrived the day before and the curator said they were honoured to be able to put it on display.
“To see the County shirt standing proudly on display among all the memorabilia about the children’s forced masse evacuation to various countries, including Wales, was really very emotional."
The distinctive Newport County's away shirt includes the names of all 36 children who came to Caerleon, as well as phrases in Welsh, English and Basque, and a short message on the history.
A group of 36 children from Bilbao were relocated to Caerleon in 1937 to escape the conflict with some of their descendants still live in the town to this day.
The shirt was donated to the museum by Cardiff City fan John Kelly.
The commemorative away kit, modelled on Athletic Bilbao's red and white stripes, was officially worn by Newport County for the first time when they beat Barnet on penalties in this year’s Carabao Cup to seal a place in the main draw.
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