Collins subsequently rose through the ranks of theIrish Volunteers andSinn Féin. He was elected asMP forSouth Cork inDecember 1918. Sinn Féin's elected members (later known asTDs) formed an Irish parliament, theFirst Dáil, in January 1919 anddeclared the independence of the Irish Republic. Collins was appointedMinister for Finance. In the ensuing War of Independence, he was Director of Organisation and Adjutant General for the Irish Volunteers, and Director of Intelligence of the IRA. He gained fame as aguerrilla warfare strategist, planning many successful attacks on British forces together with 'the Squad', such as the"Bloody Sunday" assassinations of key British intelligence agents in November 1920.
After the July 1921 ceasefire, Collins was one of fiveplenipotentiaries sent by the Dáil cabinet at the request ofÉamon de Valera, to negotiate peace terms in London. The resultingAnglo-Irish Treaty, signed in December 1921, would establish theIrish Free State but depended on anoath of allegiance tothe Crown. De Valera and other republican leaders found this clause of the treaty most difficult to accept. Collins viewed the treaty as offering "the freedom to achieve freedom", and helped persuade a majority of theDáil to ratify the treaty. Aprovisional government was formed under his chairmanship in early 1922. During this time he secretly provided support for anIRA offensive in Northern Ireland. It was soon disrupted by the Irish Civil War, in which Collins was commander-in-chief of the National Army. He was shot and killed in an ambush byanti-Treaty forces in August 1922.
Michael Collins aged 10-11 at newly built Woodfield House.
Collins was born inWoodfield, Sam's Cross, nearRosscarbery,County Cork, on 16 October 1890,[3][a] the third son and youngest of eight children. His father, Michael John (1815–1897), was a farmer and amateur mathematician, who had been a member of theIrish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). The elder Collins was 60 years old when he married Mary Anne O'Brien, then 23, in 1876.[4][5][6] The marriage was apparently happy. They brought up eight children on a 90-acre (36 ha) farm called Woodfield, which the Collins family had held as tenants for several generations. Michael was six and a half years old when his father died.[7] After the death of her husband, Mary Anne had the small family home rebuilt in 1899–1900 as Woodfield House, a much larger dwelling.[8] Michael Collins (the younger) believed his family were descendants of theUí Chonaill Gabra.[9]
He was a bright and precocious child with a fiery temper and a passionate feeling ofIrish patriotism. He named a localblacksmith, James Santry, and his headmaster at Lisavaird National School, Denis Lyons, as the first nationalists to personally inspire his "pride of Irishness". Lyons was a member of the IRB, while Santry's family had participated in, and forged arms for, the rebellions of1798,1848 and1867.[10][11] There are a number of anecdotal explanations for the origin of his nickname "the Big Fellow". His family claim that he was called this as a child, as a term of endearment for an adventurous and bold youngest brother. The nickname was established in his teens, long before he became a political or military leader.[citation needed]
At the age of thirteen he attendedClonakilty National School.[12] During the week he stayed with his sisterMargaret Collins-O'Driscoll and her husbandPatrick O'Driscoll, while at weekends he returned to the family farm. Patrick O'Driscoll founded the newspaperWest Cork People and Collins helped out with general reporting and preparing the issues.[13]
Collins in Irish Volunteer uniformCaptured Irish soldiers inStafford Gaol after the failed Easter Rising. Collins is fifth from the right with an 'x' over his head.
An organiser of considerable intelligence, Collins had become highly respected in the IRB. This led to his appointment as financial advisor toCount Plunkett, father of one of the Easter Rising's organisers,Joseph Plunkett. Collins took part in preparing arms and drilling troops for the insurrection.[citation needed]
The Rising was Collins' first appearance in national events. When it commenced onEaster Monday 1916, Collins served as Joseph Plunkett's aide-de-camp and bodyguard at the rebellion's headquarters in theGeneral Post Office (GPO) in Dublin. There he fought alongsidePatrick Pearse, James Connolly and other members of the Rising leadership. The Rising was put down after six days, but the insurgents achieved their goal of holding their positions for the minimum time required to justify a claim to independence under international criteria.[23][page needed]
Following the surrender, Collins was arrested and taken into British custody. He was processed at Dublin'sRichmond Barracks by "G-Men", plain-clothes officers from Dublin Metropolitan Police. During his screening, Collins was identified as someone who should be selected for further interrogation, harsher treatment or execution. However, he overheard his name being called out so he moved to the other side of the building to identify the speaker. In doing so, he joined the group that was later transferred toFrongoch internment camp in Wales after two months captivity inStafford Gaol.[24] HistorianTim Pat Coogan describes Collins' fortuitous move across the detention room in Richmond Barracks as "one of the luckiest escapes of his life".[25]
Collins first began to emerge as a major figure in the vacuum created by the executions of the 1916 leadership. He began hatching plans for "next time" even before the prison ships left Dublin.[26]
At Frongoch he was one of the organisers of a programme of protest and non-cooperation with authorities. The camp proved an excellent opportunity for networking withphysical-force republicans from all over the country, of which he became a key organiser.[25]
While some[who?] celebrated the fact that a rising had happened at all, believing in Pearse's theory of "blood sacrifice" (namely that the deaths of the Rising's leaders would inspire others), Collins railed against the military blunders made. He cited the seizure of indefensible and very vulnerable positions likeSt Stephen's Green which were impossible to escape from and difficult to supply.[citation needed] Public outcry placed pressure on the British government to end the internment and, in December 1916, the Frongoch prisoners were sent home.
Before his execution,Tom Clarke, first signatory of the1916 Proclamation and widely considered the Rising's foremost organiser, had designated his wifeKathleen Clarke as the official caretaker of Rising official business, in the event that the leadership did not survive. By June 1916, Mrs. Clarke had sent out the first post-Rising communiqué to the IRB, declaring the Rising to be only the beginning and directing nationalists to prepare for "the next blow". Soon after his release, Mrs. Clarke appointed Collins Secretary to the National Aid and Volunteers Dependents Fund and subsequently passed on to him the secret organisational information and contacts which she had held in trust for the independence movement.
Collins became one of the leading figures in the post-Rising independence movement spearheaded byArthur Griffith, editor and publisher of the mainnationalist newspaperThe United Irishman, which Collins had read avidly as a boy.[27][page needed] Griffith's organisationSinn Féin was founded in 1905 as anumbrella group to unify all the various factions within the nationalist movement.
Under Griffith's policy, Collins and other advocates of the "physical-force" approach to independence gained the cooperation of Sinn Féin, while agreeing to disagree with Griffith's moderate ideas of adual monarchy solution based on the Hungarian model.[28] The British government and mainstream Irish media had wrongly blamed Sinn Féin for the Rising. This attracted Rising participants to join the organisation in order to exploit the reputation with which such British propaganda had imbued the organisation. By October 1917 Collins had risen to become a member of the executive of Sinn Féin and director of organisation for the Irish Volunteers.Éamon de Valera, another veteran of 1916, stood for the presidency of Sinn Féin against Griffith, who stepped aside and supported de Valera's presidency.[28]
In the1918 general election Sinn Féin swept the polls throughout much of Ireland, with many seats uncontested, and formed an overwhelming parliamentary majority in Ireland. Like many senior Sinn Féin representatives Collins was elected as an MP (forCork South) with the right to sit in theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom in London. Unlike their rivals in theIrish Parliamentary Party, Sinn Féin MPs had announced that they would not take their seats inWestminster but instead would set up anIrish Parliament in Dublin.[29]
Before the new body's first meeting, Collins, tipped off by his network of spies, warned his colleagues of plans to arrest all its members in overnight raids. De Valera and others ignored the warnings on the argument that, if the arrests happened, they would constitute apropaganda coup. The intelligence proved accurate and de Valera, along with Sinn Féin MPs who followed his advice, were arrested; Collins and others evaded incarceration. Collins reportedly spent time hiding amongDublin's Jewish community, even posing as anOrthodox Jew and once cursing at theBlack and Tans in his best imitation ofYiddish.[30]
The new parliament, calledDáil Éireann (meaning "Assembly of Ireland", seeFirst Dáil) met in theMansion House, Dublin in January 1919. In de Valera's absence,Cathal Brugha was electedPríomh Aire ('First' or 'Prime' Minister but often translated as 'President of Dáil Éireann'). The following April, Collins engineered de Valera's escape fromLincoln Prison in England, after which Brugha was replaced by de Valera.[citation needed]
De Valera appointed Collins asMinister for Finance in theMinistry of Dáil Éireann in 1919.[31] At this time, most of the Dáil Éireann's ministries existed only on paper or as one or two individuals working in a room of a private house, as large gatherings of Irish republican politicians would be vulnerable to raid attempts by British Crown forces.[citation needed]
Despite that, Collins managed to produce a Finance Ministry that was able to organise a large bond issue in the form of a "National Loan" to fund the new Irish Republic.[32] According toBatt O'Connor, the Dáil Loan raised almost £400,000, of which £25,000 was in gold. The loan, which was declared illegal by the British, was lodged in the individual bank accounts of the trustees. The gold was kept under the floor of O'Connor's house until 1922.[33] TheRussian Republic, in the midst of its own civil war, orderedLudwig Martens the head of theSoviet Bureau inNew York City to acquire a "national loan" from the Irish Republic throughHarry Boland, offering some jewels ascollateral. The jewels remained in a Dublin house until 1938, when they were handed over to de Valera.[34]
TheIrish War of Independence in effect began on the day that the First Dáil convened, 21 January 1919. On that date, an ambush party of IRA Volunteers from the3rd Tipperary Brigade includingSéumas Robinson,Dan Breen,Seán Treacy andSeán Hogan, attacked a pair ofRoyal Irish Constabulary (RIC) men who were escorting a consignment ofgelignite to a quarry inSoloheadbeg,County Tipperary. The two policemen were shot dead during the engagement, known as theSoloheadbeg ambush. This ambush is considered the first action in the Irish War of Independence.[35] The engagement had no advance authorisation from the nascent government. The legislature's support for the armed struggle soon after became official, with the Dáil ratifying the IRA's claim to be the army of theIrish Republic.[27][page needed] From that time Collins filled a number of roles in addition to his legislative duties.
On 7 April 1919,Eamon Broy smuggled Collins into G Division's archives inGreat Brunswick Street, enabling him to identify "G-Men", six of whom would be killed by the IRA.[36] That summer he was elected president of the IRB (and therefore, in the doctrine of that organisation,de jure President of the Irish Republic). In mid-1919, he was made Director ofIntelligence for theIrish Republican Army which now had a mandate to pursue an armed campaign, as the official military of the Irish nation. With Cathal Brugha as Minister of Defence, Collins became Director of Organisation and Adjutant General of the Volunteers. Collins spent much of this period helping to organise the Volunteers as an effective military force, and concentrating on forcing the RIC – which represented British authority in Ireland – out of isolated barracks and seizing their weapons.[37] Collins was determined to avoid the massive destruction, military and civilian losses for merely symbolic victories that had characterised the 1916 Rising. Instead, he directed a guerrilla war against the British, suddenly attacking and then just as quickly withdrawing, minimising losses and maximising effectiveness.[38][page needed]
The Crown responded with an escalation of the war, with the importation of special forces such as the "Auxiliaries", the "Black and Tans", the "Cairo Gang", and others. Officially or unofficially, many of these groups were given a free hand to institute a reign of terror, shooting Irish people indiscriminately, invading homes, looting and burning.[27][page needed][39][page needed]
As the war began in earnest, de Valera travelled to the United States for an extended speaking tour to raise funds for the outlawed Republican government. It was in publicity for this tour that de Valera (who had been electedPríomh Aire by the Dáil) was first referred to as "President". While financially successful, grave political conflicts followed in de Valera's wake there which threatened the unity of Irish-American support for the rebels. Some members of the IRB also objected to the use of the presidential title because their organisation's constitution had a different definition of that title.[27][page needed][28][page needed][40][page needed]
Back in Ireland, Collins arranged the "National Loan", organised the IRA, effectively led the government, and managed arms-smuggling operations.Robert Briscoe, an Irish Jew was sent by Collins to Germany in 1919 to be the chief agent for procuring arms for the IRA.[41][42] While in Germany in 1921 Briscoe purchased a small tug boat named Frieda to be used in transporting guns and ammunition to Ireland. On 28 October 1921 the Frieda slipped out to sea withCharles McGuinness at the helm and a German crew with a cargo of leftover World War I weapons – 300 guns and 20,000 rounds of ammunition.[43] Other sources cite this shipment as "the largest military shipment ever to reach the I.R.A." consisting of 1,500 rifles, 2,000 pistols and 1.7 million rounds of ammunition smuggled hidden in potatoes.[44] Local guerrilla units received supplies, training and had largely a free hand to develop the war in their own region. These were the "flying columns" who comprised the bulk of the War of Independence rank and file in the southwest. Collins,Dick McKee and regional commanders such as Dan Breen andTom Barry oversaw tactics and general strategy. There were also regional organisers, such asErnie O'Malley andLiam Mellows, who reported directly to Collins at St Ita's secret basement GHQ in central Dublin.[45][page needed] They were supported by a vast intelligence network of men and women in all walks of life that reached deep into the British administration in Ireland.[46][page needed][47][page needed]
Collins inspects a soldier
It was at this time that Collins created a specialassassination unit calledThe Squad expressly to kill British agents and informers. Collins was criticised for these tactics but cited the universal war-time practice of executing enemy spies who were, in his words, "hunting victims for execution." Campaigning for Irish independence, even non-violently, was still targeted both by prosecutions under British law entailing the death penalty and also by extrajudicial killings such as that ofTomás Mac Curtain, nationalist mayor of Cork City. In 1920, the British offered £10,000 (equivalent to around £570,000 or €645,000 in 2025) for information leading to Collins' capture or death. He evaded capture and continued to strike against British forces, often operating fromsafe-houses near government buildings, such as Vaughan's andAn Stad.
In 1920, following Westminster's prominent announcements that it had the Irish insurgents on the run, Collins and his Squad killed several people in a series of coordinated raids, including a number of British secret service agents. Members of the Royal Irish Constabulary went to Croke Park, where a G.A.A. football match was taking place between Dublin and Tipperary. The police officers opened fire on the crowd, killing twelve and wounding sixty. This event became known asBloody Sunday. Many British operatives sought the shelter ofDublin Castle the next day. About the same time, Tom Barry's 3rd Cork Brigade took no prisoners in a bitter battle with British forces atKilmichael. In many regions, the RIC and other crown forces became all but confined to the strongest barracks in the larger towns as rural areas came increasingly under rebel control.[38][page needed][48][page needed]These republican victories would have been impossible without widespread support from the Irish population, which included every level of society and reached deep into the British administration in Ireland.[49][page needed] In May 1921, elections were held in the Northern part of Ireland under the1920 Government of Ireland Act which separated the governance of six counties in Ulster from the rest of Ireland. Collins was elected to a seat in Armagh, demonstrating popular support for the republican movement.[50]
At the time of the ceasefire in July 1921, a major operation was allegedly in planning to execute every British secret service agent in Dublin, while a major ambush involving eighty officers and men was also planned forTempleglantine, County Limerick.[27][page needed][51]
In 1921General Macready, commander of British forces in Ireland, reported to his government that the Empire's only hope of holding Ireland was bymartial law, including the suspension of "all normal life".[52] Westminster's foreign policy ruled out this option: Irish-American public opinion was important to British agendas in Asia. In addition, Britain's efforts at a military solution had already resulted in a powerful peace movement, which demanded an end to the unrest in Ireland. Prominent voices calling for negotiation included theLabour Party,The Times and other leading periodicals, members of theHouse of Lords,English Catholics, and famous authors such asGeorge Bernard Shaw.[53][54]
Still, it was not the British government that initiated negotiations. Individual English activists, including clergy, made private overtures which reached Arthur Griffith. Griffith expressed his welcome for dialogue. The British MPBrigadier General Cockerill sent an open letter to Prime MinisterDavid Lloyd George that was printed in the Times, outlining how a peace conference with the Irish should be organised.Pope Benedict XV made an urgent public appeal for a negotiated end to the violence. Whether or not Lloyd George welcomed such advisors, he could no longer hold out against this tide.[27]
In July, Lloyd George's governmentoffered a truce. Arrangements were made for a conference between the British government and the leaders of the yet-unrecognised Republic. There remains uncertainty as to the two sides' capability to have carried on the conflict much longer. Collins toldHamar Greenwood after signing the Anglo-Irish Treaty: "You had us dead beat. We could not have lasted another three weeks. When we were told of the offer of a truce we were astonished. We thought you must have gone mad".[55] However he stated on the record that "there will be no compromise and no negotiations with any British Government until Ireland is recognised as an independent republic. The same effort that would get us Dominion Home Rule will get us a republic."[56] At no time had the Dáil or the IRA asked for a conference or a truce.[57]
However, the Dáil as a whole was less uncompromising. It decided to proceed to a peace conference, although it was ascertained in the preliminary stages that a fully independent republic would not be on the table and that the loss of some northeastern counties was a foregone conclusion.[58]
Many of the rebel forces on the ground first heard of the Truce when it was announced in the newspapers and this gave rise to the first fissures in nationalist unity, which had serious consequences later on. They felt they had not been included in consultations regarding its terms.[57][59]
De Valera was widely acknowledged as the most skilful negotiator on the Dáil government side and he participated in the initial parlays, agreeing the basis on which talks could begin. The first meetings were held in strict secrecy soon after theCustom House battle, with Andrew Cope representing Dublin Castle's British authorities. Later, de Valera travelled to London for the first official contact with Lloyd George. The two met one-on-one in a private meeting, the proceedings of which have never been revealed.[27][60]
During this Truce period, de Valera sued for official designation as President of the Irish Republic and obtained it from the Dáil in August 1921, in place of the title which had previously been used of President of Dáil Éireann.[61] Not long after, the Cabinet was obliged to select the delegation that would travel to the London peace conference and negotiate a treaty. In a departure from his usual role, de Valera adamantly declined to attend, insisting instead that Collins should take his place there, along with Arthur Griffith.[62][full citation needed][63][full citation needed]
Collins resisted the appointment, protesting that he was "a soldier, not a politician" and that his exposure to the London authorities would reduce his effectiveness as a guerrilla leader should hostilities resume. (He had kept his public visibility to a minimum during the conduct of the war; up to this time the British still had very few reliable photographs of him.)[64] The Cabinet of seven split on the issue, with de Valera casting the deciding vote. Many of Collins' associates warned him not to go, that he was being set up as a political scapegoat.
The Irish delegates sent to London were designated as "plenipotentiaries", meaning that they had full authority to sign an agreement on behalf of the Dáil government. The Treaty would then be subject to approval by the Dáil.[65] The majority of the delegates, including Arthur Griffith (leader),Robert Barton andEamonn Duggan (withErskine Childers as Secretary General to the delegation) set up headquarters at 22Hans Place inKnightsbridge on 11 October 1921. Collins shared quarters at 15Cadogan Gardens with the delegation's publicity department, secretaryDiarmuid O'Hegarty,Joseph McGrath as well as substantial intelligence and bodyguard personnel includingLiam Tobin,Tom Cullen, Eamon Broy,Emmet Dalton and Joseph Dolan of The Squad.[66]
The British team were led by their Prime MinisterLloyd George, the Colonial SecretaryWinston Churchill andF. E. Smith. During two months of arduous negotiations, the Irish delegates made frequent crossings between London and Dublin to confer with their Dáil colleagues, and Collins' correspondence reflects his frustration at Dáil debates and the Irish delegate's inability to agree to clear instructions as to whether or not they should accept a treaty.[27][page needed][67][page needed]
In November, with the London peace talks still in progress, Collins attended a large meeting of regional IRA commanders at Parnell Place in Dublin. In a private conference, he informedLiam Deasy,Florence O'Donoghue andLiam Lynch that there would have to be some compromise in the current negotiations in London. "There was no question of our getting all the demands we were making." He was advised by Lynch not to bring this out in the full assembly. Reviewing subsequent events, Deasy later doubted the wisdom of that advice.[57]
The negotiations ultimately resulted in theAnglo-Irish Treaty which was signed on 6 December 1921. The agreement provided for aDominion status "Irish Free State", whose relationship to the BritishCommonwealth would be modelled after Canada's. This was a compromise, halfway between an independent republic and a province of the Empire. The Treaty was signed under considerable pressure from the British. The negotiators had agreed at the cabinet meeting in Dublin that they would not sign the Treaty without bringing it back for the Dáil cabinet to ratify. But once back in London on 5 December at 7:30 pm, Lloyd George told them it was immediate signature or "immediate and terrible war" and that he had to know by the next day.[68] Winston Churchill recalled Collins's reaction: "Michael Collins rose as if he was going to shoot someone, preferably himself. In all my life I have never seen so much passion and suffering in restraint."[69] The Treaty was signed at 2:20 am, 6 December 1921.
The settlement overturned the Act of Union by recognising the native Irish legislature's independence. Under abicameral parliament, the executive authority would remain vested in the king, represented in Ireland by aGovernor General, but exercised by an Irish government elected by Dáil Éireann as a "lower house". British forces would depart the Free State forthwith and be replaced by an Irish army. Along with an independent judiciary, the Treaty granted the new Free State greaterindependence than any Irish state, and went well beyond the Home Rule which had been sought byCharles Stewart Parnell or by his Irish Parliamentary Party successorsJohn Redmond andJohn Dillon.
The Treaty acknowledged the partition of Ireland. Before Treaty negotiations had concluded, executive powers had already been passed to the government ofNorthern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act in 1920.[70] Northern Ireland, which had a majorityunionist population, could opt out of the Free State, a year after the signing of the Treaty. AnIrish Boundary Commission was to be established to draw a border, "in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants' and 'economic and geographic conditions".[71] Collins anticipated a redrawing of the border would result in much of the south and west of Northern Ireland becoming part of the Free State, making Northern Ireland economically non-viable, and facilitating the reunification of the 32 counties in the near future.[58]
Collins argued that he had signed the Treaty as the alternative was a war that the Irish people did not want. "I say that rejection of the Treaty is a declaration of war until you have beaten the British Empire, apart from any alternative document. Rejection of the Treaty means your national policy is war…. The Treaty was signed by me, not because they held up the alternative of immediate war. I signed it because I would not be one of those to commit the Irish people to war without the Irish people committing themselves to war."[72] While the Treaty fell short of the republic for which he had fought, Collins concluded that the Treaty offered Ireland "not the freedom that all nations desire and develop to, but the freedom to achieve it."[73]
Nonetheless, he knew that elements of the Treaty would cause controversy in Ireland. Upon signing the treaty, F. E. Smith remarked "I may have signed my political death warrant tonight". Collins replied "I may have signed my actual death warrant".[51]
This remark encapsulated his acknowledgement that the Treaty was a compromise that would be vulnerable to charges of "sell-out" from purist Republicans. It did not establish the fully independent republic that Collins himself had shortly before demanded as a non-negotiable condition. The "physical force republicans" who made up the bulk of the army which had fought the British to a draw would be loath to accept dominion status within theBritish Empire or anOath of Allegiance that mentioned the King. Also controversial was the British retention ofTreaty Ports on the south coast of Ireland for theRoyal Navy. These factors diminished Irish sovereignty and threatened to allow British interference in Ireland's foreign policy. Collins and Griffith were well aware of these issues and strove tenaciously, against British resistance, to achieve language which could be accepted by all constituents. They succeeded in obtaining an oath to the Irish Free State, with a subsidiary oath of fidelity to the King, rather than to the king unilaterally.
Éamon de Valera, the President of the Dáil objected to the Treaty on the grounds that it had been signed without cabinet consent and that it secured neither the full independence of Ireland nor Irish unity.[74] Collins and his supporters argued that de Valera had refused strenuous pleas from Collins, Griffith and others to lead the London negotiations in person. He had refused the delegates' continual requests for instruction, and in fact, had been at the centre of the original decision to enter negotiations without the possibility of an independent republic on the table.[27][page needed][75][page needed]
The Treaty controversy split the entire nationalist movement. Sinn Féin, the Dáil, the IRB and the army each divided into pro- and anti-Treaty factions. The Supreme Council of the IRB had been informed in detail about every facet of the Treaty negotiations and had approved many of its provisions, and all but one voted to accept the Treaty – the single exception beingLiam Lynch, later Chief-of-Staff of the anti-Treaty IRA.[76]
The Dáil debated the Treaty bitterly for ten days until it was approved by a vote of 64 to 57.[77] Having lost this vote, de Valera announced his intent to withdraw his participation from the Dáil and called on all deputies who had voted against the Treaty to follow him. A substantial number did so, officially splitting the government.
A large part of the Irish Republican Army opposed the Treaty and in March 1922 voted at an Army Convention to reject the authority of the Dail, Collins' GHQ and to elect their own Executive. Anti-Treaty IRA units began to seize buildings and take other guerrilla actions against the Provisional Government. On 14 April 1922, a group of 200 anti-Treaty IRA men occupied theFour Courts in Dublin underRory O'Connor, a hero of the War of Independence. The Four Courts was the centre of the Irish courts system, originally under the British and then the Free State. Collins was charged by his Free State colleagues with putting down these insurgents, however, he resisted firing on former comrades and staved off a shooting war throughout this period.[78][79]
While the country teetered on the edge of civil war, continuous meetings were carried on among the various factions from January to June 1922. In these discussions, the nationalists strove to resolve the issue without armed conflict. Collins and his close associate,Teachta Dála (TD) Harry Boland were among those who worked desperately to heal the rift.[27][page needed][80][page needed]
To foster military unity, Collins and the IRB established an "army re-unification committee", including delegates from pro- and anti-Treaty factions. The still-secret Irish Republican Brotherhood continued to meet, fostering dialogue between pro- and anti-Treaty IRA officers. In the IRB's stormy debates on the subject, Collins held out the Constitution of the new Free State as a possible solution. Collins was then in the process of co-writing that document and was striving to make it a republican constitution that included provisions that would allow anti-Treaty TDs to take their seats in good conscience, without any oath concerning the Crown.[79]
A map of Ireland showing the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State
Since June 1920,communal conflict had been raging in north-eastUlster between theProtestantunionist majority there, who wanted to remain part of the UK, and theCatholic Irish nationalist minority, who backed Irish independence.Belfast saw "savage and unprecedented" sectarian violence.[81] Protestantloyalists attacked the Catholic community in retaliation for IRA actions. More than 500 people were killed, more than 8,000 workers were driven out of their jobs, and more than 10,000 became refugees – mostly from the Catholic minority (seeThe Troubles in Ulster (1920–1922)).[82] After the death of Collins, his concern for the plight of northern Catholics was made clear by the Belfast IRA commanderSeamus Woods "Of all the Dublin government ministers, Collins had been most deeply concerned about the fate of northern Catholics."[83] In May 1921, Ireland waspartitioned under British law, creating Northern Ireland, and unionists formed aNorthern government. In early 1922, there were clashes along the new border between the IRA on the Southern side andUlster Special Constabulary (USC) on the Northern side, as well as a resurgence of sectarian violence in Belfast.
Collins strongly opposed partition, but he was ambiguous about his policy for undoing it. On one hand, he told the Dáil during the Treaty debates: "We have stated we would not coerce the North-East … Surely we recognise that the North-East corner does exist … The Treaty has made an effort to deal with it … on lines that will lead very rapidly to goodwill, and the entry of the North-East under the Irish Parliament".[72] The pro-Treaty side argued that the proposed Irish Boundary Commission would give large swathes of Northern Ireland to the Free State, leaving the remaining territory too small to be economically viable.[84]
However, in private Collins told the northern divisions of the IRA, early in 1922 that, "although the Treaty might have seemed an outward expression of partition, the [Irish] Government plans to make it impossible … Partition would never be recognised, even if it meant smashing the Treaty".[85] In January 1922, six months after the ceasefire (truce), Collins helped to form an 'Ulster Council' within the IRA, which included the commanders of its five northern divisions, to co-ordinate IRA activity in the North.[86] Collins' Provisional Government also funded Northern county councils and paid the salaries of teachers in Northern Ireland who recognised the Free State.
In March, Collins metSir James Craig, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, in London. They signed an agreement declaring peace in the North, which promised cooperation between Catholics and Protestants in policing and security, and a generous budget for restoring Catholics to homes which had been destroyed. To some northern Republicans Collins had formally recognized partition and had done so without consulting them.[87] The day after the agreement was published, violence erupted again in theArnon Street killings. A policeman was shot dead in Belfast and in reprisal, police broke into Catholic homes nearby and shot residents in their beds, including children (seeMcMahon killings). There was no response to Collins' demands for an inquiry. He and his Cabinet warned that they would deem the agreement broken unless Craig took action.[88] In his continual correspondence with Churchill over violence in the North, Collins protested repeatedly that such breaches of the truce threatened to invalidate the Treaty entirely.[89] The prospect was real enough that on 3 June 1922 Churchill presented to the Committee of Imperial Defence his plans "to protect Ulster from invasion by the South".[90]
In spring 1922, Collins, along with other IRB and IRA leaders, developed secret plans for a guerrilla offensive in Northern Ireland.[91][92][86] It was to involveboth pro- and anti-Treaty IRA units. Collins hoped the offensive would undermine the Northern Ireland government and unite the pro- and anti-treaty IRA in a shared goal.[91] Collins and National Army GHQ secretly supplied weaponry and equipment for the offensive, and some British arms that had been supplied to the Provisional Government were passed on to the IRA.[91][92] Because of this, most northern IRA units supported Collins and 524 individual volunteers came south to join the National Army in the Irish Civil War.
The offensive was to begin on 2 May 1922, but most of the IRA divisions had to postpone until later in the month.[86] The 1st, 4th and 5th divisions, based in Southern territory, did not take part.[93] This, and the staggered start to the offensive, made it easier for the Northern authorities to tackle.[86] The Northern government launched a massive security crackdown and introducedinternment, which would cripple the IRA in Northern Ireland.[94] The offensive saw theBattle of Pettigo and Belleek in early June, which ended with British troops shelling IRA positions on the border. Collins chided pro-Treaty IRA units who became embroiled in the fighting[93] and the Provisional Government issued an order that their policy was "peaceful obstruction … and no troops from the twenty- six counties either official or attached to the executive [anti-Treaty] should be permitted to invade the six county area".[93]
However, in early August, Collins wrote toCosgrave: "I am forced to the conclusion that we may yet have to fight the British in the north-east". At the same time, he told northern IRA officers he would "use the political arm against Craig so long as it is of use. If that fails, the treaty can go to hell and we will all start again".[95]
After the death of Collins, aid from the Provisional Government to the northern IRA was cut off. Belfast Brigade (IRA) leaderRoger McCorley stated: "When Collins was killed the northern element [of the IRA] gave up all hope".[96]
De Valera resigned the presidency and sought re-election but Arthur Griffith replaced him after a close vote on 9 January 1922. Griffith chose as his title President of Dáil Éireann, rather than President of the Republic as de Valera had favoured.[97] The Dáil Éireann government did not hold legal status in Britishconstitutional law. The provisions of the Treaty required the formation of anew government established under British law with royal assent, which would be recognised by Westminster as pertaining to the Free State dominion that had been agreed under the Treaty. Despite the abdication of a large part of the Dáil, theProvisional Government (Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann) was formed with Michael Collins as Chairman of the Cabinet (effectivelyPrime Minister). The Provisional Government operated concurrently with the Dáil Éireann government under Griffith. Collins retained his position as Minister for Finance in both governments.[78]
In British legal tradition, Collins was now a Crown-appointed prime minister of a Commonwealth dominion, installed under theRoyal Prerogative. To be so installed he had to formally meet theLord Lieutenant of IrelandViscount FitzAlan, the head of the British administration in Ireland. The republican view of the same meeting is that Collins met FitzAlan to accept the surrender of Dublin Castle, the official seat of the British government in Ireland. Having surrendered, FitzAlan still remained in place as viceroy until December 1922.
The Provisional Government's first obligation was to create a Constitution for the Free State. This was undertaken by Collins and a team of solicitors. The outcome of their work became the Irish Constitution of 1922.[98] He drew up a republican constitution which, without repudiating the Treaty, would include no mention of the British King. His object was that the Constitution would allow participation in the Dáil by dissenting TDs who opposed the Treaty and refused to take any oath recognising the Crown. Under the Treaty, the Free State was obliged to submit its new Constitution to Westminster for approval. Upon doing so, in June 1922, Collins and Griffith found Lloyd George determined to veto the provisions they had fashioned to prevent civil war.[99][page needed]
The meetings with Lloyd George and Churchill were bitter and contentious. Collins, although less diplomatic than Griffith or de Valera, had no less penetrating comprehension of political issues. He complained that he was being manipulated into "doing Churchill's dirty work", in a potential civil war with his own former troops.[78][100][full citation needed]
Negotiations to prevent civil war resulted in, among others, "The Army Document" published in May 1922 which was signed by an equal number of pro- and anti-Treaty IRA officers including Collins, Dan Breen, andGearóid O'Sullivan. This manifesto declared that "a closing of ranks all round is necessary" to prevent "the greatest catastrophe in Irish history". It called for new elections, to be followed by the re-unification of the government and army, whatever the result.
In this spirit and with the organising efforts of moderates on both sides, the Collins–de Valera "Pact" was created. This pact agreed that new elections to the Dáil would be held with each candidate running as explicitly pro- or anti-Treaty and that, regardless of which side obtained a majority, the two factions would then join to form a coalition government of national unity.
A referendum on the Treaty was also planned but it never took place. The Pact elections on 16 June 1922 therefore comprise the best quantitative record of the Irish public's response to the Treaty. The results were pro-Treaty 58 seats, anti-Treaty 36, Labour Party 17, Independents 6, Farmers Party 7, plus 4 Unionists from Trinity College Dublin.[101]
Six days after the Pact elections,Sir Henry Wilson was assassinated byReginald Dunne andJoseph O'Sullivan—two London-based IRA volunteers, who had served in World War I—outside Wilson's home at 36 Eaton Place at approximately 2:20 pm. He was in full uniform as he was returning from unveiling theGreat Eastern Railway War Memorial atLiverpool Street station at 1pm. Shot while he crossed the pavement from a taxi to his house, Wilson suffered six wounds to the chest.[102] Two police officers and a chauffeur were also shot as the assassins sought to avoid capture. They were surrounded by a crowd and arrested by other policemen. Dunne and O'Sullivan were convicted of murder andhanged on 10 August 1922.[103][104]
A British Armyfield marshal, Wilson had resigned his commission and been elected an MP for a constituency in Northern Ireland. He had a long history as one of the chief British leaders opposing Collins in the conflict. Wilson had served as military advisor to the Northern Ireland government led byJames Craig, in which role he was seen to be responsible for the B-Specials and other loyalist violence in the north. The debate concerning Collins' involvement continued in the 1950s when statements and rebuttals on the subject were published in periodicals. These were reprinted with additions in Rex Taylor's 1961 book,Assassination: the death of Sir Henry Wilson and the tragedy of Ireland. Participants in that discussion were Joe Dolan, Florence O'Donoghue, Denis P. Kelleher, Patrick O'Sullivan, and others.[105]
The Provisional Government, led by Collins, gave the order to bombard theFour Courts with artillery shells in an attempt to remove the anti-Treaty IRA. This was the start of theIrish Civil War.
The death of Sir Henry Wilson caused a furor in London. Lloyd George, the Prime Minister, sent a letter to Collins saying that the 'ambiguous position' of the Provisional Government with regard to the IRA in the Four Courts could no longer be tolerated.[106] The British cabinet met the day after the assassination and agreed that Collins' reply had not given a 'definite enough commitment' to disperse the Four Courts occupation. They ordered Nevil Macready, commander of the British garrison still in Dublin, to attack the Four Courts, whose republican garrison they blamed for the shooting of Wilson.[107] The plan was put on hold at the last minute when Macready advised the government, on 26 June, to give Collins' Provisional Government one more chance to act against the Four Courts.[108]
Collins himself was in Cork at the time of the crisis. President Arthur Griffith and military officer Emmet Dalton met with British officials to discuss 'the continued occupation of the Four Courts by the Irregulars under Rory O'Connor'.[109] There is little documentation of the decision taken by the Provisional Government, headed by Collins, to attack the Four Courts; Historian Michael Hopkinson writes, 'the scarcity of evidence is explained by the acute sensitivity of the subject, both at the time and since'.[110] When Collins arrived back in Dublin, his forces began to act against the anti-Treatyites. On 27 June they arrested anti-Treaty IRA officer Leo Henderson as he was enforcing the Belfast Boycott by seizing cars.[111] In retaliation the anti-Treaty IRA men abductedJ. J. "Ginger" O'Connell, a Free State general, and held him in the Four Courts.[112]
These two developments led to the Provisional Government's 27 June 1922 order serving notice on the Four Courts garrison to surrender the building, their arms and release O'Connell, that night or face military action "at once".[112] According to historian Charles Townsend, 'Collins must have consented to this though the actual decision seems to have been taken by Griffith'.[113]Peter Hart similarly writes, 'it was Griffith rather than Collins who took the lead in this decision'.[114] However a contemporary observer of events, cabinet member Ernest Blythe, contradicts the historians recalling that, 'the decision to attack the Four Courts was almost automatic once Collins had agreed to it'.[115]
Collins' position in this conflict was extraordinary indeed. A majority of the IRA he had helped lead in the War of Independence, were now ranged against the Provisional Government, which he led. In addition, the force which by the will of the electorate he was obliged to lead had been re-organised since the Truce. Formed from a nucleus of pro-Treaty IRA men, it had evolved into a more formal, structured, uniformedNational Army that was armed and funded by Britain. Many of the new memberswere World War I veterans and others who had not fought on the nationalist side before. Collins' profoundly mixed feelings about this situation are recorded in his private and official correspondence.[116][117][118][119][120]
Artillery was provided to Richard Mulcahy, as Minister for Defence and the Free State Army by the British for the purposes of attacking the Four Courts. Emmet Dalton, an Irishman who had served in the British Army and the IRA, who was now a leading Free State commander and close associate of Collins, was placed in charge of it. The Four Courts surrendered after three days of fighting.
Heavyfighting broke out in Dublin between the anti-Treaty IRA Dublin Brigade and the Free State troops. Much of O'Connell Street suffered heavy damage; the Gresham Hotel was burned and the Four Courts reduced to a ruin. Still, under Collins' direction, the Free State rapidly took control of the capital. By July 1922 anti-Treaty forces held much of the southern province of Munster and several other areas of the country. At the height of their success, they administered local government and policing in large regions.[121] Collins, Richard Mulcahy, and Eoin O'Duffy decided on a series of seaborne landings into republican-held areas, which re-took Munster and the west in July–August.
That July, Collins became Commander-in-Chief of the National Army while also retaining his civilian roles as Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Provisional Government. However, according to Charles Townshend, he became 'a kind of generalissimo, combining military and political supremacy. Griffith had no desire or capacity to dispute the day-to-day conduct of government with him and while Mulcahy had great administrative capacity, he deferred to Collins as a strategist and thinker'.[122] He alsoprorogued the meeting of the Dail until the end of hostilities, a move that historians such as John M. Regan have seen as an unconstitutional concentration of power in Collins himself and his military colleagues.[123] On 12 July, the pro-treaty army formed a 'War Council of Three' led by Collins with Richard Mulcahy and Eoin O'Duffy. At the same time martial law was introduced but not proclaimed until January 1923. At this time, Collins was President of the IRB Supreme Council which claimed to be the legitimate government of the Irish Republic, commander-in-chief of the pro-treaty army, while retaining control of the Provisional Government which remained unaccountable to any government in September. On the pro-treaty side, Collins controlled civil, military, and the extra constitutional powers of the IRB. The IRB Executive, which acted as the IRB government when the supreme council was not sitting, closely resembled the 'War Council of Three' with Collins and O'Duffy sitting on both. The third member of the IRB Executive was Sean O'Muithile, who Collins appointed as the commissioner of the new police force shortly before Collins was killed in action. The appointment was later rescinded.
Roughly two weeks after Cork city had been taken by Provisional Government forces, Collins travelled there to attempt to seize large sums of money that the anti-Treaty Republicans had lodged in banks, under the account of the Land Bank.[124] There is considerable evidence that Collins' journey to Cork in August 1922 was made in order to meet republican leaders with a view to ending the war.[125][page needed]
Collins conducted a series of meetings, regarding the possibility of peace talks in Cork on 21–22 August. In Cork city, Collins met with neutral IRA membersSeán O'Hegarty and Florence O'Donoghue with a view to contacting Anti-Treaty IRA leaders Tom Barry andTom Hales to propose a truce. The anti-Treaty side had called a major convocation of officers to Béal na Bláth, a remote crossroads, with ending the war on the agenda.[57] De Valera was present there. However, Michael Hopkinson writes that 'there is no evidence that there was any prospect of a meeting between de Valera and Collins.[126] The People's Rights Association, a local initiative in Cork City, had been mediating a discussion of terms between the Provisional Government and anti-Treaty side for weeks.[27][page needed][79]
Collins' diary outlined his proposals for peace. Republicans must "accept the People's Verdict" on the Treaty, but could then "go home without their arms. We don't ask for any surrender of their principles".[126] He argued that the Provisional Government was upholding "the people's rights" and would continue to do so. "We want to avoid any possible unnecessary destruction and loss of life. We do not want to mitigate their weakness by resolute action beyond what is required". But if Republicans did not accept his terms, "further blood is on their shoulders".[127]
Collins' body laid out at Shanakiel Hospital in Cork
A replica of the Crossley Tender in Collins' convoy on a replica of the road where it happened[128]
A newspaper in Boston—a U.S. city with a large population of Irish immigrants—described Collins with adulation, describing his "contempt for danger" through several prior attempts on his life, including a separate attempt only a few days prior.[129]
In August 1922, it seemed as though the Civil War was winding down. The Free State had regained control of most of the country, and Collins was making frequent trips to inspect areas recently recovered from anti-Treaty forces.
His plan to travel to his native Cork on 20 August was considered particularly dangerous, and he was strenuously advised against it by several trusted associates. County Cork was an IRA stronghold as much of it was still held by anti-Treaty forces. Yet he was determined to make the trip without delay. He had fended off a number of attempts on his life in the preceding weeks and had acknowledged more than once, in private conversation, that the Civil War might end his life at any moment. On several occasions, Collins assured his advisors "they won't shoot me in my own county," or words to that effect[citation needed].
On 22 August 1922, Collins set out from Cork City on a circuitous tour of West Cork. He passed first throughMacroom and then took theBandon road viaCrookstown. This led throughBéal na Bláth, an isolated crossroads. There they stopped at a local pub named 'Long's Pub', now known asThe Diamond Bar,[130] to ask a question of a man standing at the crossroad. The man turned out to be an anti-Treaty sentry. He and an associate recognised Collins in the back of the open-top car.
As a result, an ambush was laid by an anti-Treaty column at that point, on the chance that the convoy might come through again on their return journey. Between 7:30 and 8:00 pm, Collins' convoy approached Béal na Bláth for the second time. By then most of the ambush party had dispersed and gone for the day, leaving just five or six men on the scene. Two were disarming a mine in the road, while three on a laneway overlooking them, provided cover. A dray cart, placed across the road, remained at the far end of the ambush site.
The 'Irregulars' in the laneway opened fire with rifles on the convoy. Emmet Dalton, the Free State commander for the county, ordered the driver of the touring car to 'drive like hell', but Collins said 'no, stop and we'll fight 'em'. He then jumped from the vehicle along with the others. At first, the group took cover behind a low grass bank bordering the road, but Collins then jumped up and ran back along the road to begin firing with his Lee Enfield rifle from behind the armoured carSlievenamon. TheVickers machine gun in that car had also been firing at the attackers but then stopped because a badly loaded ammunition belt caused it to jam.
Apparently, to get a better view of the laneway up which he had seen the enemy running, Collins left the protection of the armoured car and moved even farther back around a bend in the road out of sight of his comrades. Now standing in the open, he fired a couple of shots and as he was once more working the bolt of his rifle he was struck in the head by a bullet believed to have been fired by one of the ambushing party – Denis "Sonny" O'Neill, a formerBritish Armysniper.[131][132]
Collins was the only man killed in the ambush, although another member of his party suffered a neck wound. After he was shot, the fire from the ambushing party quickly fell off and they withdrew from the scene. Collins was found, face down, on the roadway. One of his men whispered anAct of Contrition into his ear, but Collins was clearly close to death if not already dead. He was lifted into the back of the touring car with his head resting against Dalton's shoulder. The convoy cleared the dray cart obstruction and resumed its journey to Cork.
The lengthy time the convoy took to cover the twenty miles (32 km) back to Cork City was because many of the roads were blocked and the convoy had to travel across muddy fields and through farms to circumnavigate the obstacles, all in darkness. At times, when the vehicles became bogged down, members of the convoy had to carry Collins' body on their shoulders. The touring car eventually had to be abandoned because of mechanical trouble.
There was no autopsy. Collins' field diary was taken by Dalton who had been with him during his tour of the south. The body was first presented at Shanakiel Hospital in Cork, a small military establishment, and then shipped around the coast to Dublin where it was laid out in St Vincent's Hospital. From there it was removed to the City Hall beside Dublin Castle where it was laid in state.
Sonny O'Neill was a former officer from theRoyal Irish Constabulary who served as a sniper in the British Army during theFirst World War. O'Neill had joined the IRA in 1918 and provided information concerning theCairo Gang that worked for theBritish Army Intelligence Centre; he had met Collins on more than one occasion. When theIrish Civil War started in June 1922, O'Neill joined theAnti-Treaty IRA, where he was in charge of training in the Southern Division in Mallow.[133] The Irish State granted O'Neill a captain's military pension in 1939.[133]
Sean Collins behind the coffin of his brother Michael.
Collinslay in state for three days. Tens of thousands of mourners filed past hiscoffin to pay their respects, including many British soldiers departing Ireland who had fought against him. His funeral mass took place at Dublin'sSt Mary's Pro-Cathedral where a number of foreign and Irish dignitaries were in attendance. Some 500,000 people attended his funeral, almost one-fifth of the country's population at that time.[27][page needed]
No official inquiry was ever undertaken into Collins' death and consequently, there is no official version of what happened, nor are there any authoritative, detailed contemporary records.[125][page needed]
Funeral of Michael Collins in thePro-Cathedral, Dublin (contemporary newspaper depiction of thestate funeral)
De Valera is alleged to have declared in 1966, "It is my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record the greatness of Michael Collins; and it will be recorded at my expense." However, there is no evidence he ever made this remark.[134]
Collins' elderly father, who was 75 when his youngest child was born, inspired his fondness and respect for older people. His mother, who had spent her youth caring for her own invalid mother and raising her own brothers and sisters, was a powerful influence. The entire management of the Collins farm fell to her, as her husband succumbed to old age and died. In a society which honoured hospitality as a prime virtue, Mrs Collins was eulogised as "a hostess in ten thousand". Her five daughters avowedly doted on their youngest brother.[27][page needed] He enjoyed rough-housing and outdoor sports. Having won a local wrestling championship while he was still a boy, he is said to have made a pastime of challenging larger, older opponents, with frequent success. A very fit, active man throughout life, in the most stressful times he continued to enjoy wrestling as a form of relaxation and valued friendships which afforded opportunities to share athletic pursuits.[27][page needed] He could be abrasive, demanding, and inconsiderate of those around him, but frequently made up for it with gestures such as confectionery and other small gifts.[135][page needed]
Unlike some of his political opponents, he had many close personal friendships within the movement. It has been justly said that while some were devoted to "the idea of Ireland", Collins was a people person whose patriotism was rooted in affection and respect for the people of Ireland around him. Among his famous last words is the final entry in his pocket diary, written on the journey that ended his life, "The people are splendid."[136][38][page needed][64][page needed]
Kitty Kiernan
In 1921–22, he became engaged toKitty Kiernan. Under Kiernan's influence, he would resume Catholic religious practice (though retaining secularism as a political position), despite his previous hostility to the Irish Catholic hierarchy. He made a general confession before his departure for London to negotiate the Anglo-Irish Treaty. While in London, his practice of lighting votive candles for Kiernan developed a habit of attending mass daily, usually at theBrompton Oratory. In letters between the two, he credits Kiernan as having given him a newfound appreciation ofConfession andCommunion. Collins attended Mass regularly throughout the ensuing civil war.[137]
Collins was a complex man whose character abounded in contradictions. He seems never to have pursued personal profit. This characteristic was exemplified by a letter he wrote on 4 August 1922 to his canvassing agent; offering to pay half the bill for a hired election car because some of the journeys had been for personal trips.[138] While clearly fond of command and keen to take charge, he had an equal appetite for input and advice from people at every level of the organisation, prompting the comment that "he took advice from his chauffeur."[60][page needed] Although acknowledged by friends and foes as "head centre" of the movement, he continually chose a title just short of actual head of state; becoming Chairman of the Provisional Government only after the abdication of half the Dáil forced him to do so. While his official and personal correspondence records his solicitous care for the wants of insurgents in need, during the war he showed no hesitation in ordering the death of opponents who threatened nationalist lives.[139][page needed]
While mastermind of a clandestine military, he remained a public figure. When official head of the Free State government, he continued to cooperate in the IRA's secret operations. He was capable of bold, decisive actions on his own authority, which caused friction with his colleagues, such as his falling out with Cathal Brugha; but at critical junctures, he could also bow to majority decisions which were profoundly disadvantageous and dangerous to his own interests, such as his appointment to the Treaty negotiating team.
An annual commemoration ceremony takes place in August near the ambush site at Béal na Bláth, County Cork,[b] organised by The Béal na mBláth Commemoration Committee. In 2009, the former President of IrelandMary Robinson gave the oration. In 2010 the Minister for FinanceBrian Lenihan Jnr became the firstFianna Fáil person to give the oration. In 2012 on the 90th anniversary of the death of Collins, theTaoiseachEnda Kenny gave the oration, the first serving head of government to do so. There is also a remembrance ceremony at Collins' grave inGlasnevin Cemetery on the anniversary of his death every year.
Collins' grave at Glasnevin Cemetery
Michael Collins House museum in Clonakilty, Cork is a museum dedicated to Michael Collins and the history of Irish Independence. Situated in a restoredGeorgian House on Emmet Square, where Collins once lived, the museum, tells the life story of Collins through guided tours, interactive displays, audiovisuals and historical artefacts.[140]
TheCentral Bank of Ireland released gold and silver commemorative coins on 15 August 2012 which feature a portrait of Michael Collins designed by Thomas Ryan based on a photograph taken not long before his death.[141]
Collins bequeathed to posterity a considerable body of writing: essays, speeches and tracts, articles and official documents in which he outlined plans for Ireland's economic and cultural revival, as well as a voluminous correspondence, both official and personal. Selections have been published inThe Path to Freedom (Mercier, 1968) and inMichael Collins in His Own Words (Gill & Macmillan, 1997). In the 1960s, Taoiseach Seán Lemass, himself a veteran of the 1916 Rising and War of Independence, credited Collins' ideas as the basis for his successes in revitalizing Ireland's economy.[citation needed]
Nine years after his death, the UK Parliament passed theStatute of Westminster, which removed virtually all of London's remaining authority over the Free State and the other dominions. This had the effect of granting the Free State internationally recognised independence, thus fulfilling Collins' vision of having "the freedom to achieve freedom".
The Collins 22 Society established in 2002 is an international organisation dedicated to keeping the name and legacy of Michael Collins in living memory. The patron of the society is Ireland's former Minister for Justice and TDNora Owen, grand-niece of Michael Collins.[145]
"That volley which we have just heard is the only speech which it is proper to make over the grave of a deadFenian." Said by Collins at the funeral ofThomas Ashe in Glasnevin Cemetery on 30 September 1917.[146]
"Think—what I have got for Ireland? Something which she has wanted these past 700 years. Will anyone be satisfied at the bargain? Will anyone? I tell you this—early this morning I signed my death warrant".Written in a letter dated 6 December 1921 after the signing of the treaty that established the Irish Free State.[147][146]
When an elder Sinn Fein veteran asked Collins: "Where were you in 1904 when I and others were founding the Sinn Fein movement?" He responded bluntly. "I was playing with marbles, damn you!"[148]
"We've been waiting 700 years, you can have the seven minutes".Said by Collins on 16 January 1922 when arriving at Dublin Castle for the handover by British forces after being told that he was seven minutes late.[149][146]
"My own fellow countrymen won't kill me".Said by Collins on 20 August 1922 before leaving for Cork where he was ambushed and killed.[150][146]
Bust of Michael Collins at Merrion Square Park, Dublin, Ireland.
The 1936 filmBeloved Enemy is a fictionalised account of Collins' life. Unlike the real Michael Collins, the fictionalised "Dennis Riordan" (played byBrian Aherne) is shot but recovers.Hang Up Your Brightest Colours, a Britishdocumentary byKenneth Griffith, was made forITV in 1973, but refused transmission. It was eventually screened by theBBC inWales in 1993 and across the United Kingdom the following year.
In 1969,Dominic Behan wrote an episode of the UK television seriesPlay for Today entitled "Michael Collins". The play dealt with Collins' attempt to take the gun out of Irish politics and took the perspective of the republican argument. At the time of writing the script,the Troubles had just begun in Northern Ireland and the BBC was reluctant to broadcast the production. An appeal by the author toDavid Attenborough (Director of Programming for the BBC at that time) resulted in the play eventually being broadcast; Attenborough took the view that the imperatives of free speech could not be compromised in the cause of political expediency.[citation needed]
AnIrish documentary made byColm Connolly forRTÉ Television in 1989 calledThe Shadow of Béal na Bláth covered Collins' death. A made-for-TV film,The Treaty, was produced in 1991 and starredBrendan Gleeson as Collins andIan Bannen as David Lloyd George. In 2007, RTÉ produced a documentary entitledGet Collins, about the intelligence war which took place in Dublin.[151][152]
Collins was the subject of directorNeil Jordan's 1996 filmMichael Collins, withLiam Neeson in the title role. Collins' great-grandnephew, Aengus O'Malley, played a student in a scene filmed inMarsh's Library.
In 2005Cork Opera House commissioned:[153] "Michael Collins- A Musical Drama" by Bryan Flynn, which had a successful run in 2009 at Cork opera house and later in theOlympia Theatre, Dublin.
Infamous Assassinations, a 2007 British documentary television series, devoted its eighth episode to the death of Collins. The 2016 miniseries,Rebellion, focused on the 1916 Easter Rising. Collins appeared as a background character, taking part in the uprising, played by Sebastian Thommen. Collins was portrayed byGavin Drea in the 2019 sequel toRebellion,Resistance.
Irish-Americanfolk rock bandBlack 47 recorded a song entitled "The Big Fellah" which was the first track on their 1994 albumHome of the Brave. It details Collins' career, from the Easter Rising to his death at Béal na Bláth. Irishfolk band theWolfe Tones recorded a song titled "Michael Collins" onA Sense of Freedom (1983) about Collins' life and death, although it begins when he was about 16 and took a job in London. Celtic metal bandCruachan recorded a song also titled "Michael Collins" on their 2004 albumPagan which dealt with his role in the Civil War, the treaty and his eventual death. Also a song byJohnny McEvoy, simply named "Michael", depicts Collins' death and the sadness surrounding his funeral.
The poem "The laughing boy" byBrendan Behan lamenting the death of Collins was translated into Greek in 1961 by Vasilis Rotas. In October of the same year,Mikis Theodorakis composed the song "Tο γελαστό παιδί" ("The laughing boy") using Rotas' translation. The song was recorded byMaria Farantouri in 1966 on the album "Ένας όμηρος" ("A hostage") and became an instant success. It was the soundtrack of the movieZ (1969). "The laughing boy" became the song of protest against thedictatorship in Greece (1967–1974) and remains to date one of the most popular songs in Greek popular culture.
Journalist Eamonn O'Neill wrote the playGod Save Ireland Cried the Hero about Collins' last night alive. Set in his hotel room, the one-man production started Liam Brennan in the role of Collins and was produced by the Wiseguise Company. It was performed at theEdinburgh Festival Fringe in 1996.[154]
Mary Kenny wrote a playAllegiance, about a meeting between Winston Churchill and Collins. The play premiered in 2006 for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe withMel Smith playing Churchill andMichael Fassbender, a great-great-grandnephew of Collins, playing him.[155][156]
^"National_Loan". Archived fromthe original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved26 February 2013. Collins 22 Society Page on "The National Loan 1920"
^[1]Archived 27 July 2011 at theWayback Machine O'Connor, Batt.With Michael Collins in the Fight For Irish Independence, 2nd ed., Millstreet: Aubane Historical Society. (p87)
^"History". 28 April 2015.Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved23 July 2015.
^Dolan, Anne (2008).Commemorating the Irish Civil War: History and Memory, 1923–2000.Cambridge University Press. p. 68.ISBN978-0521026987.Sonny O'Neill, the man generally believed to have fired the fatal shot
^'Gunman believed to have killed Michael Collins was granted a military pension',The Irish Times, 3 October 2014.
