#11 Michael Collins


 
 
No one has to ask a question ... Who Michael Collins was? If someone dares, I reply ... a Politician, a Soldier, a Hero! First and foremost he was a revolutionary leader, a politician and Minister of Finance. Since 1919 he was a main director of Intelligence, as well as, a Director of Organization and Arms Procurement of the Irish Republican Army. The Irish Republican Brotherhood member since 1920. Till his death he supported and enhanced Anglo-Irish peace treaty.

He was very wit and intelligent, he read and devoured everything that made him closer to Irish nationalism and independent movements. After his fifteenth birthdays he passed the British Civil Service examinations, became the employer of the Royal Mail. His law fascination made him study law at King's College London. He was acknowledged with Sam Maguire who introduced Collins into IRB. Michael Collin's part in Easter Rising was significant from the political point of view, his spiritual and social involvement was immerse. However Easter Monday of 1916 was proclaimed as a disaster.



In 1917 Collins met and befriended with Eamon de Valera, the President of Sinn Fein, de Valera's presidency was uncertain, Collins supported it, due to majority of voices de Valera won. General election of 1918 brought success to Sinn Fein – the party has taken majority of seats in Irish Parliament. Collins was very much, indeed, involved in peace processes, The Republic, Ireland fought for so much has not been acknowledged in 1919, none of the states said "Yes" for. Despite the odd circumstances, de Valera wanted to prolong the peace conference in Paris. The IRA was supposed to be stated as the army of the Irish Republic. What mattered for Collins was the provisional government, the unite and equal state. The political skirmishes within the parities were harsh, the disputes between Eamon de Valera and Arthur Griffith over the presidency of Ireland had no end, eventually, Griffith won, Michael Collins who was liked by people was proclaimed as Chairman of the Provisional Government Cabinet, in the meantime he also managed to keep his position as a Minster of Finance. The civil war was treacherous, bloodshed was everywhere, IRA had no mercy whatsoever.




Collins' efforts to unite Ireland and proclaim one government with IRA as a legal Irish armed force were futile, he was shot dead in an ambush by Beal na Blath. The bullets were lethal, an imperfect inquiry and medical reports proved nothing.
 
 
 
 
Some traitors were shot, punished, put on trial, de Valera has never been officially submitted as a target in the investigation of a murder of his colleague, once he said “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.”
 
Bibliography:
  1. "Ireland. The Politics of Enmity 1789-2006", OUP, 2006
  2. "Guerrilla Days in Ireland" Dublin, Irish Press 1949
  3. O'Broin, Leon "Michael Collins"
  4. "With Michael Collins in the Fight For Irish Independence" 1929

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