Michael Collins: A LifeThe most charismatic figure to emerge during the struggles for the independence of Ireland was undoubtedly Michael Collins. This remarkable new biography, which draws on much hitherto unpublished material, charts the dramatic rise of the country boy who became head of the Free State and commander-in-chief of the army. Born of peasant stock in the rural south-west of Ireland in 1890, Collins joined the Volunteers in 1916 and fought in the Easter Rising. On his release from detention, he was elected Sinn Fein member for County Cork in the General Election of 1918. The 73 Sinn Fein MPs refused to take their seats at Westminster, instead forming Dail Eireann and declaring for a republic. During the Troubles, when de Valera was in America and other leaders were in prison, Collins, in his dual role of Minister of Finance and Director of Intelligence, effectively ran the Republican government. Collins had a crucial role in working out the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921, but on the outbreak of the savage civil war of 1922-23 he conducted the campaign against the anti-Treaty rebels with flair and ruthless energy. When Griffith died suddenly on 12 August 1922, Collins became head of state as well as commander-in-chief of the army. Ten days later, while on a tour of inspection in his home county, General Collins was ambushed by the IRA and fatally shot. He was only 31 years old. No man since Parnell has so captured the imagination of Ireland, and his death was deeply mourned on both sides of the Irish Sea. Had Collins lived, the subsequent course of Anglo-Irish relations would have been very different. Though this is one of the great might-have-beens of history, there are vital lessons to belearned from the life and times of this strong, enigmatic, controversial but above all charismatic figure that have an important bearing on the solution of the present Irish dilemma. |
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Page 92
... Harry Boland , argued endlessly in a desperate bid to persuade the waverers to continue the fight . This was a testing time , and Michael rose to the occasion . Nor should the importance of Harry Boland be overlooked . He and the Big ...
... Harry Boland , argued endlessly in a desperate bid to persuade the waverers to continue the fight . This was a testing time , and Michael rose to the occasion . Nor should the importance of Harry Boland be overlooked . He and the Big ...
Page 113
... Harry's imitation of a curlew brought Father ( later Monsignor ) Michael Curran from the dinner - table of Archbishop Walsh to open the gate . As de Valera parted from Harry Boland he asked him to procure a large fountain - pen for use ...
... Harry's imitation of a curlew brought Father ( later Monsignor ) Michael Curran from the dinner - table of Archbishop Walsh to open the gate . As de Valera parted from Harry Boland he asked him to procure a large fountain - pen for use ...
Page 211
... Harry Boland who had returned from America on 21 August . Michael's partisans in the ancient cathedral city gave him a rousing reception , as he pleaded passionately for Loyalists to ' join with us , as Irishmen to come into the Irish ...
... Harry Boland who had returned from America on 21 August . Michael's partisans in the ancient cathedral city gave him a rousing reception , as he pleaded passionately for Loyalists to ' join with us , as Irishmen to come into the Irish ...
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Common terms and phrases
ambush anti-Treaty arms army arrest Arthur Griffith August Austin Stack barracks Beal na mBlath Beaslai Big Fellow Black and Tans brother Cabinet camp Cathal Brugha Chief Churchill command Coogan Cork Cosgrave County Cullen Dail Dalton death delegates Dublin Brigade Dublin Castle Easter Rising elected Emmet Dalton executed fact fighting forces Four Courts Frongoch Gaol gave Gearoid O'Sullivan hand Hannie Harry Boland Hotel intelligence Irish Jameson Joe O'Reilly Kiernan Kitty later leader letter Liam Liam Tobin Lloyd George London Lord Lynch MacEoin meeting Michael Collins Mick military Minister morning Mulcahy murder National Nationalist never night O'Connor organised Piaras Beaslai Plunkett police political Post Office prisoners Provisional Government raid rebels Republic Republican returned road Sean Sean MacEoin shot side Sinn Fein soldiers Squad Staff Street Tobin took Treaty troops Ulster Unionists Valera Volunteers week wrote young