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:
- "Ireland. The Politics of Enmity 1789-2006", OUP, 2006
- "Guerrilla Days in Ireland" Dublin, Irish Press 1949
- O'Broin, Leon "Michael Collins"
- "With Michael Collins in the Fight For Irish Independence" 1929
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