Six days after the Pact elections, Sir Henry Wilson was assassinated by Reginald Dunne and Joseph O'Sullivan—two London-based IRA volunteers, who had served in World War I, in which O'Sullivan had lost a leg—outside Wilson's home at 36 Eaton Place at approximately 2:20 pm. Tim Pat Coogan, former editor of the Irish Press, is well known on both sides of the Atlantic for his journalism and especially for his books, which include Wherever Green is Worn , The Troubles , Michael Collins and De Valera . It is obvious from the get go that he is on Collins’ side in this simple narrative of one man pitted against another. It was soon disrupted by the Irish Civil War, in which Collins was commander-in-chief of the National Army.

In spring 1922, Collins, along with other IRB and IRA leaders, developed secret plans for a guerrilla offensive in Northern Ireland. I have examined a wealth of writing and opinions on Collins and this piece is by far and away the best. There were those, such as leading Cork IRA figure Tom Barry, who hailed him in public but criticised him privately as “he never shot a man in his life”. As one of the “reluctant” negotiators of the Anglo-Irish treaty, Collins could be either forensic or belligerent depending on the circumstances, although the choreography of reaching the deal in December 1921 might have been teased out more by the authors.The youngest son in a family of 8 children, Collins grew up being the centre of attention of the older siblings in his family — he would remain in close contact with his siblings, especially sister Hannie and brother Johnny, all his life. 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.

Not long after, the Cabinet was obliged to select the delegation that would travel to the London peace conference and negotiate a treaty. Michael Collins and the Civil War During the Civil War, Michael Collins was commander-in-chief of the Free State Army. He was a member of the London GAA, through which he became associated with the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Gaelic League. On several occasions, Collins assured his advisors "they won't shoot me in my own county," or words to that effect.Collins' profoundly mixed feelings about this situation are recorded in his private and official correspondence. The agreement provided for a Dominion status " Irish Free State", whose relationship to the British Commonwealth would be modelled after Canada's. Susan Killeen, his first girlfriend from his London days, remained a steadfast ally throughout the years of the Troubles.

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 the Irish Republic.Collins was born in Woodfield, Sam's Cross, near Rosscarbery, County Cork, on 16 October 1890, [3] [note 1] the third son and youngest of eight children. Collins and his close associate, Teachta Dála (TD) Harry Boland were among those who worked desperately to heal the rift.

To foster military unity, Collins and the IRB established an "army re-unification committee", including delegates from pro- and anti-Treaty factions. He was processed at Dublin's Richmond Barracks by " G-Men", plain-clothes officers from Dublin Metropolitan Police. Leaving school at fifteen, Collins took the British Civil Service examination in Cork in February 1906 [12] and moved to the home of his sister Hannie in London, where he became a boy clerk in the Post Office Savings Bank at Blythe House. The Crown responded with escalation of the war, with the importation of special forces such as the " Auxiliaries", the " Black and Tans", the " Cairo Gang", and others.You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. On that date, an ambush party of IRA Volunteers from the 3rd Tipperary Brigade including Séumas Robinson, Dan Breen, Seán Treacy and Seán Hogan, attacked a pair of Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) men who were escorting a consignment of gelignite to a quarry in Soloheadbeg, County Tipperary. He drew up a republican constitution which, without repudiating the Treaty, would include no mention of the British King. 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. At 15, he joined his sister Hannie in London and became a resident for almost 9 years, working for the Post Office Savings Bank.