Biography

Member of 1st Dail, Chairman of the Irish provisional government and Commander- in-chief of the provisional government army

Michael Collins (the Big Fellow) was born in Clonakilty, Co. Cork on the 16th October 1890.

A foot-soldier in the 1916 Rising, during the War of Independence (1919-1921) he became director of intelligence of the I.R.A., which debilitated the British intelligence system through an effective Irish network of spies and armed agents. Michael Collins was a member of the delegation that negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty of the 6th December 1921 which established the 26 county Irish Free State. After reluctantly signing the treaty, he said to Lord Birkenhead 'I may have signed my actual death warrant'. In January 1922, Michael Collins became the Chairman of the Irish provisional government.

Following ratification of the Treaty, the Irish government split into pro and anti-Treaty camps. A vicious civil war (1922-23) followed with Collins acting as Commander-in-chief of the pro-Treaty army. The anti-Treaty movement was led by Éamon de Valera. The Civil War was even more violent than the War of Independence, pitting Irishmen against each other. On the 22nd August 1922, Michael Collins was fatally wounded at an ambush at Béal na Bláth (Béal Átha na Bláiche). An estimated 300,000 mourners attended his funeral.

Michael McDowell Biography:

Michael McDowell is a Senior Counsel, a former Minister for Justice and a founding member & one-time leader of the Progressive Democrats. His grandfather, Eoin MacNeill, was co-founder of the Gaelic League and head of the Irish Volunteers. McDowell has no doubt about Michael Collins' greatness: "He was a man for all seasons: he was our George Washington, our Nelson Mandela - father of the democratic Republic we live in today".

Why Michael McDowell believes Collins is "Ireland's Greatest":

Freedom:
Quite simply, Michael Collins fought the British Empire and won. His intelligence, leadership and military planning brought the Empire to its knees during the War of Independence. His actions brought about a truce, then a treaty and the creation of an independent Irish Free State. Michael Collins was not only dedicated to the cause, he was even more dedicated to delivering that cause.

Bravery: He enlisted in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, came home to Ireland from London and fought in the GPO in 1916. He developed an impenetrable intelligence network and nurtured a loyal team of undercover agents. He took enormous physical risks as he ran the revolution from his bicycle... he showed enormous moral bravery as he persuaded his men to undermine British rule and engage in targeted assassinations. And as the most wanted man in the Empire, he took his bravest step in heading to London as part of the team that would negotiate freedom for Ireland.

Democracy: Michael Collins was as comfortable with fund-raising and book-keeping as he was with revolution. He did not dream of anarchy and insurrection - he wanted a new independent Ireland that could function immediately as a proper democratic Western society: he almost single-handedly raised £500,000 in funds to support the workings of the 1st Dail.

Genius: Michael Collins showed leadership, bravery and military & political genius throughout his life. He was a warrior, diplomat, fund-raiser, intelligence expert... whatever was needed to achieve his one true aim: Freedom for Ireland.